Working with young people to tackle poor mental health

We worked with young people in Havering to understand what affects their mental health and wellbeing and co-design solutions together.  

The challenge 

Young people’s mental health and wellbeing are getting worse across the UK. COVID-19 made their lives more challenging, but this began long before the pandemic and inequalities continue to grow. Policy, research and practice often focus on treating mental health problems rather than addressing the social and environmental factors that cause them. For many young people, the impact can last a lifetime. 

What we did 

We teamed up with Youth Unity, a local charity in Havering, to run the Kailo programme with 15 to 18-year-olds in the borough.  

Initially launched in Newham and North Devon, Kailo brings together young people, communities and public services to understand the social determinants shaping mental health and co-develop solutions that are grounded in what young people say matters most. 

What emerged in Havering was a consistent picture: many young people face multiple, barriers to connection. These included safety concerns, the cost of socialising, limited access to youth spaces, and feeling excluded at schools and in their communities. Together, these barriers reduce opportunities to build relationships and increase isolation and emotional strain.  

Young people explained how these barriers affect everyday life. Feeling unsafe limits where they go and who they meet. Financial pressures prevent them from taking part in activities, while some social environments create division instead of belonging. Activities such as sport and group programmes can strengthen connections and improve wellbeing, but access to them is unequal. This makes it harder for young people to build the relationships that protect mental health.  

Impact  

Through a youth-led co-design process, Kailo shifted the focus from describing problems to identifying practical solutions. One priority area identified by young people in the Kailo group was the link between employment, confidence, and social participation. Many felt unprepared for entering the world of work, with anxiety about interviews, uncertainty about expectations, and limited opportunities to build experience. At the same time, a lack of income reduced their ability to participate in social life, further reinforcing isolation.  

In response, the young people co-designed a Youth Employment Crash Course, a series of interactive workshops that combine practical skills development with confidence building. Delivered in safe, supportive environments, the workshops focus on learning through experience and direct engagement with employers. We are now supporting the London Borough of Havering to identify potential partners and funding opportunities to turn this design into reality.  

The young people who participated in Kailo also reported increased confidence and skills, with two of the group using their experience to successfully find employment. 

The London Borough of Havering is now funding the Kailo group to continue to meet monthly at Youth Unity, providing an opportunity for them to explore more of the issues that emerged in the Kailo sessions.

The council is also developing plans to respond to youth unemployment, with ‘Work Ready Wednesdays’, a potential weekly drop-in session in a community venue, offering young people CV support, interview skills, confidence building and opportunities to connect with employers.

“In Havering, Kailo is helping us shift from doing things for young people to designing solutions with them. It has created space for young people to really dig deep into an issue that matters to their wellbeing, and to shape how we understand and respond to it.  Kailo is about bringing young voices into the heart of system change and helping us build a more connected, inclusive and responsive local offer to them”.

Lucy Goodfellow, Head of Innovation and Improvement, Starting Well, People Services, London Borough of Havering