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Suzhou Youth Psychology Association

Youth Support Volunteer

I volunteer with adolescents who are struggling with depression, school refusal and academic withdrawal — young people who are often reluctant to talk to adults.

Role
Youth Support Volunteer
Supervision
Mental-health professionals

What I do

  • Join home visits and youth-support activities under the guidance of mental-health professionals.
  • Use shared experience and attentive listening to build trust with teenagers reluctant to engage.
  • Help create a less judgmental setting for conversation and support.

What it taught me

These visits shaped my John Locke essay: I met teenagers using diagnoses to explain away every difficulty, and others whose severe symptoms were dismissed as laziness. Both made me think harder about what diagnosis is for.