‘No man is an island’

This line from John Donne’s poem is often quoted; yet the reality for many young people is the exact opposite.

Feeling lonely when they are surrounded by 1400 pupils, feeling isolated within their home because they feel unable to communicate their feelings and often feeling trapped with thoughts and feelings they are unable to verbalise. This makes many young people feel they are an island on their own, drifting alone blindly.

Many young people who self-harm feel this sense of isolation keenly and deeply: whether that is outwardly obvious or not. In your professional role consider:

• What can be done to break down the sense of isolation with the young person you are working with? Are there local services/ social groups/ mentoring schemes you are able to access for the child?
• What tools are available to the family to begin to build stronger communication between family members? Something as simple as a family games night could begin to bring the family together more.
• Outside of you, depending on your role and profession, are there collegeaues you can introduce to this young person? Eg. Other youth workers, teachers, family support workers to that they don’t become dependant on you?
• What visual work could you do with the young person to help them consider the people around them as potential ‘listeners’, ‘friends’ and ‘supporters’? Help in the best way by working out their preferred learning style and using that.
• In the school/organisation/center you work in – is there any volunteering the young person could do? This gives them a role and purpose and allows them the opportunity to begin to develop their skills and , therefore, increase their self esteem.

In the same way our young people aren’t islands – neither are you. If you are supporting a young person with self-harming behaviour, make sure you have opportunity for non-line managerial support or a ‘listening ear’.