Classroom Lessons

Classroom Lessons

YouthLine offers free, interactive mental health lessons in middle and high schools across Oregon to help teens tackle common life stressors. Through research-supported lessons about sensitive topics like suicide, bullying, and stress, YouthLine connects to thousands of students across the state each year. Classroom lessons meet Oregon Department of Education Health Standards and offer information, skills, and resources to promote mental wellness for youth. Reach out to schedule lessons for your school today by emailing YouthL@linesforlife.org!

Our 45-90 minutes classroom lessons are designed to:

• Complement existing health curriculum
• Normalize help-seeking behavior
• Destigmatize conversations and raise awareness about youth mental health and wellness
• Identify individualized support systems, trusted adults, and community resources

About Our Lessons

We believe that:

1. Youth are resilient,
2. Youth can gain coping skills to positively guide their lives, and
3. Negative perceptions around mental health and seeking help can be turned around.

We deliver lessons using interactive co-facilitation and peer teaching whenever possible that keeps students engaged. YouthLine volunteers help initiate and lead discussions that normalize subject matter.

Please keep in mind: We reach capacity at 40 students. We do not require technology, but ample wall space for hanging posters is requested.

For more information or to schedule Classroom Lessons in your area, please email YouthL@linesforlife.org.

Lessons

Let’s Talk YouthLine

Begin a discussion around mental health and wellness and learn about YouthLine as a resource.

Grades 6-12
This unique 30-40 minute lesson introduces the YouthLine as a resource for students while normalizing mental health conversations and help-seeking behavior. Students identify individualized supports and self-care strategies. Each attendee receives our Getting Through Today brochure and an interactive wallet card.

Skill building: Define mental health concerns, identify appropriate resources, and increase help-seeking behaviors.

Coping with Stress

Learn about stress and increase students’ capacity to discover their own strategies to help calm and regulate when they need it most.

Grades 6-12
Classes build a collective definition of stress, examine their stressors, and discuss how people cope with stress. Through brainstorming activities, students learn to identify stress in their lives. Students begin exploring their own coping strategies and support systems. Each attendee receives our Getting Through Today brochure and an interactive wallet card.

Skill building: Recognize stress, discuss options for long-term coping mechanisms, identify appropriate resources, and increase help-seeking behaviors.

Suicide Awareness

Moving past stigma improves the ability to recognize when someone might be having thoughts of suicide. Lesson discusses how to offer support and link to supports.

Grades 9-12
This lesson combats the stigma around suicidal ideation and mental health struggles and gives students a chance to talk about these challenging topics. Youth learn to recognize the signs of suicidal ideation, gauge their personal comfort level with the topic, and identify how to help a friend in crisis.

Skill building: Learn indicators of mental health struggles and thoughts of suicide, explore ways to support someone thinking about suicide, and increase help-seeking behaviors.

[Lessons meet Oregon Department of Education Health Standards for Analyzing Influences, Accessing Information, Self-Management, Advocacy, Decision Making, Goal Setting, Interpersonal Communication].

Community Outreach

If you would like YouthLine volunteers and staff to attend an event at your school, such as a health fair, to provide resources or speak about our services, please visit the Community Outreach page to learn more.