Understanding what supports student wellbeing

This webinar brought together two researchers from Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures focused on youth mental health: Dr Seungyeon Kim and Dr Madeline Hayward. Together they discussed the current state of youth mental health, the role of technology and social media, and practical steps that schools and teachers can take to support students.

The current state of youth mental health paints a concerning picture both in New Zealand and internationally. Around one in five young people aged 15 to 24 in New Zealand report experiencing high levels of psychological distress, and suicide is the leading cause of death for adolescents aged 15 to 19. Globally, approximately one in seven young people aged 10 to 19 experience mental health challenges, most commonly depression, anxiety, and behavioural difficulties. Unaddressed mental health challenges in youth often persist into adulthood, limiting a person’s ability to live a fulfilling life, which makes early and meaningful intervention especially important.

Four key areas affect young people’s mental health. Much of the discussion drew on research led by Dr Jessica Stubbing, who spoke with 176 young people across Auckland and Northland to understand what shapes their mental health. This research identified four interconnected themes. The first is the world young people live in, where many feel bleak about their future due to existential threats like climate change, geopolitical instability, the rising cost of living, and perceived inequity or discrimination. The second includes pressures such as academic, family, and financial stress, as well as experiences of trauma such as family violence, abuse, and bullying, all of which contribute to a pervasive sense of exhaustion. The third theme is connection, encompassing the importance of supportive relationships with peers, family, and community, and the negative impact when these connections are lacking. The fourth theme is navigating a path, which refers to the process of a young person figuring out their identity, values, and place in the world.

Social media plays a complex role in student mental health and wellbeing, andcannot be characterised simply as harmful or beneficial.Social media was found to intersect with all four themes outlined above, functioning less as a standalone factor and more as an amplifier of both positive and negative experiences.On the positive side, it offers young people spaces to connect that may not be available offline, opportunities for authentic self-expression, access to resources and education, and creative outlets. On the negative side, it can facilitate cyberbullying, exposure to explicit content, and behaviours that undermine genuine connection and leadership. 

Connection consistently emerges as the most important factor supporting young people’s mental health, whether through friends, whānau, or community figures such as teachers or coaches. Dr Stubbing’s research also highlighted the importance of giving young people the time, space, and support to explore their identity and interests, ideally within physical spaces where they feel they belong. It is important to avoid framing young people as helpless, but rather to recognise their strong capacity for resilience, learning, and positive engagement when given the right support.

There are several ways that schools can address each of the four key themes without requiring extensive new resources. To counter bleakness about the world, incorporating civics and environmental education into existing programmes can build young people’s sense of agency, and teachers can communicate about these topics with an optimistic and action-oriented tone, which may itself influence students’ outlook. To strengthen connection, there is evidence that improving overall school climate benefits students’ resilience, self-esteem, and sense of safety. To help students manage pressures, helping students to develop self-regulation and perspective-taking skills can support their resilience, which is not a fixed trait but something that can be developed at any age, starting as early as infancy and even during pregnancy! To support students in navigating their path and identity, schools can support access to extracurricular activities and help students manage the transition out of high school. At the school and curriculum level, embedding opportunities for student voice and involvement, such as peer mentoring programmes, student action teams tackling issues they care about, and regularly inviting student feedback on classroom experiences, can also help build student agency.

Teachers and schools play a significant, often under-resourced role in providing young people with a sense of safety and connection, butthere is a need for a more coordinated, long-term, cross-sector strategy rather than relying heavily on individual teachers or organisations. There is cause for cautious optimism about the direction of youth mental health support, and initiatives such as peer mentoring programmes, where older students support younger ones, provide promising models. Young people themselves also show remarkable initiative and leadership in advocating for their own wellbeing, which itself is a cause for optimism.

Further resources

Read more from Dr Jess Stubbing here and here.

Watch our webinar with Dr Jess Stubbing here or read a summary here.