Co-production with young people underway at research centre

The Wolfson Centre for Young People’s Mental Health has begun its co-production work with members of the research centre’s Youth Advisory Groups.

The Youth Advisory Groups, made up of young people between the ages of 14-25 with lived mental health experience, have met monthly since September and the groups offer guidance on the Wolfson Centre’s ongoing research and priorities.

Emma Meilak from the Wolfson Centre, who facilitates the groups, said: “Our Youth Advisory Groups have already achieved a great deal in the first few months of operation.

“Our youth advisors have partnered with us on creating a blog post, consulted on our social marketing strategy and designed a graphic for our Group Pledge, as well as contributing and sharing their experiences in our monthly meetings. We were also thrilled our ongoing co-production work was recognised by the Deputy Minister for Mental Health in Welsh Government, Lynne Neagle, in the Senedd last month.”

Becs Parker, the Wolfson Centre’s communications officer, added: “The Youth Advisors’ work so far has been invaluable and we are really excited to continue to develop the groups’ skills through new training opportunities in the coming months.  We can’t wait to see how they will continue to bring their creativity and enthusiasm, not only through guiding our research but also in further creative collaborations with us that will support the work of the Centre as a whole. Watch this space!”

Emma Meilak concluded: “It’s been a privilege getting to know our Youth Advisors over the past few months and we have an exciting year ahead planned for the groups in 2022.

“Ensuring young people’s voices and perspectives are at the heart of the work we do here at the Wolfson Centre is so important to us and these creative outputs are just the beginning of our exciting and collaborative partnership with young people.”

The inaugural blog post from one of the Youth Advisors, In my own words: Stigma, focused on the theme of mental health stigma, following a Youth Advisory Group meeting on the topic last month. The young people’s recommendations from the session will form the basis of discussion for the Centre's next Implementation and Engagement Board meeting in January 2022.

The Wolfson Centre’s blog space will continue to develop and is the best place to keep up to date with work created in partnership with young people.