Helping young people build resilience through self-awareness
Discover how self-awareness helps young people build resilience with practical tools from Young People’s Programmes like action planning and rational self-talk.

Resilience is often viewed as the ability to ‘bounce back’ and be unaffected by life’s challenges. For young people, this skill is built on a foundation of self-awareness. By developing self-awareness, young people gain the confidence to handle difficulties and life transitions, allowing them to make decisions that prioritise their mental health and wellbeing.
Your Resilience, a programme designed to support young people, focuses, among other things, on helping them understand their emotions, thoughts and behaviours. Our core workshop explains that resilience and self-awareness are not something we simply have or do not have but can be developed over time using the right tools.
tools for developing self-awareness
Your Resilience offers practical tools that engage young people and make the process of building resilience accessible and relatable.One key activity is the plasticine exercise, which uses hands-on creativity to explore the idea of resilience as flexible and adaptable. Young people mould and reshape plasticine, visually representing how challenges can be managed and overcome without losing strength.
Another essential tool is action planning. This activity helps young people identify their values and create realistic steps to achieve their goals. By breaking down what matters most to them, young people gain clarity on how they feel, what they are doing well and how to move forward with a sense of control.
The programme also introduces the concept of rational self-talk, a practice that helps young people challenge negative thoughts and replace them with constructive alternatives. Rational self-talk empowers young people to face challenges with a balanced mindset and to feel more in control of their emotional responses.
The impact of these activities is reflected in the feedback from young people. According to evaluations, 81% of Your Resilience Lite workshop participants liked the content of the workshop and 78% felt they could use some of the tools learned later in their lives. One participant shared, “I have a better understanding and awareness of what helps me.” This reflects how the tools provided by Your Resilience equip young people to handle challenges with confidence and self-awareness.
building self-awareness through understanding your emotions
The Your Resilience programme helps young people connect self-awareness with the science behind their emotions. By introducing concepts such as the triune brain and the roles of dopamine and cortisol, the programme explains how the brain and body respond to stress.
Understanding the biology of emotions helps young people see that their feelings are normal and manageable. For example, learning about how cortisol can heighten stress responses gives young people the knowledge to identify when they feel overwhelmed and take steps to calm themselves.
These insights are complemented by discussions about neuroplasticity, which highlights the brain’s ability to change and adapt. This encourages young people to see resilience as something they can actively build through practice and reflection.
One young person participating in the workshop reflected on their experience, saying, “I was a bit nervous as I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found the activities really good and I will use them in the future.”
why self-awareness matters
Self-awareness is central to resilience because it allows young people to pause, reflect and make informed decisions instead of reacting impulsively. It helps them recognise patterns in their behaviours and emotions, giving them a clearer sense of who they are and what they need to thrive.
Through activities like action planning and rational self-talk, participants begin to understand their own emotional responses and how they can influence their outcomes. This self-awareness not only helps young people build resilience but also allows them to create relationships with others based on empathy and shared values.
“Self-awareness is essential for building resilience. When young people understand the importance of resilience, they gain confidence and become better equipped to overcome life’s challenges.
“I’m passionate about our programmes because they empower young people to recognise their strengths and develop skills that will support them both now and in the future.”
Ciara Mallon, Engagement Officer for Young People Programmes at Change Mental Health
building resilience at any age
While Your Resilience is focused on supporting young people, its tools and lessons can benefit people of all ages. For adults, activities like action planning and rational self-talk can be powerful tools for managing stress and setting personal and work goals. The plasticine exercise, while designed for younger participants, can also serve as a creative way for adults to visualise resilience and reflect on how they respond to challenges.
These tools are particularly valuable for adults who are carers and are supporting someone living with a mental illness. By developing their own self-awareness and resilience, they are better equipped to provide stable, compassionate support to their loved ones. Understanding emotions and using tools like rational self-talk can help carers maintain their own mental health while nurturing a supportive environment for those they care for.
Self-awareness isn’t just a skill for young people – it’s a lifelong practice. Programmes like Your Resilience remind us that understanding ourselves is the first step toward facing life’s challenges and building a foundation for better mental health, regardless of age.
support
Our Advice and Support Service is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (closed for lunch between 12.30pm and 1.30pm), where advisers can signpost you to local support that most fits your needs, including our Change Mental Health services. We offer initial advice on money worries and help to deal with emergencies.
Contact 0808 8010 515, email us at advice@changemh.org or fill out the enquiry form on the Advice and Support Service page.
If you are interested in partnering with us, and bringing Young People’s Programmes to the young people you work with, please contact: youngpeople@changemh.org