Young People’s Programmes Impact Report 2022-2023

One in six children aged 5 to 16 were identified as having a mental health problem in 2021, a significant increase from one in nine in 2017. Never has the need to support young people’s mental health been greater, and we know that early preventative support using upstream approaches like building resilience can have a positive impact.

Mental Health UK are thrilled to share their latest impact report for Young People’s Programmes which continue to deliver mental wellbeing and resilience workshops to young people aged 14-18 across our four nations: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The programmes’ goal is to fortify resilience early on and prevent the escalation of mental health challenges through prompt and tailored support. We empower young people with the knowledge and tools to build their resilience now and in the future.

These programmes continue to grow and achieve year on year, in a time when there is unrelenting pressure on young people’s mental health, exacerbating the need for additional preventative support. The number of children referred to emergency mental healthcare in England has soared by more than 50% in three years. An NHS report revealed that 1 in 5 children and young people have a probable mental health disorder in 2023.

In 2022–2023 we did the following:

Supported 25,571 young people reached through Bloom
Supported 8,617 young people through Your Resilience
Delivered 1,540 workshops to 191 individual schools and colleges
Trained 1,616 teachers through Bloom and 772 facilitators through Your Resilience

“It allowed us to question aspects of our lives that cause stress or pressure. It opened our eyes and allowed us to see that we have a support network.”

– Young participant

From surveys focused on young people’s experience of individual aspects of the Your Resilience programme, upwards of 90% confirmed they:

had a better understanding of resilience after taking part
thought they could use the tools they learned in their life
felt the discussions during sessions were good or excellent
found workshop content good/ excellent.

Mental Health UK are committed to continuing to evolve our programmes to ensure we can provide young people with the right support in difficult times. 2023 has seen three major developments which are also explored in the Impact Report, namely:

expansion in Your Resilience work in community settings across all four UK nations,
new focus on young people from underserved communities, , who don’t always get the support they need,
launch of a brand new programme to support young people experiencing anxiety around money due to the cost-of-living crisis.

“It’s remarkable to witness our Young People’s Programmes reaching huge numbers across the UK. What’s particularly notable this year is the shift towards more equitable programmes, prioritising support for young people with the greatest need. At the heart of this approach is co-production and the creation of innovative initiatives to support emerging needs.”

– Deidre Bowen, Director of National Programmes