Encouraging Youth to Journal

In general, journaling can be very beneficial, especially for young people.  It can help them reflect on their actions and emotions, improve their writing skills and increase their communication skills. In the current situation where youth are learning at home and may be more isolated, journaling can have an even bigger impact.

Recording what’s happening in their life, in the lives of those around them and around their community and world can help them process, form opinions and make sense of everything that’s going on. To encourage critical thinking, frame it as them documenting history as it happens. One day, they can look back on what they captured about this unique and unprecedented moment in time. 

Consider encouraging youth to take up journaling or add it in to your at-home learning routine. If they seem less than enthusiastic about the traditional pen-and-paper method, help them think creatively about other ways they can record and document what’s going on in their life and in the world: recording videos, making a sketchbook of their artwork, interviewing their friends and family and mentors or whatever creative medium they’re interested in!