Finally, results point to the need to improve MH literacy, reducestigma, and build sustained and supportive relationships with adults as part ofa comprehensive, integrated school wellness strategy. Despite the link between truancy andunmet MH needs, many schools do not routinely incorporate referrals to MHservices in truancy reduction interventions, perhaps contributing to the limitedimpact of these efforts.41–43 Schooldistricts and policymakers should prioritize adequate staffing of MHprofessionals at school sites, beginning with districts that have highconcentrations of youth at risk for MH problems (e.g., those with high rates oftruancy and exposure to violence, trauma, and poverty). One cornerstone of this comprehensive approach, supported by the presentanalysis, involves identifying youth in need. The WSCCmodel emphasizes the importance of efforts to promote health among the schoolcommunity holistically, in addition to providing integrated health services forthose in need of care.39 Comprehensive schoolhealth approaches, such as those recommended by the Whole School, WholeCommunity, Whole Child (WSCC) model, may offer a pragmatic framework.

Social support in schools and related outcomes for LGBTQ youth: a scoping review

• Additionally, in theoretical papers that employ sociocultural (Lemke 2001), combined (Whiting 2006), or no explicitly mentioned (Higgins 2015; Steele 1997) perspectives on identity development, it is argued that learning experiences are considered to be meaningful when adolescents recognize themselves in the learning material and content.
• Promising school-based approaches to address students’mental health needs are discussed.
• The Global Youth Initiative aims at addressing obstacles and bottlenecks preventing meaningful youth participation in a more systematic manner and at a larger scale, building on existing initiatives and lessons learned, drawing on the comparative advantages of key partners, and mobilizing additional resources to support youth engagement in education.
• This culminated in the production of a research review in 2017 which identified some areas of current research around the development and efficacy of peer-led programmes in the UK .

Sexuality education workshops were another form of external support that led to significant positive effects on teachers’ beliefs and behaviours to support their LGBTQ youth . School staff mentioned the importance of having a coordinator external to the school to provide support for curricular efforts and activities to students and staff, and adapting to school needs, reducing harassment for LGBTQ youth 50, gambling 69, 70. LGBTQ youth perceived more support in schools when they perceived that their school staff, administrators, and teachers showed more than verbal support (i.e., lip service). Generally, social support did not buffer effects of victimization on self-esteem for LGBTQ students , questioning the nuances in the efficacy of peer support as a social support system.

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Within family support, there is a nuance that lie between fathers and mothers, and LGBTQ boys and girls, indicating a need to understand the complex nature of family relationships and reasons why certain family members may provide more effective social support towards LGBTQ boys or girls. The findings in this review provided added evidence that it is insufficient just to simply have inclusive school policies. School principals also played a major role in the implementation of inclusive school policies as top-down administrative support is needed to send a message to school staff that they are supported by administration should they receive family or community backlash. Though there may be inclusive policies put in place in schools, such policies may not be consistently enforced by school staff, lending to the ineffectiveness of inclusive policies.

In one middle school class in Oakland, for example, students decided to study how environmental pollution affects the ocean and then designed a campaign to reduce waste and litter and increase recycling at their school. For example, teachers can connect lessons in mathematics to common tasks students are engaged in that use those skills, such as in cooking, artwork, sports, and other settings. Instruction helps students grow in their understanding when it builds on students’ prior experience and scaffolds learning by meeting them where they’re at.

In conclusion, the transformative potential of peer support groups in schools is undeniable. The success stories from these schools serve as a vital resource for educators seeking to bolster their peer support initiatives. To combat these issues, schools have adopted strategic measures such as providing facilitator training to equip students with essential conflict resolution and leadership skills.