The BeWellATL Teen Roundtable of 12 teens kicked off its first full academic year of service on August 25. The roundtable was established in January “in order to spotlight teens and give them a platform from which to make their voices heard on a subject that impacts them daily,” said Rebecca Brown, LCSW, Program Manager who leads BeWellATL alongside Madeleine Lawson, AMFT.
BeWellATL began in August 2023 as part of a national initiative to destigmatize mental health challenges, raise awareness of mental health, educate teens and young adults, and bring together community resources for mental wellness.
In the Cards
The biggest accomplishment of the inaugural teen roundtable was conceptualized when BeWellATL organized a community wide event called “Mental Health Shabbat” in April. The roundtable teens were tasked with developing a program for participants at mental health shabbat events. “Through a lengthy, in-depth conversation with the group, we learned that many teens feel there has been a lack of conversation with their parents,” said Rebecca. “Many of them felt that their parents didn’t know what to say or do, and several also said they wished they had more of this education when they were younger. The teens also expressed how important support from an older peer or family member was to them.”
The roundtable came up with a creative solution: gamifying the conversations by way of a deck of conversation-starting cards. The Tackling Tough Topics: Mental Health Discussions cards were designed to facilitate conversations and bring families closer together. The deck contains four categories and fifty-four cards total, with prompts and guidelines entirely written by teens. The cards, which are available with a donation, have been successful and well-received.
Coming Up:
The first roundtable meeting convened August 25, with most participants continuing from last year along with some new faces. There are already multifold plans in place for a productive year ahead, from community events to educational campaigns to peer-to-peer education.
BeWellATL is working alongside JF&CS Volunteer Services to host an event at JF&CS on September 22. During the family volunteer project, roundtable members will utilize the Tackling Tough Topics cards to facilitate conversations with middle schoolers and their parents.
In March, BeWellATL will host a large community event with special guest speaker Pamela Schuler. The teens will be trained by Pamela ahead of time to lead groups of other teens in a storytelling activity focused on mental health. There are also plans for a social media campaign focused on destigmatizing mental health, as well as promoting the Teen Talk App. These plans are just the beginning, since the teens have the freedom to add in what they think will be most impactful.
“I think so highly of these teens,” says Rebecca in conclusion. “This is such a great opportunity for leadership, volunteering, and making a difference.”
In spring of 2025, BeWellATL will begin recruiting for a new cohort of teens. If you know a teen who may be interested, follow us on social media and sign up for the Feel Better Letter for updates.