THE SANCTUARY YOUTH SERIES

Why a Youth Series?

Mental health challenges in youth are prevalent and on the rise: depression and anxiety among young people doubled since the pandemic in the US. One in five young people in the UK will experience a mental health challenge.¹ Over 1.5 million youth in Canada live with a mental health challenge.²

We believe there is a vital need for youth to be able to talk about mental health and receive support and companionship in their faith communities. Barna’s latest research, The Open Generation Report, reveals that mental health is one of the greatest concerns for young people, and that they want to attend churches that prioritize this issue. Springtide Research Institute—a sociological research institute in the United States solely dedicated to young people ages thirteen to twenty-five—reports similar findings: “mental health, it turns out, is the biggest issue to address in order to do ministry that matters for young people.”

At Sanctuary, our hope is that the next generation will experience the Church as a supportive place, and that youth ministry leaders, parents/caregivers, and youth will all be equipped to have conversations about mental health. This is why we have developed The Sanctuary Youth Series.

To receive a free guide with our recommended mental health resources for those working with youth, subscribe to our new youth newsletter. We'll send it to your inbox right after signing up. Subscribers will also receive quarterly updates with more content on youth, mental health, and faith, plus information about our progress on the resource.

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About The Sanctuary Youth Series

Our youth resource is centred on the pressing questions that young people are asking about faith and mental health. It provides space to engage these questions and start important conversations in youth ministries and church communities.

In the summer of 2020, we conducted a global study and asked young people what they want to know about mental health and faith. In conjunction with additional research, this study enabled us to identify the issues youth are grappling with today.

Questions that emerged include:

What’s good about mental health?
What does the Bible say about mental health?
Why do I feel this way?
What happens when we talk about mental health challenges?
If you have a mental health challenge, can you get better?
How can I help my friend?
What can I do to take care of my mental health?

Our youth resource, designed for students eleven to fifteen years of age, explores each of these questions, drawing on insights from mental health professionals, theologians, youth pastors, and evidence-based research.

The Sanctuary Youth Series Includes:

GO TO THE RESOURCE PORTAL

Eight films

Each session features a short educational film featuring dynamic presenters, the lived experience story of a young Christian, a panel of youth discussing the lived experience story, and several discussion questions.

A Facilitation Guide

Beyond helpful tips for facilitating the series, the facilitation guide for youth ministry leaders also includes instructions for all games and exercises, as well as information on safeguarding and referrals.

A Parent and Caregiver Guide

This informational document for parents and caregivers outlines key teaching points from each session and equips families with information and resources to continue the mental health conversation with their young person at home.

Also included:

Exercises

Letter to Families

Film Transcripts

Did you know?

18

Youth appear in the films

8

Young people from
four countries share their lived
experience stories

50

Youth participated in the survey
that informed the resource

6

Youth served on a
Youth Advisory Council

How do I access it?

This resource will be available for free on our online resource portal at portal.sanctuarymentalhealth.org.

FAQ

It’s designed to raise awareness and reduce stigma by starting conversations about mental health in youth ministry settings. By the end of this series, young people will have:

Increased their mental health literacy;
Reduced social and self stigma surrounding mental illnesses;
Learned how to care for their own mental health;
Developed positive attitudes towards help-seeking;
Cultivated a greater understanding of God and explored what it looks like to follow God in seasons of flourishing and languishing mental health; and
Engaged in spiritual practices of companionship.

This series is for:

Young people with questions about mental health and mental health challenges;
Young people living with mental health challenges;
Young people supporting family and friends with mental health challenges;
Youth ministry leaders who want to engage their students in conversations about mental health, mental health challenges, and faith.

Our target demographic is youth ages eleven to fifteen years old.

This resource is written for a Christian audience. It provides a theological framework for understanding mental health and explores key questions through theological, psychological, and social perspectives. That said, it assumes low biblical literacy so that young people at different places in their faith journey are able to engage with the content.

It’s designed to be led by leaders in youth ministry. It could also be led by a chaplain, school teacher, or other adult who works with young people.
This resource does not require the facilitator/leader to have any special knowledge about mental health; it only requires a willingness to create a welcoming space for conversation and learning.
Everything needed to run the series, including a facilitation guide, will be downloadable from Sanctuary’s online resource portal.

How Do I Access It?

This resource will be available for free on our online resource portal at portal.sanctuarymentalhealth.org.

Did You Know?

18

Youth appear in the films

8

Young people from
four countries share their lived
experience stories

50

Youth participated in the survey
that informed the resource

6

Youth served on a
Youth Advisory Council

FAQ

It’s designed to raise awareness and reduce stigma by starting conversations about mental health in youth ministry settings. By the end of this series, young people will have:

Increased their mental health literacy;
Reduced social and self stigma surrounding mental illnesses;
Learned how to care for their own mental health;
Developed positive attitudes towards help-seeking;
Cultivated a greater understanding of God and explored what it looks like to follow God in seasons of flourishing and languishing mental health; and
Engaged in spiritual practices of companionship.

This series is for:

Young people with questions about mental health and mental health challenges;
Young people living with mental health challenges;
Young people supporting family and friends with mental health challenges;
Youth ministry leaders who want to engage their students in conversations about mental health, mental health challenges, and faith.

Our target demographic is youth ages eleven to fifteen years old.

This resource is written for a Christian audience. It provides a theological framework for understanding mental health and explores key questions through theological, psychological, and social perspectives. That said, it assumes low biblical literacy so that young people at different places in their faith journey are able to engage with the content.

It’s designed to be led by leaders in youth ministry. It could also be led by a chaplain, school teacher, or other adult who works with young people.
This resource does not require the facilitator/leader to have any special knowledge about mental health; it only requires a willingness to create a welcoming space for conversation and learning.
Everything needed to run the series, including a facilitation guide, will be downloadable from Sanctuary’s online resource portal.

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COURSE STRUCTURE

Coursebook

The coursebook defines key terms, presents relevant research, addresses common questions, and explores important concepts from three perspectives: the psychological, the social, and the theological. This reading, done in advance of group meetings, helps participants connect around the session’s topic using a shared framework and language.

Films

The films elevate the voice of lived experience, emphasizing various aspects of the realities of living with mental health challenges as a young person. Mental health professionals, theologians, and church leaders contribute insights, helpful biblical integration, and ideas for community support. Participants watch the films together during group meetings. Note that films include content warnings; some participants may choose not to view certain films.

Discussion Guide

The discussion guides contain questions for your community to ponder together, along with opportunities for deeper reflection through exercises, activities, and prayers. These guides make facilitating The Sanctuary Youth Series simple, as they provide a step-by-step process for group meetings and opportunity to engage more deeply with the content that is most meaningful for each group.

Also Includes:

FaciLITATION Guide

DISCUSSION Guide

FilmS

PARENTS' GUIDE

OUR APPROACH

Sanctuary’s resources integrate theological, psychological, and lived experience perspectives. They are developed with the conviction that informed and empathetic conversations about mental health challenges can transform communities of faith.

Informed

Our resources are developed in consultation with mental health professionals, theologians, and people with lived experience—all from diverse denominational, racial, and cultural backgrounds. This allows us to place clinical and pastoral perspectives in dialogue with personal experience and community practices.

Empathetic

Listening to someone’s story can broaden your perspective, reframe your understanding, and awaken your empathy. For this reason, the stories of people of faith with lived experience feature prominently in our resources. At Sanctuary, we believe it is important for individuals with mental health challenges to speak for themselves, and it is equally important for church communities to listen.

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