This is the message guest speaker Sharon Witt will focus on when she visits Warrnambool this week.

The Melbourne-based author and educator is presenting a Resilient Kids and Teens seminar at King’s College on Thursday.

Her visit, she says, comes at a time when one in five people meet the criteria of needing assistance with their mental health. 

“Mission Australia’s 2016 youth survey listed stress as the top concern for 15 to 19 year-olds,” Ms Witt said. “The other two were school and body image.”

Ms Witt believes young people’s lives “have become too busy and complicated”.

“They need more play time and just to be kids,” she said. “In the 70s and 80s we left school to play. We climbed trees, we did drawings, we played cricket in the backyard.”

Children’s extracurricular activities are too structured according to Ms Witt.

“In the last three or four years it has become more challenging,” Ms Witt said. “This is partly due to online and social media and partly with kids having such structured timetables.”

Ms Witt said the seminar on Thursday was for anyone who comes into regular contact with children or teens, including parents, chaplains, teachers and youth leaders.

“It will include the importance of a secure base, education and other support resources,” she said. “I will be sharing specific protective factors that our young people need in order to develop strong resilience as well as techniques to help bounce back from adversities.”

Ms Witt has written 12 books for young people aimed at helping guide them through many of the issues they face in early years and help in developing key strategies in building resilience.

Resilient Kids and Teens will begin at 7pm on Thursday at the King’s College Gwen & Edna Jones Auditorium.