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Wolfson Centre for Young People’s Mental Health

Summer School

The 2026 Summer School in Youth Mental Health Research will take place from 29 June to 1 July 2026.

The three-day course takes place online, run by the expert interdisciplinary team based at the Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health at Cardiff University.

The aim of the programme is to give prospective researchers from both clinical and non-clinical backgrounds a grounding in youth mental health research, focused mainly on the wide-ranging work we do at the Wolfson Centre.

The summer school is delivered by world-leading researchers based at the Wolfson Centre. They will lead talks and small group sessions in their areas of expertise, with a focus on understanding the causes of adolescent mental health problems that can inform new effective ways to offer practical help to young people.

The summer school includes talks on a range of topics in youth mental health research methods and findings, drawing on the disciplines of epidemiology, genetics, neuroscience and intervention development, including:

  • Challenges for youth mental health and the current landscape
  • Global perspectives on mental health programmes and policies
  • Preventing depression in youth
  • Mental health in schools and evaluation of complex interventions
  • Psychiatric genetics research in youth mental health
  • Suicide and self-harm in youth

The summer school also includes small group sessions on topics including research career advice, the importance of involving the public in research, and how researchers can help ensure findings are translated into government policy.

Programme

The programme for the 2026 Wolfson Summer School in youth mental health research is the following:

TimeActivity
10:00am          Welcome and introduction
Professor Stephan Collishaw
10:20amSecular trends in young people's mental health
Professor Stephan Collishaw
11:20amBreak
11:30amChallenges for youth mental health and the current landscape
Professor Frances Rice
12:30pmLunch 
1:15pmSuicide and self-harm
Dr Jess Williams
2:15pmBreak
2:25pm

Parallel small-group sessions
Attendees should indicate in their application which workshop they would like to attend.Research careers: real stories and advice on pursuing a PhD

  • Research careers: real stories and advice on pursuing a PhD
    Expert panel
  • Research careers post-PhD
    Dr Will Davies
  • Research careers for clinicians
    Dr Olga Eyre and Dr Olakunle Oginni
3:10pmClose of first day
TimeActivity
9:30amNetworking session
10:00amWelcome and overview for the day
Summer school team
10:05amGenetics
Dr Joanna Martin
11:05amBreak
11:20amPrevention of depression
Professor Frances Rice
12:20pmLunch
1:05pm Developmental approach and longitudinal analysis
Dr Lucy Riglin
2:05pmBreak
2:15pm

Parallel small-group sessions
Attendees should indicate in their application which workshop they would like to attend.

  • An introduction to clinical trials with a focus on the SWELL study
    Dr Olga Eyre & Kim Munnery from the Cardiff University Centre for Trials Research
  • Open science practices
    Dr Charlotte Dennison
  • Translating research findings into policy
    Dr Chris Eaton
3:00pmClose of second day
TimeActivity
9:30am

Virtual coffee with Summer School speakers
Networking session

10:00am      

Welcome and overview for the day
Summer school team

10:05amThe importance and application of neuroscience in psychiatry
Professor Jeremy  Hall
11:05amBreak
11:20amMental health in schools and evaluation of complex interventions
Professor Graham Moore
12:20pmLunch
1:05pmGlobal perspectives on mental health programmes and policies
Dr Yulia Shenderovich and Dr Rabeea’h Aslam
2:05pmBreak
2:15pm

Parallel small-group sessions
Attendees should indicate in their application which workshop they would like to attend.

  • The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people who've experienced care
    Dr Rebecca Anthony
  • Introduction to online mental health resources and interventions for young people
    Dr Rhys Bevan Jones
  • Youth Involvement at the Wolfson Centre
    Emma Meilak
3:00pmFarewell and feedback session
3:15pmClose

Please note all talks and small group sessions will be delivered in English.

Speakers

The programme is delivered by experts in their respective fields.

    • Professor Stephan Collishaw
    • Professor Jeremy Hall
    • Professor Graham Moore
    • Professor Frances Rice
    • Dr Rhys Bevan Jones
    • Dr Chris Eaton
    • Dr Olga Eyre
    • Dr Will Davies
    • Dr Joanna Martin
    • Dr Yulia Shenderovich
    • Dr Rabeea’h Aslam
    • Dr Lucy Riglin
    • Dr Rebecca Anthony
    • Dr Olakunle Oginni
    • Dr Charlotte Dennison
    • Dr Jess Williams
    • Emma Meilak
    • Kim Munnery

Who can apply

The Wolfson Summer School is aimed at prospective researchers who are interested in moving into or learning more about the field of youth mental health research. If you have an undergraduate degree (or have nearly graduated), are interested in working in the area of young people’s mental health research, or would like an introduction to this field we will welcome your application.

Our summer school is free to attend.

Apply

Applications for the Wolfson Summer School are now open and will close on 7 June.

Contact us

For more information, please get in touch.

Wolfson Centre for Young People’s Mental Health