V.I.K. project

YoungMinds is working to increase youth participation in the design and delivery of mental health and wellbeing services throughout England.

We do this by offering training, consultancy and guidance to CAMHS services and universal service providers, such as GPs and mental health practitioners. Much of this is currently available free of charge through our Very Important Kids project (V.I.K.).

About the V.I.K. project

V.I.K. is a four year Lottery funded project which involves thousands of children and young people campaigning to:

  • Improve mental health services
  • Raise awareness about the importance of children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing
  • Increase young people’s participation in service design and delivery. 

what we offer

  • Advice and training on how to actively involve young people in service design and delivery
  • Training for young people so that they can deliver participation training to professionals and to young people
  • Guidance on meeting participation quality standards in CAMHS services
  • Training for universal service providers including GP’s and mental health practitioners. Issues covered include developing
 emotional resilience, attachment, early intervention and identifying mental health problems in young people
  • Advice on the development of new projects for young people with mental health problems focusing on the vital importance of patient feedback. 

I think your ideas are excellent..!! I’m so pleased and so lucky to have you on board.

Children & Young People's Service - Learning Disability & Forensic Services, Prudhoe Hospital 

How it works

We have a team of V.I.K. regional workers based in each of the nine English regions. They offer practical advice and support to services with a priority focus on CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), and developing young people’s participation in these services. 

The regional workers support local V.I.K. groups of young people who are affected by mental health problems.  They engage with local groups of young people across England to hear and represent their views and experiences.

This includes:

  • Liaising with commissioners to improve service provision
  • Consulting with CAMHS managers to develop and implement young people’s participation in services
  • Campaigning regionally and feeding into national policy development
  • Organising events to raise awareness about mental health and stigma

Contact us

To find out more about how the V.I.K. project could help you involve more young people in the design and delivery of mental health services in your area, please contact your regional worker:

North East: Yvonne Collins (m) 07977 105 549 | (e) yvonne.collins@youngminds.org.uk

North West: Rosie Turner (m) 07817 384 406 | (e)
rosie.turner@youngminds.org.uk

Yorkshire and Humber: Liz Neill (m) 07817 771 181 | (e) elizabeth.neill@
youngminds.org.uk

East Midlands: Rose Panumudipo (m) 07817 771 636 | (e) rose.panumudipo@youngminds.org.uk

West Midlands: Marcia Harvey (m) 07817 770 937 |
marcia.harvey@youngminds.org.uk

London: Erin Wright (m) 07817 772 478 | (e)
erin.wright@youngminds.org.uk

East England:  (m) Kevin Davis 07817 771 079 |
kevin.davis@youngminds.org.uk

South East: Daryl Nicholas (m) 07891 388 218 | (e) daryl.nicholas@
youngminds.org.uk

South West: Matthew Daniel (m) 07980 759 667 |
(e) matthew.daniel@youngminds.org.uk

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