Publish date: 8 April 2025
In January 2024, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) launched their CAMHS Youth Ambassador programme with a cohort of seven new ambassadors. Fast forward to April 2025, the team now have nine brilliant youth ambassadors across the Boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith and Fulham. The youth ambassadors (experts by experience) are employed on a part-time basis to help champion the needs of children and young people (CYP) accessing CAMHS services by ensuring their views are not just heard – but acted on.
Their work is guided by four key values that were adapted from the ‘Lundy model.’ They are; Accessibility, Empowerment, Inclusivity, Partnership.
Over the past year, they’ve brought these values to life through a range of new projects and initiatives. Here’s a quick look at what they’ve been up to:
Accessibility: Our Youth Ambassadors hosted a Mental Health and Wellbeing Fair in the local community to spread awareness about the local offer of mental health support available to CYP and their families. The event was held at Brentford Community Stadium hub and helped to showcase the work of CAMHS teams and local organisations. Over 250 event tickets were sold, with an estimated 150+ attendees. Feedback from attendees was fantastic - 90% of respondents rated the event excellent and 70% said they ‘Most definitely’ know more about mental health and wellbeing services for young people in West London.
Empowerment: The youth ambassadors have been supporting feedback projects by chatting with young people and parents in waiting rooms, completing feedback forms with them. They have also been reviewing patient letters to ensure the tone and language are CYP friendly.
Inclusivity: Supporting partnering organisations to develop workshops for young adults in the community, making mental health support more accessible. For example, the team supported Mind Axis to develop ideas for their workshops aimed to support ethnic minority women aged 16-25.
Partnership: Working on the ‘Waitlist project,’ which helps to put together helpful resources for young people who are currently waiting for CAMHS support. The wait can be long so their aim is to ensure that young people still feel supported and not forgotten.
In addition to this our youth ambassadors have played an active role in service user involvement forums including the LGBTQIA+ and parent forums. They have participated in CAMHS interview panels, and strengthened engagement and outreach by sharing valuable resources on the CAMHS West London Instagram page.
If you’d like to see more of what they’ve been up to, head over to the @CAMHSWL Instagram page to see some new activities and projects they have set up.