Riverhead to host East End youth summit on mental health, suicide prevention

More than 100 high school students from across the East End  — including Shelter Island — are expected to gather in Riverhead today for a youth leadership summit featuring workshops on mental health, healthy relationships and suicide prevention.

The annual East End Youth Leadership Summit, hosted by the East End Partnership for Youth, will be held Friday, Nov. 6, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Suffolk County Community College’s Riverhead Campus.

Students will participate in interactive workshops and hands-on activities designed to improve communication, resolve conflicts, explore emotions through creative expression and build healthier relationships.

A grant from Paddlers for Humanity will support Question, Persuade, Refer, or QPR, suicide prevention training. Participants will learn to recognize warning signs of a potential suicide crisis, offer support and connect people with appropriate resources.

The East End Partnership for Youth is a coalition of organizations promoting positive youth development across the East End. Participating organizations include Riverhead CAP, the Town of Southold, Southampton Youth Bureau, Family Service League, i-tri, HUGS Inc., Paddlers for Humanity and Our Fabulous Variety Show.

“We chose mental health based on feedback from students across the East End who said they wanted more conversations about mental health,” said Riverhead CAP Coalition Coordinator and Community Prevention Specialist Chelsea Shuren. “We want to show them the different resources available in their communities and how they can access that support, whether they need it themselves or know a friend who does.”

It’s also about helping students have a voice, encouraging open conversations and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. “We hope everyone leaves with a better understanding of available services and ways they can get involved and support their peers, Ms. Shuren added.

Jennifer Palencia of The Retreat will lead “Back Down Gracefully,” an interactive workshop on taking accountability, apologizing sincerely and repairing relationships.

Kasia Klimiuk, executive director of Our Fabulous Variety Show, will use storytelling, role-playing and creative activities in “Exploring Mental Health Through Creative Expression.”

Jeremy Butler, ICAN’s chief administrative officer, will lead “Unmute: Part Deux,” a hands-on workshop focused on communication, self-expression, boundaries, decision-making and youth mental health.

For more information, call the Southampton Youth Bureau at 631-702-2425 or email [email protected].

The Reporter will have more on the summit on this site and in our Nov. 12 print edition.