‘The Big Chat’ : a new direction to promote young people’s wellbeing

Healthwatch Surrey and Surrey Youth Focus organised "The Big Chat", a workshop involving more than 60 professionals from health, education, local government, policing and voluntary sector organisations to explore how young people's mental health and wellbeing could be improved. Participants argued that while services often focus on supporting young people once problems emerge, greater attention is needed on prevention, resilience and creating the conditions that allow young people to thrive.

A key finding was that many of the factors affecting young people's mental wellbeing lie outside traditional health services. Participants identified pressures within the education system, bullying, body image concerns, social media, family pressures, financial uncertainty and housing issues as important contributors to poor mental health. They argued that schools and wider systems should place greater emphasis on wellbeing, celebrate different forms of success and work to address unhealthy cultural pressures. 

The workshop highlighted the need for a much deeper understanding of young people's lives, motivations and coping strategies. Participants felt that traditional methods such as surveys and focus groups did not provide sufficient insight into the complex factors influencing behaviour and wellbeing. Instead, they recommended more in-depth approaches that allow young people to speak openly about their experiences, priorities and the support they need. 

A central theme was that young people should be part of the solution rather than simply being recipients of support. Attendees highlighted a range of existing youth-led projects across Surrey, including anti-stigma campaigns, young carers' initiatives, mindfulness programmes and wellbeing apps. They argued that empowering young people to lead campaigns, support each other and shape responses to issues affecting them could both improve wellbeing and help drive wider cultural change. 

The report recommended developing a county-wide approach to listening to young people, sharing insights across organisations and supporting more youth-led wellbeing initiatives. It also called for action to address broader cultural issues such as bullying, social media pressures, body image concerns and excessive academic pressure. Participants further identified a need to strengthen wellbeing support for younger children aged 5 to 11 and to ensure that young people's views are routinely used to inform policy, service development and performance monitoring.

Overall, The Big Chat concluded that improving young people's wellbeing requires a whole-system approach involving young people, families, schools, health services, community organisations and wider society. The report emphasised that lasting improvements would depend on listening to young people, supporting their leadership and tackling the wider social and cultural factors that influence mental health.