FAIRFAX PARTNERSHIP FOR YOUTH CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS RESILIENCE.   

One hundred and thirty five participants at the 6th annual “Bridging the Gap” youth Mental Wellness conference engaged in a wide ranging conversation today at the Fairfax Community Church.  Participants addressed the challenges youth face, and how adults can help them manage the stresses and strains. 

The conference, convened by the Fairfax Partnership for Youth, brought together mental health providers, educators, concerned business leaders, youth-workers, and youth.  From their varied perspectives, they agreed that youth resilience can be remarkable, but it not automatic. 

“Many young people have a remarkable ability to bounce back from adversity,” said workshop leader Mary Azoy of CrisisLink, “but even the strongest need support from adults.” 

Conference co-chair Jeff Craven said, “In addition to all the normal anxieties of adolescence, youth today are under tremendous pressure to succeed, at the same time, their families are wrestling with economic pressure including loss of jobs and foreclosures, military deployment, divorce, even homelessness.  Those of us who care about youth and work in youth-serving organizations, need to be aware of these exceptional pressures.  We have to help the youth understand that they are not alone; that others care about them; and that they can get through these tough times to succeed in life.”

The annual conference is the most visible part of the Fairfax Partnership for Youth’s ongoing work to identify gaps in services to youth, highlight them, and bring together to community resources to address them.  Past conferences have focused on issues of youth depression and suicide.  That work resulted in a great expansion of depression screenings in schools, and mental health referrals.  Future work will build agreement and cooperation between public and private resources for youth to increase the quality and quantity of help available.