Celebrating fifty meetings of the Youth Advisory Group

This December marks a major milestone for the Wolfson Centre’s Youth Advisory Group (YAG) as members come together for their 50th meeting.

Over the past four years, the group has become an integral part of the Centre’s work by helping ensure that young people’s voices shape our research at every stage.

Since its launch, twenty young people have been part of the YAG, with ten members currently active. Members have contributed to grant and fellowship proposals, shaped study designs, advised on data interpretation, and co-created accessible research outputs. Their involvement has strengthened projects, improved inclusivity, and deepened the links between researchers and young people.

The group has been described by its members as a “bubble of safety and hope”, a space where young people feel supported, connected and able to speak openly about their experiences: 
“Fostering connection and building relationships between the members and the Centre is what creates these safe spaces to be vulnerable… The need for human connections and the benefit of meeting each other in person cannot be exaggerated.”

A core part of the group’s contribution is the Centre’s co-produced partnership model, where researchers return to share findings and show how YAG insights have influenced their work. One YAG member reflected on this long-standing collaboration: 
“I’ve seen researchers return to us again and again, not just to tick a box but because our insights are genuinely valued. Over time, we see real shifts in how researchers think, approach and design their future work.”

Young people have also taken on wider ambassadorial roles, co-producing and co-presenting at international events. These include speaking at the Wolfson Summer School, appearing on podcasts and webinars, and presenting at Triumphfest in Edinburgh. Members also took part in the launch of Edinburgh University’s youth mental health forum, sharing insights on emerging good practice in youth engagement.

Their creativity has shaped many of the Centre’s public-facing projects, from the World Mental Health Day art workshop to accessible information booklets on autism and ADHD. The group has mapped its “ripple effect,” showing how their involvement inspires change in schools, workplaces and communities, as well as having a positive impact on the young people themselves.

This year also marked another milestone: one of our members is now a co-author on a pre-registered report published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, titled Clinical and cognitive mediators underlying subsequent depression in individuals with ADHD: a developmental approach

The benefits of involvement are strongly felt by the young people themselves. Members shared:

“I’ve recently secured my first job after university, something that wouldn’t have been possible without the confidence I’ve built through the YAG.”

“The YAG has increased my confidence hugely. I’ve found my voice and can share my views, knowing the value my lived experience has in academic and professional contexts. I now know how to ask better questions, be more critical and reflective, and this has directly influenced my academic choices”

Across fifty sessions, the YAG’s work has covered a diverse range of topics, including digital interventions, school connectedness, risk prediction, Skills for Adolescent Wellbeing (SWELL) clinical trial, Welsh Government initiatives, ADHD and depression, grant applications and communication skills. Their continued dedication demonstrates how meaningful involvement enriches research and creates lasting impact.

To learn more, explore our YAG page and read our case studies featuring members’ experiences.