According to the World Health Organization, mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in young people aged 10 - 19 years old. Mental health and well-being and the everyday obstacles that make them challenging is the theme of the new Planet Classroom show entitled Journeys to Well-Being. Orb, the show’s virtual host, unites the creators of 3 films now screening on the Planet Classroom Network YouTube Channel: The Mess, Addiction and Art: Spotlight on Dopamine, and Throw, along with youth voices to discuss some of the challenges of mental health, violence, poverty, and substance abuse. Audiences will get insights into overcoming adversity via coping mechanisms including the arts and finding one’s purpose.

“Substance abuse is a serious issue,” says Sofia Rosenblatt from Chile. “If we are open to talk about it and learn about it in ways that are unconventional but engaging and judgment-free, such as art, then we can prevent future generations from developing addictions, and we can prevent future generations from being misinformed about the topic.”