Hey there! Recently, the Young NCB Advisory Group hosted its second "Hot Topic" event. After much planning and preparation by Young NCB the theme was decided... Mental Health.
As many of us are aware there can be difficulties surrounding this topic, whether it's gaining access to services and support, or the inability to find a trustworthy person to speak to. While we wanted to address these struggles, it was also important to address the positive changes that have occurred over time - for example, the increased awareness and reduced stigma around discussions that involve mental health.
During the session itself, Young NCB collectively decided to host a variety of activities for the diverse groups attending (e.g. schools, local councils, and support services). This included creative ideas like a timeline which presented the journey of 2 different (fictional) young people who had experienced mental health difficulties in their childhood. Additionally, we decided to split the attendees into breakout rooms where each Young NCB member successfully facilitated a conversation between attendees, asking their opinions on the following questions:
- Do you think more help is needed before problems get worse for young people? What could this look like?
- Do you think the idea of a youth mental health service which goes up to 25 would benefit young people?
- Who needs to hear this discussion? Where should we make sure that this information goes after the event?
Personally, I was privileged to be selected to chair the event. This opportunity allowed me to gain insight into what it was like to lead and facilitate meetings. However, this would not have been possible without the excitement of working alongside other Young NCB members and the wonderful support from the National Children’s Bureau staff. So, a massive thank you to them for always being hardworking!
Thank you for reading and we hope to see you at our next Hot Topic Event!