Bringing in an outside speaker or organization to speak to your school or class can be part of an overall approach to improving student's mental health literacy. However, helping young people develop their knowledge and skills related to mental health and substance use can be best accomplished by engaging students in thoughtful discussions, with the goal of encouraging students to think critically about their current beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. This conversation is often best facilitated by caring adults who connect with students regularly (like teachers or counsellors in the school).
There are a number of resources and guides that you can use to facilitate these types of conversations in your school environment, including the ones featured below.
Additional resources, curriculum, and toolkits for educators can be found in the Mental Health Resources to use in the Classroom section.