Commentary: Work with young people is leading the way in the new paradigm for mental health

This paper is part of a special edition on mental health in schools, to which the major international theorists and practitioners, from Europe, the US and Australia, contributed. This paper was an invited commentary on the rest of the papers in the edition. Its basic thesis is that most work that goes under the banner of so-called ‘mental health’ tends to remain stuck in a medicalised, illness-focused, individualistic paradigm. This paper outlines the beginnings that can be discerned of a wider, holistic and positive approach to mental health promotion with young people and examines various aspects of the new paradigm in mental health, such as its focus on holistic, joined up approaches, empowerment and person centredness. It explores ways in which mental health promotion for young people is making serious progress to implement the new paradigm in practice, such as linking with work in education on such issues as emotional literacy and positive behaviour management, and that other sectors such as education might be informed by this example.