How will young people be involved?

Young people help us shape all the Time to Change children and young people’s activity, and have been involved in delivering different elements of the programme. 

We have recruited young people with and without personal experience of mental health problems from across England to join us as Time to Change young people’s panel members.  We have also recruited parents to join our parents’ panel. 

An advisory board, consisting of key youth organisations and based in the first regional pilot area (Birmingham) was also set up and have met since April 2012.

All 3 Panels have intertwined and fed into each other’s meetings

There are many opportunities for young people to be involved, including:

Young People’s Panel – we recently recruited new members for the young people panels. The current youth panel is in place until September 2013, as October is when the campaign starts in the new pilot region. 

Social leadership – we have been running several social leadership sessions within the current pilot region for young people with personal experience of mental health problems. Social leadership consist of two days training in a variety of topics, including becoming a young leader, a media volunteer, Human Library, speaking in public and event volunteer.

Governance – a young person was selected from the young people’s panel to sit on Time to Change’s Programme Advisory Board (PAB) and has attended the PAB meeting since May 2012.

Education – 17 young people with personal experience of mental health problems have been trained and supported to co-deliver education sessions, including talking about their own personal experience..

Community engagement – young people with experience of mental health problems have volunteered in several children and young people events, sharing their personal experience of mental health problems with members of the public. Including, the Birmingham Children and Young people Launch Event, Birmingham Pop Up Village and school presentation events.

Pledging – we want all young people to pledge to end stigma and discrimination on the grounds of mental illness, encouraging their friends and networks to do the same.

Online – young people have been supported to create web content, blogs and speak out on Twitter and Facebook on key youth issues.

Public speaking – at events, for example at our Birmingham Launch Event, two young people spoke from their own personal experience about why a programme like Time to Change is so important.

Media – several young people have shared their personal stories with media and youth publications, such as TOTP magazine, Shout Magazines, ITV Central, BBC radio and Bliss magazine.

If you are aged 14-25 and would be interested in any of the above opportunities, please email dave.wong@rethink.org. Please note, some of these opportunities are only open to young people with personal experience of mental health problems.