1. Boys mental health, and the role of physical activity
Shelley Taylor Young People’s Public Health Officer Hertfordshire County Council

2. Attendees will leave the session equipped with the following:
A greater understanding of the emotional issues that face boys and young men
National and local information
Key points in boys mental health
Be aware of the issues and how to address them
Links between physical activity and mental health and wellbeing

3. Mental Health Continuum

4. A greater understanding of the worries from the Health Related Behaviour Survey 2016 Herts schools

5. Health Related Behaviour Survey

6. Health Related Behaviour Survey

7. Hertfordshire Emotional Wellbeing Survey for teenage boys: July 2017
641 male respondents completed the survey (out of 853)
The majority of respondents were aged between 10 and 15 (90%), with the
next highest category being (5%)
Boys appear to have slightly less awareness of mental health info and support than girls
Some of the barriers boys experience are; fear of being judged, embarrassment, bullying, being laughed at, fear of being seem ask weak, feeling uneasy about talking to someone they don’t know.
Coping strategies for boys; sports and physical activity, gaming, punching pillows
However, boys were more likely to report they would ‘do nothing’ than girls

8. Health Behaviour in School Aged Children 2014 Survey

9. What do we know?
Boys and young men only account for 25% of the young people using mental health services.
Around three-quarters of all suicides in 2016 in Great Britain were male.
Boys are less likely to see help at the early stages of their mental health issue.
Boys are more likely to ‘do nothing’.
Sports and physical activities are ways of coping that boys use.

10. Health Behaviour in School Aged Children 2014 Survey

11. Stress Bucket exercise

12. Health Behaviour in School Aged Children 2014 Survey

13. Hertfordshire Wellbeing Survey 2017

14. Hertfordshire Wellbeing Survey 2017

15. Group Discussion
What are your experiences of boys/young men asking for emotional support? Has this been different to the girls you work with?
What ways does and/or could your school support boys’ emotional health through physical activity?

16. Information and tools Five ways to wellbeing Mindfulness Techniques
Kooth
Health for Teens website
Chat health
Local community counselling services for YP
Young minds website