Our youth ambassadors

Discussion over mental health has become increasingly present in society which is fantastic. However, male discussion is still lacking. The immediate inclination to keep quiet about how you’re feeling, and to bury those emotions. In his own experience, this strategy inevitably worsens the situation.

Her experiences living with GAD motivated her to pursue a PhD researching children and young people's experiences of mental health education. She wanted to become a student ambassador to meet lots of other like-minded young people with lived experiences of mental difficulties.

She felt connected to the ethos of the trust and the aim to make people more active as it pertains to their mental health. 

For the past few months, Sophie has been working with a paediatric psychology team on a children's ward, as part of her university placement year. She hope to use her experience and knowledge to channel change. Furthermore, having had lived experience of mental health issues, she is happy to now be in a position where I can help others. 

Coming from an ethnic minority background, the topic of mental health is rarely acknowledged, especially in men, a lot of things are not truly talked about in his community, and having the ability to start the conversation, to allow for acknowledgment would be a great way to get the ball rolling.

Andy has lived experience of mental illness and feels strongly that there needs to be more effective education around mental health, as well as giving children and young adults the understanding and tools needed to safeguard their own mental health. This is the mission of the Charlie Waller trust, and he is excited to work with us as a student ambassador to help realise this.

Over the last seven years, Tilly has been involved with various mental health campaigns, on a local and national scale. Although encouraged by the progress made in breaking down stigma and improving the general support available - there is still a lot of work to be done. 

Emma is a young campaigner with a passion for creating change in mental health spaces. Emma founded and runs a grassroots Scottish Charity that takes an intersectional approach to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Through this charity, they have produced an award-winning documentary that explores a diverse range of experiences with mental health. As well as being involved in mental health spaces, Emma also sits on the board of Endometriosis UK and has been involved with various youth participation organisations over the years.

Freya is finishing the International Baccalaureate and going to study Geography at university. She is interested in practical measures to boost mental health. She wants to engage in new opportunities and draw on past experiences to increase connections between services.

Ginya is an American advocate, artist, and academic based in London. She holds degrees from Williams College and the University of Oxford in Studio Art, Comparative Literature, Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, and Comparative and International Education. Ginya is passionate about the intersection between creative pursuits and mental health and believes sharing is the antidote to suffering. She recognizes there is strength in vulnerability and pursued the Youth Ambassador role to assist efforts to break the silences that surround mental health struggles. In this position, she hopes to make others feel comfortable, seen, and valued holistically.