In our May Youth Advisory Group (YAG) session, 13 young advisors from across Europe discussed youth mental health, early intervention, and the importance of genuine youth voices in shaping services and systems.

 

We were delighted to welcome Sophie Prober from headspace Denmark, who shared insights into this innovative, youth-centred mental health model. We also learnt how the Danish mental healthcare system is organised using a stepped-care model, ensuring young people can access different levels of support depending on their needs. The session explored how accessible, early support services, like headspace, can help young people before challenges escalate into crisis, alongside the impact of community outreach, family support, and volunteer-led counselling approaches.

 

We also heard an inspiring presentation from Nora Szabo and Eleanor Snaith, Psychology students at the University of Birmingham, who spoke passionately about why youth voice matters in mental health research and practice. Their presentation highlighted the importance of:

Some of the key themes from the session included:

 

The conversation sparked thoughtful reflections and shared experiences from across Europe, reinforcing the value of collaboration, lived experience, and youth-led change within mental health systems.

A huge thank you to all our speakers and youth advisors for contributing such valuable perspectives and ideas 💙!