It’s becoming increasingly common to wake up to troubling headlines about teenagers, often surrounding the topics of poor mental health, exclusion from school, knife crime and screen addiction. Behind the statistics are young people being forced to navigate a new and complex world the like of which previous generations haven’t experienced, leaving them searching for belonging, purpose and someone who will truly listen.
In this podcast series, former teacher, psychotherapist and co-founder of Jamie’s Farm, Tish Fielden, invites us to look beyond the narrative of crisis and towards stories of transformation, resilience and hope.
Introducing the series
Drawing on her wealth of experience from being a former teacher and now psychotherapist, Tish takes time to reflect upon the thousands of young people she has worked alongside who were not thriving in school and needed the chance to discover who they really were.
While working at Jamie’s Farm, Tish observed that safety, belonging, and connection create the conditions for young people to thrive.
One young person she spoke to said:
“When I went back home from the farm it felt like a whole weight had been shifted…now I can start fresh”
This series brings together voices like these and gives the opportunity to listen to honest reflections from teenagers whose confidence, identity and aspirations have shifted in powerful ways since there time on Jamie’s Farm.
The wider picture: why belonging matters now
This generation of young people faces unprecedented pressures. Many feel defined by their academic performance, constrained by behavioural systems and disconnected from meaningful relationships with adults. We have also seen an increase in screens replacing outdoor play and face-to-face connection with friends and family.
When school becomes a place of anxiety rather than purpose and belonging, a sense of disengagement in young people can follow. However, research and lived experience suggest that resilience, self-confidence and emotional awareness are as vital as academic success.
Young people thrive when they feel seen, valued and capable of contributing.
“It felt like people were coming down to my level…talking to me as a person, not a number in a system”
What makes change possible
At Jamie’s Farm, change is driven by collaborative work, responsibility and relationships. Feeding rounds in the morning, cooking with peers, hiking up hills and working as a team are all experiences that help to create purpose and tangible achievement, encourage communication as well as allowing young people to feel needed. Our therapeutic support is woven gently through daily life on the farm, helping teenagers to express their vulnerabilities and understand themselves without the fear of judgment.
An invitation to listen
In this opening episode of ‘Shift Happens’, Tish sets the scene for the series ahead in a collection of honest and inspiring conversations with young people. To hear more about the insights, listen here.
