Soar believe there is greatness in all young people and deliver early intervention wellness workshops for teenagers. This creative reassures teenagers that what they are feeling is real, and tells them that Soar are there to listen and help them with their issues- which could ultimately change their lives.

The film explores the complexity of being a teenager and how poor mental health and wellbeing can be written off as a phase; something teens will grow out of. The voice over, a fourteen-year-old non-actor, asks the viewer to think back to when they were a teenager, and touches on moments most people have experienced regardless of their generation. The script paints a picture of the trials and tribulations of being a teen: the heartache, the hormones and the emotions, and punctuates each section with that dismissive phrase - it’s just a phase.

Visually we see snapshots of teenage life, performed by non-actors for authenticity. The script and

vignettes build to Soar’s positive message that yes, being a teenager is just a phase in life, but it’s an important one- anything is possible once that pressure doesn’t get in the way - and they are there to help.

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By working with Irish teenagers to deliver a script in their own words, we used language and expressions found in their everyday vocabulary. In the beginning of the script we hear a reference to ‘the school jacks’, which means the school toilets. Next we see a young boy touch the hand of a young girl as the VO says ‘trying to get the shift’, which means trying to kiss or ‘make out’ with someone. We then hear a reference to ‘naggins’ in a field, which are small bottles of alcoholic spirits or liquor. Finally, the pub is referred to as the ‘local local’, Irish people often refer to their local pub as ‘the local’.