The SPAN Youth Hub

Balancing classes, assignments, and personal life can be exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. For many students, the pressure to keep up with deadlines and expectations can make it easy to forget about taking care of themselves. As we settle into the new school year, remember that self-care isn’t just about relaxation—it’s about making intentional choices to stay healthy, focused, and energized.

Everyone feels stressed sometimes. School, work, friends, and family can all add pressure. A little stress can push us to get things done, but too much stress can make life feel really hard. The first step is learning how to notice when stress is starting to build up.

Finding people you can rely on is one of the most important parts of growing up. For youth, especially those navigating school, friendships, and big life decisions, it helps to have a circle of support. A personal support network isn’t just family—it can include friends, mentors, teachers, coaches, or anyone who encourages you and helps you through challenges. Building that circle takes time, but it can make a big difference in how confident and connected you feel.

Narcotics Overdose Prevention & Education (NOPE) is a youth-focused early intervention initiative providing psychoeducation and prevention services to deter early-stage substance use and high-risk behaviors. Our mission is to equip youth with the tools and knowledge to make healthy, informed decisions in a supportive environment that fosters resilience and growth.  NOPE is currently building partnerships with schools, community organizations, and non-profits across Camden County to offer engaging and impactful presentations available both in-person and virtually, tailored to middle school, high school, and college-age youth. Presentations are scheduled weekly and can be customized based on your organization’s/schools needs.   To learn more about the NOPE program or other Camden County initiatives supporting youth substance use prevention, mental health, and school-based services, please contact: Camden County Office of Mental Health & Addiction at (856) 374-6361 Each s...

As summer comes to an end and the first day of school gets closer, it’s a great time to start getting ready for the year ahead. Planning ahead can make the switch from summer fun to school days much smoother and help students feel ready, confident, and excited to learn. Whether it’s setting good routines or making sure you have the right supplies, a little preparation can go a long way in starting the school year off right.

Stay Up to Date with All Thing Youth MOVE - Subscribe to Their Newsletter Youth MOVE National is a group led by young people, for young people. We’re all about improving systems like mental health care, schools, foster care, and juvenile justice, especially for youth who’ve been through tough times. MOVE stands for Motivating Others through Voices of Experience, and that’s what we do: speak up, share our stories, and push for real change.  We believe youth, especially underserved communities often left out, deserve to be heard, respected, and included in the decisions that impact their lives. Through leadership, peer support, and advocacy, we’re making sure youth voices lead the way.    Through My Reality, by Paige Martin (she/they)   Read a personal story about Paige's experience with psychosis while in college. Paige talks about feeling scared, confused, and alone, and how one small act of kindness from a counselor made them feel seen and cared for. With support ...