[OYAN] Back to school anxiety

Thu Aug 22 13:26:30 PDT 2024

Brianna, Thank you so much for bringing this up!  These are not programming ideas but a few resources to help think about ways to offer support for your teens:

The Arizona Teen Lifeline has pretty helpful quick and clear advice<https://teenlifeline.org/back-to-school-anxiety-and-how-to-help-it/> for back-to-school anxiety, especially about using coping skills – anything fun to do! This is definitely a place where libraries can enter into support teens – in providing space, activities, and trusted people in teen lives, you’re part of making sure teens can access their coping skills when they get stressed out. In Oregon, our version of Teen Lifeline is Youthline<https://www.theyouthline.org/>, and it’s available anytime for Oregon teens – staffed at all times by adults, teens help staff it from 4-10pm daily. It is TOTALLY OKAY for teens who have concerns about back-to-school to use Youthline for support – they are a teen crisis, support, and help line, and they believe no problem is too big or too small.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness also has some good suggestions for grownups<https://www.nami.org/anxiety-disorders/tips-for-easing-back-to-school-anxiety/> in teen’s lives about helping ease back-to-school anxiety. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration just posted today about back to school resources<https://www.samhsa.gov/blog/back-to-school-mental-health-tips-resources-help-youth-thrive-in-out-classroom>. Since it’s a federal page there’s a lot of stuff to comb through but may be useful with its broad overview of current teen mental health and a LOT of resources to dig through if there’s something more specific coming up. Lastly, the Oregonian recently published a “Where to Find Youth Behavioral Resources in Oregon<https://www.oregonlive.com/health/2024/04/where-to-find-youth-behavioral-health-resources-in-oregon.html>” that may be helpful – these are definitely for really serious stuff and hopefully none of your teens will need any of these this fall, but it’s good to know they exist.

If folks have other suggestions or ideas, especially about programs/strategies you have tried in supporting teens heading back to school, please share!

Best, Greta
Greta Bergquist, MLIS, MAT (she/her/hers)
Youth Services Consultant
State Library of Oregon
greta.bergquist at slo.oregon.gov<mailto:greta.bergquist at slo.oregon.gov>  | 971-375-3549
www.oregon.gov/library<http://www.oregon.gov/library>

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From: OYAN <oyan-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> On Behalf Of Brianna Sowinski via OYAN
Sent: Thursday, August 22, 2024 9:41 AM
To: Lisa Power <lisap at wccls.org>; oyan at omls.oregon.gov
Subject: Re: [OYAN] Back to school anxiety

Hi Lisa!
A Walk and Talk program is a fantastic idea, thank you for sharing! I love that it would model healthy behavior, and walking with a group of teens would help make them, and the library more visible in the community. Plus, I get to walk and talk with teens, win-win!  I’m going to bring the idea to Teen Council and see what kind of response I get.

I think if I start and end at the library it would work for my community, but that reminds me of a related question. I remember that some folks were planning Community Clean Up Walks for Summer Reading this year; I’d love to hear how that worked for any of you!

I’m sorry you haven’t had many teens hanging out this summer. I mostly see the ones that live within walking or biking distance from the library, but we miss the after-school crowd.

Best,

Brianna Sowinski
| She/Her/They
Librarian I
| North Plains, Oregon
503-647-5051
| www.northplains.gov/library<http://www.northplains.gov/library>

My work week is: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
Proud member of Washington County Cooperative Services<https://www.wccls.org/>
[cid:image001.png at 01DAF491.3F617DC0]

From: Lisa Power <lisap at wccls.org<mailto:lisap at wccls.org>>
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2024 7:51 PM
To: Brianna Sowinski <Brianna.Sowinski at northplains.gov<mailto:Brianna.Sowinski at northplains.gov>>
Subject: RE: Back to school anxiety

Hi,

I haven’t had many teens hanging out this summer, which is a major bummer.  They seem to breeze in to pick up holds and breeze right back out the door!
To address this issue though, I can think of two ways to help teens work through their anxiety.  One is peer support, and another is exercise, or nature.  What is the possibility of doing something like a “Walk and Talk”?  Teens and a staff member can get together, and y ’all go for a walk while they talk through their anxieties, triggers, and ways to work through them.  I’m not sure if there are policies about taking the teens away from the library, though.  Just a brainstorm idea.

It makes my heart hurt to see so much anxiety in teens today.  It’s a great thing to have them feel safe enough to share with you!  You’re doing great work, Brianna!

I’m interested to see what other folks come up with.  Good topic.  Thanks for bringing it up.

Best,

Lisa Power
Library Assistant – Seed Library Coordinator
Banks Public Library
503-324-1382
//www.cityofbanks.org/banksseedlibrary<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2f%2f%2fwww.cityofbanks.org%2fbanksseedlibrary&c=E,1,QJkUqkKx1b34Nt0niABI_wr6a_UZ1MLJKP8hVeFa3ih1U9PODQFh09yixpgBtFayxhh4ByvHPd_aIAR7aOf3qFeaGh72fAWVm_O63kLP2l82QWqPMQ,,&typo=1&ancr_add=1>

From: OYAN <oyan-bounces at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:oyan-bounces at omls.oregon.gov>> On Behalf Of Brianna Sowinski via OYAN
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2024 6:50 PM
To: oyan at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:oyan at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: [OYAN] Back to school anxiety

Hi,
We’ve had a number of teen volunteers this summer—and for some of them, it’s been clear that volunteering was more their adult’s idea than their own... 😊 But despite that, we’ve all had a good time working together, and overall, I feel like it’s been a positive experience.
This week, our teen volunteers have been having a hard time and have opened up to staff about what’s been bothering them. It makes me happy that they felt comfortable enough to share, but it also makes my heart hurt. Being a teen is so tough, and finding the right words to support them as caring adults can be super challenging.
A lot of what they’re feeling seems to revolve around going back to school and all the anxiety that comes with it. Is anyone else noticing heightened back-to-school dread and anxiety among their teens? It seems like more than the usual this year.
Do any of you have special back-to-school programs to help teens manage this stress and anxiety? Or maybe programs that focus on building confidence and social skills? I’d love to hear what’s working for you.
If your teens are having a rough time, or if you’re feeling the teen feels this week, I’m right there with you ❤

Brianna Sowinski
| She/Her/They
Librarian I
| North Plains, Oregon
503-647-5051
| //www.northplains.gov/library<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2f%2f%2fwww.northplains.gov%2flibrary&c=E,1,Nj7VvJbqxk1c6NzqmtJ521mjYcSFPipcBR8MqJDsTk5HsBgBaqttbyFnggQi8gBY-emEgPdaGF2ecmZfcmfcBBlI7BzHWgUbtVV3n5qELe9d-c9FmBbgPkmVTEh5&typo=1&ancr_add=1>

My work week is: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
Proud member of Washington County Cooperative Services<https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.wccls.org&c=E,1,a9EiDW9PHDH9sGdlh2zBMz31Yhcl-maGb6pK7WtjCM6YUFMsr8OrGbXUjWxUnVZyPhjt_Uy6ip8WzaAllefnxvH1-kyrXPJo04uZihqwtFLzHElLXtfnmlPi&typo=1>
[cid:image002.png at 01DAF491.3F617DC0]

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