The Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) Learning Series
Training resources for practitioners interested in the WHO-UNICEF Helping Adolescents Thrive tools
The WHO UNICEF Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) Learning Series includes 14 short videos for frontline workers who work directly with adolescents. Using expert insights, animation and real-world visuals, the series introduces practical approaches to promoting adolescent mental health and well-being.
What will you learn?
Build the knowledge and practical skills to work effectively with adolescents, recognize when additional support is needed, and help adolescents better manage emotions and stress, strengthen self-esteem, solve problems, make informed decisions about drugs and alcohol, and build supportive relationships.
We invite you to take some time to explore the videos, which are organized into two categories:
- Core Skills for Adolescent Mental Health and Well-being
- Foundations and Practical Guidance for HAT Facilitators
The videos are designed to be flexible learning resources. You can use them to strengthen your own knowledge, integrate them into in-person or virtual training for professionals and facilitators working with adolescents, particularly those delivering HAT interventions, or incorporate selected videos into workshops and learning sessions with caregivers.
Introducing the HAT Learning Series
Core Skills for Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing
Emotion Regulation
This episode helps facilitators support adolescents to recognize and understand their emotions, and learn safe and helpful ways to manage and express them.
Stress Management
This episode helps facilitators support adolescents to recognize stress and its causes, and learn practical ways to cope with pressure and manage stress.
Self-esteem
This episode helps facilitators work with adolescents to recognize their strengths, understand what affects self-esteem, and develop more helpful ways of thinking about themselves.
Problem Solving
The episode helps facilitators guide adolescents to pause, name a problem, and break it into manageable steps. It explores how to consider options, learn from attempts, and recognise when to ask for help.
Drug and Alcohol Knowledge
This episode helps facilitators talk with adolescents about drugs and alcohol, their effects, and how to make informed and safer decisions.
Interpersonal Skills
This episode helps facilitators guide adolescents to build supportive relationships through listening, empathy, clear communication, managing conflict, and setting boundaries.
Foundations and Practical Guidance for HAT Facilitators
This episode introduces the WHO-UNICEF Helping Adolescents Thrive (HAT) initiative and its approach to promoting adolescent mental health and preventing mental health conditions. It explains how HAT strengthens the skills, relationships and environments that help adolescents thrive.
This episode helps facilitators understand the changes that happen during adolescence and look beyond behaviors adults may find challenging. It explores how respect, two-way communication and recognizing progress can help adolescents develop confidence and strengthen their ability to make decisions.
The episode helps distinguish promotion and prevention from the additional care some adolescents need. It places HAT within a wider continuum of mental health support.
This episode helps facilitators create sessions where adolescents feel safe, respected and able to participate. It explores preparation, attentive listening and responding to the group, alongside safeguarding and knowing when to seek help.
This episode helps facilitators recognize signs that an adolescent may need additional support, including situations requiring immediate action. It emphasizes knowing the referral pathway and seeking guidance rather than trying to diagnose or manage concerns alone.
This episode helps facilitators engage caregivers as partners in supporting adolescent well-being. It explores how caregivers can support growing independence, maintain connection and care for their own well-being.
This episode helps facilitators understand supervision as a regular space for reflection, learning and support. It explores how supervisors can guide facilitators through challenging situations, safeguarding concerns and referrals while strengthening the quality of HAT sessions.
This episode helps facilitators recognize signs of stress and practice ways to care for their own well-being. It highlights support from colleagues and supervisors while recognizing that healthy working conditions are also an organizational responsibility.
