Rashford, Sterling & Foden are top scorers with young people, for their efforts both on and off the pitch, new survey by youth mental health charity stem4 finds.

Last year, stem4, which supports young people with problems such as depression and self-harm, launched the first Youth Mental Health Day. The theme of this year’s event, taking place on 7th September, is #StrideForward, with a focus on building back confidence and positive mental health following the disruption caused by the pandemic.

In advance of Youth Mental Health Day, and as England prepare for the round of 16 at Euro 2020, stem4 asked 1000 teenagers and young people (aged 13-21) in the UK about their role models and hopes for the future. They were asked to choose the celebrities they most respected in different categories. In the category of sportspeople, Marcus Rashford (36%), Raheem Sterling (19%), and Phil Foden (11%) are all in the top 4 role models for young people, where they are joined by Lewis Hamilton (31%).

The most common reason for admiring these people were: “they are brave and resilient”, followed by “they stand up for people’s rights”. Reflecting this, is the high levels of support for social campaigners like Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling, who topped the list over the likes of England captain Harry Kane.

Dr Nihara Krause, Clinical Psychologist and Founder and CEO at stem4, said: “Rashford, Sterling & Foden’s determination and courage have not only changed policy in some cases, they are inspiring a young generation to take positive action, for themselves and their communities. Youth Mental Health Day on 7th September will allow each young person across the UK to kick-start their own journeys of positive action. Through setting positive goals on anything meaningful to them – from spending less time on social media, to campaigning for a mental health councillor in every school – the #StrideForward campaign will invite them to overcome barriers such as anxiety and low confidence, and find a path that will help them to build strong physical and mental health.”

The poll for stem4 also shows that young people are optimistic about the post-Covid future but are focusing on health and happiness rather than money.

Young people’s most common aspirations for the future are “just being healthy and happy”, expressed by 70% of respondents, and “having a stable job” (56%). Only 27% say they want “to make a lot of money”. Most are optimistic about the future, with 80% believing it is likely they will achieve their goals, although 42% described lack of confidence or fear of failure as a barrier.

Dr Nihara Krause added: “This has been a difficult time for most of us, but for young people in particular. Before the pandemic many of them were already vulnerable, and experiencing a range of problems. The disruptions they have experienced to their education, social connections, future focus and career aspirations have contributed to increased worries and a loss of confidence. However, what shines through from this survey is a sense of hope and optimism about the post-pandemic future. Young people also have a clear idea of what’s most important to them – they want to be healthy and happy and have stable jobs. We should be working collectively to help them achieve these aspirations.”

As part of Youth Mental Health Day, stem4 is working with schools to encourage students to #StrideForward. It is giving them opportunities to reflect on their feelings over the past year, to express their goals creatively (for example through music, art, or creative writing), and then make a commitment to themselves to take positive strides forward. Any schools or colleges that would like to participate and be featured in the campaign on 7th September should contact Anna Clingan, anna@stem4.org.uk by 30th June.

Highest Scoring Celebrities According to A Survey of 1,000 Young People

The survey also found that Billie Eilish is the most admired musician, chosen by 26% of respondents, ahead of Stormzy on 21% and Harry Styles on 19%. KSI topped the poll of online creators on 37%, scoring considerably more highly than PewDiePie (24%) and Molly-Mae Hague (18%). The Queen is the most admired public figure on 25%, ahead of Prince Harry (22%), Meghan Markle (21%), Bill Gates (17%), Dr Alex George (16%) Boris Johnson (14%), Kate Middleton (11%) and Prince William (10%).