Core Components 

Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme is a universal school-based programme for 12–21-year-olds across the full range of socio-economic levels including young people with additional learning needs in mainstream education.  The programme takes a responsive and relationships-based approach to cultivating mindfulness for teenagers and adolescents.  SOMA aims to support students to grow the foundations of well-being: 

• Social connection 

• Openness to enjoyment 

• Meaning and purpose  

• Action & agency. 

The programme is not a standardised set of lessons, but consists of 45 activities/mini lessons, structured into 10 themes: Setting Intention, Attention, Attitude, Character Strengths, Gratitude, Mindfulness of Difficult Emotions, Kindness, Action & Agency, and Meaning & Purpose. The SOMA Programme takes a modular and flexible approach allowing educators to craft courses and sessions to meet the needs of the young people and the context and time constraints they are working within.  As such, a SOMA Programme could be six one-hour lessons over six weeks, a day-long introduction to mindfulness, a weekly lunchtime session over an entire school year, or a more intensive programme consisting of 5 half-days in a row.   

The programme utilises games, videos and activities to inspire and interest young people in practices that can support them to become fully present for each moment of their lives, bringing ease and relaxation to their nervous system, enjoy greater freedom from an over-active thinking mind, enjoy more deeply the good things in life and learn to calm and take care of difficult emotions. The Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme aims to empower young people to connect with themselves, to discover their innate strengths and to realise their potential regardless of their social circumstances.  The programme is designed with the aim of inspiring young people to explore mindfulness in an environment where they feel safe and free from judgement.  

The programme includes a structured, comprehensive teacher’s manual which includes teacher guidance, module booklets and full activity outlines. In addition, videos, powerpoint presentations and all resources necessary to deliver the programme are also provided.   

Fidelity 

Fidelity is supported by (1) standardised materials including a manual (2) standardised training and, (3) lesson/session plans. 

Modifiable Components  

The programme is designed to be flexible and responsive so the structure of a course and the individual sessions can be adapted to meet the needs of the young people.  Within the teacher training, educators are taught how to create bespoke courses to meet the needs of the young people they’re working with. 

The Youth Mindfulness SOMA programme for adolescents and young adults was developed by Youth Mindfulness based in Glasgow, Scotland.  

Support for Organisation / Practice 

Implementation Support 

Support is provided from the Youth Mindfulness team of trainers. 

Licence Requirements 

A licence is not required to deliver this programme. 

Start-up Costs 

Start-up costs are £649 per participant which includes training, training materials, digital resources and delivery of manuals.  

Building Staff Competency 

Qualifications Required 

The training is suitable for schoolteachers, therapists, social workers, yoga teachers, mindfulness practitioners, counsellors and youth workers who have some form of introductory mindfulness training and have been putting the learning into regular mindfulness practise for a minimum of 3 months. The introductory training can be completed via an introductory 8-week mindfulness course or by using the free Healthy Minds Apps developed by the University of Wisconsin over a 3-month period. 

Training Requirements 

Online training is delivered over 12 weeks, with a one-week break in weeks 5 and 9.  The core of the training is weekly 2-hour long online sessions which covers all 16 lessons as delivered to the young people. Practitioners will have access to more than 30 video meditations to support personal engagement as well as on-demand lectures exploring the science and theory underpinning the programme. In addition to this, in weeks 1-3 and weeks 6-8 there will be an additional one-hour online mindfulness practice session.  In weeks 10-12 the course participants will meet in small group practice pods with fellow course participants to practice the key teachings skills. 

Supervision Requirements 

There are no supervision or coaching requirements for this programme.  

Theory of Change  

The Youth Mindfulness Programmes draw on a large research base showing that mindfulness practice increases the activation of important areas of the brain, particularly the neocortex. As such the programme brings improvements to attentional control, executive function, emotional regulation, and impulse control.  Through gratitude and kindness practices, the programme aims to increase the experience of positive emotions, reduce negative emotions, and support empathy and prosociality.  In short, the programme seeks to positively impact a number of inner resources that are key to flourishing and wellbeing. 

Values 

Youth Mindfulness Programmes believe mindfulness empowers young people to connect with themselves, to discover their innate strengths and to realise their potential regardless of their social circumstances.   

• Is promoting mindfulness to support the development of children’s mental health and wellbeing a key value of your service/organisation?

Priorities 

The Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme fosters an environment where children and young people can imagine the future they could shape for themselves, how they could transform their own minds, grow compassion and develop resilience to meet challenges that they will face and to appreciate the best in themselves.  Youth Mindfulness recognise that a one size doesn’t fit all and as such have developed this programme with a focus on flexibility. 

• Is working with children aged 12-21 years in a prevention approach priority for your service?
• Is teaching children mindfulness skills, with the aim of improving their chances of social and academic success a priority for your service?

Existing Initiatives  

• Does your service already provide prevention programmes aiming to improve children and young people’s mental health outcomes and coping strategies?
• Does your area have practitioners trained in delivering the Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme?
• Do you have links with CAMHS, Adult Mental Health Services and Child Protection Services to refer onto if required?

Workforce 

It is recommended that practitioners who train to deliver the Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme have already practiced mindfulness for at least 3 months, with ongoing regular practice and have a passion to put this into practice. Training is delivered over 12 weekly two hour long online sessions and the programme is delivered in school. 

• Do you have a practitioner willing to commit to undertake training?
• Do you have a practitioner available to commit to delivering the full extent of this programme?

Technology Support 

Online training requires technology that enables web access to teaching, resources, and zoom. 

• Do you have access to adequate technology to support participants to effectively undertake training online and to access all elements of the programme?

Administrative Support 

Preparation for each session is minimal requiring only basic administration needs such as printing, scheduling. 

• Do you have enough administrative capacity to meet these needs?

Financial Support 

To deliver Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme requires a one of fee of £649 per participant which includes training, training materials, digital resources and delivery of manuals 

• Do you have the finances to purchase the training, programme resources and annual top up of classroom resources?

Comparable Population  

The Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme is designed as a universal programme for all school children aged 12-21 years across the full range of socio-economic levels.     

Evidence of its effectiveness includes successful impact with young offenders in Her Majesty’s Youth Offender Institution, Polmont (HMYOI).  

• Is this comparable to the population you serve?
• Does your organisation have existing contacts with this population?
• Are you likely to receive enough referrals/demand for eligible schools and services to populate a recurring programme of the Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme?

Desired Outcome 

Youth Mindfulness SOMA Programme is a classroom based preventative programme designed to promote mental health, emotional well-being and coping skills and social skills. 

Research has identified that it can be effective in enhancing general wellbeing, resilience, and impulse control, including populations with experience of trauma. 

• Do these outcomes align with the desired outcomes for children accessing your service?
• Do you have other existing initiatives that would be supportive of addressing this need and achieving these outcomes?