Talent for change on show with Young Changemakers

Young people have been championing mental health awareness with a series of events in Bristol.

The young people are all involved in the Young Changemakers project. The collaboration between national youth work charity UK Youth, the Centre for Mental Health, and The Diana Award supports young people with Black and Black mixed-race heritage to channel their lived experiences into tackling racial injustices in mental health services in the UK.

The project is led by young people aged 16-25 with a passion for and/or lived experience of mental health issues and racial injustices. It gives young people with Black and Black mixed-race heritage communities an opportunity to reimagine and affect change through the lens of social action.

Abdillahi, aged 19, worked with three other Young Changemakers, including Mariama, to co-design and host a mental health day to raise awareness about racial health inequities in the UK and the importance of Black mental health. It took place at Integrate UK, a charity based in Bristol which “empowers young people to participate equally in an integrated, cohesive and representative society”.

Abdi said: “I wanted to make a difference in my community by using my skills to create change. I was also interested in educating myself further on black mental health, which is what the Young Changemakers programme offered.

“I really enjoyed the independence that was given to us young people – we really got to shape our own events and media which made it feel even better. Additionally, simply meeting people with similar interests and making new friendships was a merit in itself.

“I learnt event hosting skills, including public speaking and how to stay organised. However, that wasn’t the only thing I took away from Young Changemakers – I also learnt how to protect my own and other people’s mental health.”

Three Young Changemakers, including Mariama, then attended an NHS Quality Improvement event, where they presented their work on Black mental health and racial health inequalities in the mental health system to senior NHS leaders from Bristol, North Somerset, and Bristol, alongside frontline mental health professionals.

Mariama then led the latest cohort of Changemakers and supported the development of their own Black mental health social project, a fundraising talent show earlier this year.

The event at Windmill Hill Community Centre in Bristol, aimed “to foster social cohesion and allyship by sparking positive conversations about racial identity and resilience”, by “convening activists, artists, frontline professionals, and charities engaged in issues surrounding racial equality”.

Mariama, aged 20, said: “I initially joined the Young Changemakers programme as a participant driven by a desire to address the social impact gaps in communities like mine. Specifically, I was concerned about the lack of adequate support for Black and mixed-race individuals in accessing mental health services. The programme’s focus on such issues intrigued me, motivating my involvement.

“I enjoyed learning about how I could implement coping mechanisms into my everyday life. I was able to gain valuable and tailored information on mental health that I wasn’t able to get from teachers or councillors. I was also able to learn how to plan and organise an event alongside other like-minded people that was used to educate teachers and students on the issues affecting Black mental health.

“With the skills I learned as a participant, I led this year’s group of changemakers in planning and organising their social action project. I enjoyed being able to help the new cohort on their social action project and giving the information they need about mental health, so they can successfully implement it in their project.“

Mariama said the Young Changemakers’ work opened her eyes to the differing experiences of people from different backgrounds when it comes to accessing mental health support.

Mariama said: “I discovered healthcare professionals still don’t adequately address the mental health needs of Black and Mixed-Race individuals. Additionally, I became aware of the institutional and systemic barriers that hinder mental health support for marginalised communities. On a positive note, I also learned how embracing my racial identity can enhance my mental well-being. Furthermore, I gained insight into the diverse experiences of my team members.

“I hope the programme gives an opportunity for decision makers and professionals to seriously consider the impacts of systemic and institutional racism can have on the mental health of Black people in the UK. I also hope the projects and conversations from the programme can manifest into sustainable social change.”

Young Changemaker Karissa, aged 16, said: “I enjoyed how kind and helpful all the people involved were. It mostly felt like we were a group of friends hanging out.

“I learnt a lot of things to do with respecting and understanding people. For instance, learning about what language is offensive.

“I would like to see more young Black people joining in on projects like this as it was a really uplifting experience.”

About UK Youth

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes