The Impact of Activities and New Opportunities

Involvement within the community and taking on new opportunities provides multiple mental health benefits. It can relieve social anxiety, soothe depression symptoms, and help build confidence. Interacting with those who surround us has been proven to improve social skills and bolster a supportive environment. Eva Carlston Academy actively participates in community involvement programs and is always looking for new opportunities for our students. 

Community Involvement Improves Social Ties

Being a part of a community gives a sense of belonging and can make people feel connected to others outside of their homes. If there’s someone who is struggling with adjusting to a new place or feels isolated, going out to a public event can help bring the feel of strong social ties. 

Communities of people don’t always have to be right outside your front door, sometimes people who share similar hobbies or interests, or those who can band together for a common cause can be the center for community engagement. Having those you can connect with and depend on, can lower the risk of severe mental health symptoms. Often with a mental illness, someone may like no one appreciates them, feel isolated, lonely, or forgotten.

The main reason community involvement is in schools is to help gently encourage teens to find their place in the world and something that they may enjoy and learn from. A recent study was performed that showed psychological distress dropped by 34% in those playing recreational sports one to three times per week. Additionally, with community involvement increasing by 10%, rates of crime have reduced by 1.9%. 

Providing Eva Carlston Students With New Opportunities

At Eva Carlston, our students’ well-being is always our first priority. When our students struggle with anxiety, depression, lack of social skills, and more we try our best to provide them with new opportunities that will enrich their lives. We actively seek out volunteer programs that our students can participate in, one of their favorites being the Salt Lake City Art Festival. By giving our students the chance to interact with the community they live in, we’ve seen a difference in their mood, academic performance, and interpersonal relationships.

We strive to make community involvement a top priority at our school and being a center for community engagement is one way we’ve found to accomplish this goal. Participating in social events can prolong the vitality of adolescents and young adults. By providing our students with a unique array of activities, we help increase their hobbies and mindset towards any social goals they may have built for themselves. 

In individual therapy sessions, our students will often make goals with their therapist from making new friends to finding a new hobby. Young adults especially can be nervous venturing out and finding their new niche, which is why our community involvement programs are so important to their mental stimulation. 

At Eva Carlston Academy, we value the meaning behind making our students happy. We strive to give them the best life possible with the most enriching activities available. By doing so, they learn the value of hard work by volunteering at community events and the benefits of building social ties with a wide variety of people. We’re thankful for the organizations we partner with that make this dream become a reality.