‘Youth Board’ are a group of young people who share an interest in health services provided for children and young people by Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust.
Unlike many patient groups or community health forums that focus on the patient experience, Youth Board’s participation is strategic – this means they are involved fully and early on around service developments and changes that affect young people, bringing their different backgrounds and experiences to inform and enrich discussions.
This year, Youth Board celebrates its 10th birthday!
In the past decade, many young people have been involved and have participated in the work of the Trust. Our current Youth Board consists of 12 young people, 8 females and 4 males, ranging in age from 16 to 22 – though the group is open to young people from age 14-25 years. Youth Board members typically remain involved for a minimum of 2 years.
They can be involved in conversations around any Trust services that local young people access – from sexual health to physiotherapy – however, a big proportion of their involvement is around mental health services provided for young people. This has included:
- Mental Health in Schools – working alongside Trust staff around the development of self-help resources for young people; participating in the development of the service webpage, and advising on the language used to ensure accessibility.
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services – ongoing input into different services and around the transition process from children’s mental health services to adult services to help make it smoother and more effective for young people.
- Interviewing potential new staff – participating on interview panels with an equal voice in their recommendations and assessment of potential staff members.
- Development of the Bestie App – working closely and as equals with service clinicians, managers and IT developers in true co-production to develop an App that seeks to support young people who are accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services or awaiting support.
Youth Board members join at different ages and with various experiences and knowledge. The engagement team work with the young people to develop their interests and experience, supporting them to help them grow in confidence and skills that empower them to participate in so many ways – indeed, many have gone on to study and work in health roles, including as psychologists and nurses. The Trust looks forward to another 10 years of Youth Board!
Article by Jane Thomas
Head of Community Engagement and Patient Involvement
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust
