Very often anxiety and social awkwardness can result in total isolation and this situation can be exacerbated by unchallenged habitual behaviour, frustration within the family and escapism into a virtual world.  Perception of real life can be warped by online images, filters and snapshots of idealised lives, leaving impressionable young people with feelings of inadequacy and hopelessness.  Venturing into the real world with genuine people, particularly like-minded and similarly challenged peers, can open up opportunities to see a more realistic version of their life and future chances.

To include

• Life skills – talking to people face to face or on the phone can be daunting if you suffer from social anxiety but is entirely necessary to avoid being dependent on family members or institutions in our adult life.  Practising these skills in a non-threatening and non-public way can help them to become less frightening and more achievable.  Helping peers to progress and watching them overcome obstacles can provide incentive and optimism almost without realising the positive impact it has on one’s own learning.

* Develop positive attitude – teaching young people to recognise their own skills and talents. Socialisation, communication, sharing ideas and fears, discovering techniques to overcome fears and face challenges.

* Learning new skills - art, music, comedy, computer-programming - anything which inspires and engages our minds is always a positive use of time and energy. To begin discussion on likes, dislikes, interests and experiences which could result in exploring the options open to our young people to turn this into a rewarding and fulfilling hobby or career. Learning to use technology for positive outcomes rather than negative comparisons and communications.

* Activities which support self-identity – Encouraging a young person who engages in graffiti to become an artist rather than a vandal; someone who climbs scaffolding and buildings, risking their own life and those of others into a steeplejack or climbing instructor. Fine-tuning interests into purposeful outcomes.

* Confidence, self awareness – Exercises to delve deeper into why the young person has a negative self-image and encourage them to recognise their own qualities and abilities.

* Communication skills – Practice scenarios where the young person communicates in person, on the phone and by written word in order to express exactly what they mean, without aggression or confusion. Feeling unable to transmit our real views clearly can lead to frustration and unnecessary conflict both in personal and professional relationships. Increasing the vocabulary and familiarising the student with how tone of voice, appropriate language and facial expressions are perceived enables them to have more control over the result of their conversations and how they are viewed.