Space to talk about mental health

Our apps are co-designed with young people as we believe that young people are experts by experience, they know how and what they want to talk about with the services they use. My Wellbeing, which was launched in August, was specifically requested by young people to give them a space to talk about their mental health.

Both the One app and Express are designed to fit with existing social work models because we know it is essential to build upon good practice that is evidence informed. You can read more about how our apps align with those models here and here.

The SHANARRI principle

Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) is Scotland’s approach to supporting their young people. One of its principles is the Wellbeing or SHANARRI principle, comprising these eight different aspects:

Safe

Healthy

Achieving

Nurtured

Active

Respected

Responsible

Included

The SHANARRI principles provide a framework for understanding a young person’s wellbeing. At Mind Of My Own we give young people the agency to explore and evaluate these aspects on their own terms and in a way that suits them best.

My Wellbeing allows young people to talk about their likes and dislikes, how they feel about their home, neighbourhood and school and how they cope when things are not going well. They can celebrate what makes them happy and what they like about themselves. These options can be explored and reflected on by themselves or with a worker of their choice.

Upholding the UNCRC

Something we love about SHANARRI is that it is based upon upholding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The commitment to UNCRC extends beyond children’s services and social care, as this quote from Education Scotland shows:

Children’s rights clearly relate to their wellbeing. If we value children and young people’s rights then we must provide a learning community which makes them feel included, where their achievements are valued and celebrated and where their voice is heard.

It is a pleasure to be working in Scotland!