There is a lot of discussion about young people’s mental health, but these topics are discussed with young people far less frequently. Yet who better to understand the pressures, challenges and sources of support shaping young people’s wellbeing than those who experience them? In Manchester, a new, community-based project is taking a different approach, creating space for young people to share their experiences, perspectives and priorities in their own words. By listening first, the project aims to build more inclusive, responsive and meaningful approaches to mental health research, policy and support. In our latest edition of Urban Matters, Anna Coleman, Joanne Elliot and Eliza Varga explain more.

Why is it important to listen to young people?

Mental health and wellbeing are increasingly central concerns across disciplines, from public health and education to social policy, psychology and urban studies. Yet young people’s own perspectives particularly those from racially and culturally marginalised communities remain under-represented in research, service design and local decision-making. This project funded by the Social Responsibility Fund from The University of Manchester takes a deliberately different starting point: listening first.

What is the project is about?

The project is a youth mental health and wellbeing Public and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) scoping study, working with 14–18-year-olds in Manchester. Rather than testing predefined hypotheses, it seeks to explore how young people themselves understand mental health and wellbeing, what they believe influences these, where they turn for support, and where they see gaps in current service support and provision. Insights will be used to inform the direction of future co-produced research or service improvement work.

Who is involved?

Delivered in partnership with 84 Youth (a community organisation in Manchester that supports young people affected by violence) in three of local settings: a school, a youth centre and a girls’ community group, the project is grounded in trusted community relationships. An experienced youth practitioner will facilitate three discussion-based sessions using open, age-appropriate and accessible approaches. Importantly, the emphasis is on general understanding and collective perspectives, whilst prioritising safeguarding and inclusive practice.

What we hope to learn

From a multidisciplinary perspective, the project offers several points of learning. Substantively, it will generate early, youth-informed insights relevant to mental health research, social care, education and community development. Methodologically, it will explore how community-embedded practitioners can support more inclusive and culturally responsive PPIE – an issue of relevance across research fields. Institutionally, it strengthens collaboration between the University of Manchester, Manchester City Council (Social Care) and community organisations (who co-produced the project and bring different expertise to the project) being supported by the Manchester Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC). 

How this fits into wider work in Manchester 

Manchester HDRC is one of 30 National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded programmes which aim to strengthen research capacity within local government by embedding the routine use of evidence in decision-making. They help councils understand how policies affect health and inequalities and generate new research where evidence gaps exist.

What next?

Beyond its immediate output of a short, accessible report shared with participants and partners, the project aims to shape longer-term research agendas. By foregrounding young people’s voices at the very start of the research cycle, it models a shift from research about communities to research with communities.

Lessons for researchers

For researchers interested in multidisciplinary, co-produced and socially responsible approaches, this project demonstrates how small, relationally focused initiatives can create meaningful foundations for more equitable and impactful work.

Anna Coleman, Joanne Elliott and Eliza Varga are members of the Manchester Urban Institute Health and Wellbeing Research Challenge Area. They are based in the Public Health and Community Medicine Group, Division of Medical Education, School of Medical Sciences in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at The University of Manchester. Eliza Varga is an embedded researcher with Manchester Health Determinants Research Collaboration, Manchester City Council. 

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