ASK was designed to help adults have better conversations with young people about mental health – and you can use it to help them support you.
You can ask adults to ‘ASK’
Sometimes adults say things like “If you ever need anything, just let me know” – but when it comes to actually talking about how you’re doing, it can feel awkward, rushed, or just… off.
If you’ve ever found yourself wishing an adult would check in properly, there’s a tool you might want to know about.
What is ‘ASK’?
ASK is a tool created by the Scottish Youth Parliament to help adults start better conversations with children and young people.
It’s mainly designed for adults – like parents and carers, teachers, youth workers or coaches – to help them:
- know what to do if they’re worried about someone
- check in on wellbeing
- ask questions in a more supportive way.
ASK is an acronym that stands for ‘Approach them…’, ‘Speak to them…’, ‘Keep checking on them…’.
Why might it matter to you?
Even though ASK is for adults, you can still use it – by sharing it with them.
You don’t have to explain everything you’re feeling. You could just say: “This might help you talk to me.”
ASK was created because young people said adults don’t always get these conversations right – even when they want to help.
When might ASK be useful?
You might want to share ASK if:
- an adult knows something’s wrong but doesn’t ask
- someone keeps saying “Are you okay?” without really listening
- you want help but don’t know how to start the conversation.
It’s not your job to fix adults. But if you want to, ASK can help them support you better.
You can learn more about ASK by clicking the button below:
More Information
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Find out about how your school can support you when things are affecting you at home.