‘In Conversation with…’ young people about mental health support in Leeds
‘In conversation with…’
We asked young people who live in Leeds to come together and have some open and honest conversations and mental health and wellbeing. They discussed topics such as where they would go for support, coping with exam stress, body image pressures and changes they’d like to see.
Who are the young people involved?
Members of Youth Parliament
In Leeds, we have 3 elected Members of Youth Parliament (MYP). They start their journeys in the Leeds Youth Council and submitted manifestos and ran election campaigns to be voted in to a two-year term as MYPs. All whilst also tackling exams and normal day-to-day life!
Our MYPs are Emmanuel, Wania and Zani and they work really hard in their roles as youth voice champions. They all have their own manifestos but the MYPs are also responsbile for working on the top issue voted for by young people in the Make Your Mark ballot. In Spring 2024, over 7000 young people in Leeds voted in the ballot, and nationally, the topic issue was ‘Health and Wellbeing’, with a focus on mental health.
MindMate ambassadors
Also in Leeds, is MindMate. MindMate is the one-stop shop of mental health and wellbeing support commissioned through our NHS. MindMate employ a select number of young people as Mindmate ambassadors who help to champion the organisation.
“We have one main goal which is to reduce stigma around mental health and create a more open conversation about how young people are actually feeling. We do all sorts of work in the city to help promote MindMate. We visit schools and colleges to talk to students about mental health and make sure they know about MindMate and all the information and services which are available to them to support their mental health. We take part in conferences, board meetings, commissioning panels and other meetings about plans for the city. We’ve also written blogs, recorded podcasts and helped design and write parts of the website. Check out the MindMate YouTube Channel to see some of our work and hear from other young people in Leeds.”
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Let’s take a look at the campaign!
Where to get support?
The first campaign video was in conversation with Feli, Emmanuel and Wania, all around where they get support with their mental health.
“For me, my key points of access for support would be schools, colleges or youth groups…anywhere where I felt safe and comfortable and where I was at everyday.” – Feli
“Get support from the people around you. Ensure that your family and friends know how you feel. Prioritise the people around you…your safe bubble.” – Emmanuel
“It’s very important for young people to have that support system. It can be very difficult to open up but you’ve given good advice.” – Wania
Body image
The second campaign video was in conversation with Feli, Emmanuel and Wania, is all around body image struggles that young people may face.
“Embrace this thing called ‘body neutrality’ which is basically appreciating your body for what it can do more-so than what it looks like.” – Feli
“Surround yourself with people who promote you. In the black community there is a lot of stigma around darker skin tones. You are who you are and be proud of that.” – Emmanuel
“Embrace who you are. You can achieve loads of different things without worrying what you look like. Use it as a power!” – Wania
Exam stress
The first campaign video was in conversation with Feli, Emmanuel and Wania, is all around exam stress and how the young people cope with it.
Feli, MindMate ambassador, spoke about their own experiences with exam stress and techniques that helped.
“I found exams really really hard. I didn’t plan for them very well. It was hard to balance them with other things like sports and societies and general life.”
“When I started pre-planning and writing down what I needed to get done and braking it down, it became a lot easier.”
Neurodiversity and mental health
The first campaign video was in conversation with Morven and Wania. They discussed how neurodivergence interacts with mental health.
“I think it requires a lot more awareness because people with neurodiversity don’t feel understood by the people around them.” – Wania
“You have those direct impacts…if you’re dealing with some fatigue as a result of a disability/ND that will have an immediate impact on your mental health.” – Morven
“Support is really different depending on where you are (and the teachers you have) and this inconsistency is something that really concerns me.” – Morven
“I think there’s a lack of support in high school. People might be handed stuff on paper rather than being given the understanding.” – Wania
“Most people are diagnosed in high school meaning they can go through all of primary school, not even aware they have an issue that is hindering their learning.” – Morven
