Youth Impact Board - Your Voice

The Youth Impact Board is all about young people leading real change. We make it happen by working together in a way that's flexible, collaborative, and youth-led.

 

 

What we cover

The Youth impact board covers children and young people's services in Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - this includes CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and Children and Young People Community Services.

It also includes the career pathway, access and experiences of the younger workforce, under the age of 24 within Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

It does not include children and young people's services operated by Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH, which include QMC and City Hospital) or CAMHS services under the Local Authority in Nottingham city (targeted CAMHS).

 

How we come together

Every few months we come together for a big meeting to kick off a new term.

  • We review current projects, share feedback from young people and set our priorities
  • We talk through ideas, solutions and the issues that matter most to us
  • We also meet with Trust leaders to show what we've achieved and agree on what's next

Not every advocate has to work on every project - we choose based on our interests and skills, so everyone gets a chance to shine.

Between the big meetings we meet weekly to have more informal meetings to be able to work on projects, plan the 'big' meetings and focus on any Youth Impact Board business. 

 

Staying connected

We use online chats, WhatsApp and catch-ups to stay in touch between meetings. This helps us share ideas quickly, support each other, and keep projects moving forward.

We have a mixture of meetings, both in-person at a Trust site and online on platforms like Microsoft Teams.

As a group of young people with a shared vision and goal we feel supported by each other and are able to include each other and work in a way that meets every bodies needs and development.

We use different ways of communication so everyone can contribute in a ways that works for them such as anonymous feedback. 

 

Our projects

Between meetings, we keep the momentum going. That might mean:

  • Talking to other young people to understand their experiences
  • Meeting with NHS staff to co-create solutions
  • Reviewing research and feedback
  • Sharing updates across the Trust through newsletters, showcases and social media

Some projects are quick wins, while others take more time - but every one is youth-led and focused on making a difference.

 

How we operate

Click here to read more about the Youth Impact Board and how we operate. This guide has been created to ensure the effective partnership working between Youth Impact Board Advocates and Trust staff and to ensure an effective Youth Impact Board.

 

Roles in the Board

In our meetings, YIB advocates can volunteer to chair the meetings or take notes. Outside of meetings, they can choose which projects to work on.

  • Chairs lead meetings and set the agenda
  • Note takers capture everything that's shared, including anonymous contributions
  • Project leads step forward on specific areas they're passionate about
  • Question leads are responsible for collating questions and asking them on behalf of the group in the 'big' meetings. 

The youth impact board doesn't have set roles to allow everyone to explore opportunities that interest them.

 

At every step, the focus is the same - young people shaping services, challenging barriers and making their voices count.

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