NHS support for young people, Improving Access and Inclusion

Over the summer, young adults at Esteem explored this question through a participatory project with NHS Sussex, co-designing, leading, and analysing their own research to improve access and inclusion for 14-26 year olds.

Listening, Learning, and Leading Change

This project brought together 35 young adults from diverse backgrounds, many facing intersecting social challenges including housing insecurity, disabilities, and migration. Together, they identified ways to make mental health and primary care services more inclusive and youth-friendly.

Their findings revealed common challenges around trust, communication, and accessibility:

“I didn’t feel listened to, and my words and experiences were misinterpreted”.

“It can feel like our independence is being taken away”.

Across the workshops and social sessions, there were 73 attendances in total, showing a strong appetite for change and collaboration among young adults.

Turning Insights into Action

From the participatory sessions, young adults worked together to produce a Health Inclusion Report, outlining practical recommendations for NHS providers, from offering real choice in how appointments take place, to improving communication, and creating calmer, sensory-aware spaces.

“It was nice knowing that other people were experiencing similar things with the NHS… It felt good to help and show the NHS where the problems are – not just saying it’s bad, but giving solutions too”. – Young adult participant.

The team also co-led four social sessions on sleep, exercise, and diet, using peer-led discussion to share tools for wellbeing. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many saying the sessions boosted their confidence and inspired new healthy habits.

What’s next?

This project demonstrates that real inclusion starts when young adults are not only listened to but trusted as partners in shaping change.

“It helped me think about my health in a way that feels real to me”. – Participant, age 23.

Young adults from the project are looking to present their research to NHS Health Inclusion Practitioners at an upcoming conference in Brighton.

By involving young people directly in research and decision-making, NHS support for young people can become more responsive, inclusive, and tailored to their real needs.

👉 Read the full Health Inclusion Report below or by downloading it here .

If you’d like to share feedback or explore collaboration opportunities, please contact Andy Nall-Cain at andy.nall-cain@esteem.org.uk.