‘Standing shoulder to shoulder with activists helps overcome sense of powerlessness,’ head says

Climate change activism is reducing symptoms of mental ill-health among young people, headteachers and psychotherapists have said.  

People are increasingly reporting anxiety about climate change, a phenomenon known as “eco-anxiety”, but experts say taking collective action on the issue has boosted students’ wellbeing. 

The comments come as thousands of young people across the country are expected to walk out of school and lectures on Friday to demand politicians take urgent action on climate change.

Young people are being given a greater sense of agency as part of the global youth-led movement which has grown exponentially in the past year, according to psychotherapists and school leaders.

Alison Roy, from the Association of Child Psychotherapists, said climate change activism has helped to “counteract powerlessness and the sense of being done to” among children and teenagers.