Creating Research Ecologies to Advance Transdiciplinary lEarning (CREATE) on arts-based programs through the study of adolescent loneliness
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Sch of Languages, Cultures and Societies
Abstract
Arts-based mental health research, using creative practices like music, theatre, dance, drawing, poetry is enjoyed by many young people and can bring new insights and understanding about adolescent mental health in ways that traditional, often adult-led, research methods cannot. There is untapped potential to improve understanding of mental health if we could bring arts-approaches together with science and youth perspectives. However, this potential is held back by many research barriers. Scientists can find it hard to understand the processes and outcomes of arts-based research, meaning art-science collaborations face challenges. Youth, scientists and artists also have different vocabularies and research values. We are also without a shared view, across youth, scientists and artists, on how to interpret the meaning of the art produced by young people about their mental health. An understanding of exactly how and why arts-based approaches can be helpful to youth mental health is also lacking. Finally, arts researchers and youth can find the use of standardized measures of mental health, which are popular in science, difficult. Project CREATE will address each barrier by bringing youth, scientists and arts researchers together. We first conduct reviews of the main barriers and potential solutions and take these ideas into Living Labs. These bring youth lived experience into exploration around methods and interpretation with researchers. We focus our methods development in relation to adolescent loneliness as stimulus. Our ambition is to create a large resource hub, for anyone working at the intersection of arts, science and youth voice, presenting teaching tools, frameworks, glossaries, analysis methods and good practice guides to improve and optimise the learning we can glean from youth-informed, science friendly, arts-based research. Wide dissemination will be supported by the National Centre for Research Methods, and other networks, to both academic and non-academic research users.
Technical Summary
CREATE's goal is to improve transdisciplinary mental health research (MHR) across the arts and science by drawing on the strengths of each to inform the other, and by bringing these into dialogue with young people (YP). Arts-based approaches have well evidenced outcomes for youth MH. However, we lack shared vocabularies and methods, that 'make sense' across disciplines and youth, to interrogate their active processes (mechanisms of change) and to analyse the meaning in artistic outputs. Learning from these important and widely used approaches is therefore being constrained. Our objectives are to capitalise on the unique knowledges of art, science and YP to develop methods to unlock the learning potential from arts-based processes. Our interdisciplinary and youth consortium is uniquely positioned to produce an innovative transdisciplinary paradigm.
We address four unmet needs in adolescent MHR:1. resources to help this ecology better understand each other's vocabularies, values, perspectives and methods; 2. robust transdisciplinary methods for analysing artistic outputs of youth arts-based MHR; 3. characterisation and conceptualisation of key active processes in youth arts-based practices to increase transdisciplinary understanding of how these 'work' for MH; and, 4. integration of arts perspectives to overcome existing barriers to the use of standardised MH measures in arts approaches with YP.
We use Living Labs to optimise learning from arts, science and YP and to co-produce and test novel methods and resources addressing each unmet need. Labs build on initial wide scoping reviews of barriers and potential solutions to optimising learning across art, science and youth voice. We anchor the project to adolescent loneliness with learning transferable to other MH domains. Outputs will be made available through a new resource hub to support youth-science-art collaborations and widely disseminated through the National Centre for Research Methods and other platforms.
We address four unmet needs in adolescent MHR:1. resources to help this ecology better understand each other's vocabularies, values, perspectives and methods; 2. robust transdisciplinary methods for analysing artistic outputs of youth arts-based MHR; 3. characterisation and conceptualisation of key active processes in youth arts-based practices to increase transdisciplinary understanding of how these 'work' for MH; and, 4. integration of arts perspectives to overcome existing barriers to the use of standardised MH measures in arts approaches with YP.
We use Living Labs to optimise learning from arts, science and YP and to co-produce and test novel methods and resources addressing each unmet need. Labs build on initial wide scoping reviews of barriers and potential solutions to optimising learning across art, science and youth voice. We anchor the project to adolescent loneliness with learning transferable to other MH domains. Outputs will be made available through a new resource hub to support youth-science-art collaborations and widely disseminated through the National Centre for Research Methods and other platforms.
Publications

Bhui K
(2024)
Acceptability and feasibility of a brief intervention to enhance resilience among young people and their families in India and Kenya.
in Global mental health (Cambridge, England)

Ghezae FT
(2025)
The association between experiences of racism and mental health on children and young people in the UK: rapid scoping review.
in BJPsych open


Havers L
(2024)
Youth adversity and trajectories of depression/anxiety symptoms in adolescence in the context of intersectionality in the United Kingdom.
in Psychological medicine

Herbert R
(2024)
Music, marbling and multisensory trancing
in The Senses and Society



Lereya ST
(2024)
Gender, marginalised groups, and young people's mental health: a longitudinal analysis of trajectories.
in Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health

Ndetei DM
(2024)
The perceived impact of climate change on mental health and suicidality in Kenyan high school students.
in BMC psychiatry
Title | CSSD and CREATE: Movement and Mechanisms of Change |
Description | A short film which documents participant testimony gathered from their participation in the CREATE and Central School of speech and drama mechanisms of Change: Movement workshop. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2025 |
Impact | A flexible resource that can be used as evidence for practitioners and researchers on the mechanisms of change that occur for young people partiicpating in movement arts based practices. |
URL | https://youtu.be/MDxXjutdV9Q?si=A-QA1FPNF8t7R7Q4 |
Title | Crayons in Concert a short film |
Description | A short film documenting some of the work and words during Project CREATES third Living Lab series: Levers Lab. The Lab explored the mechanisms of change that occur when using arts based practice in mental health research. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2024 |
Impact | A creative reflection and documentation for researchers, arts-based practitioners and youth mental health care practitioners that articulates the mechanisms of change that occur when using arts-based practices |
URL | https://youtu.be/dSYlIDW_ViE |
Title | St Austell and CREATE: A musical expression - What is Loneliness and its Opposite |
Description | A short film documenting the 'Mechanisms of Change' using music in a regional workshop held in St Austell Cornwall. The workshop resulted in two performances where the participants responded to the stimulus, 'What is the loneliness and its opposite?'. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2024 |
Impact | A flexible resource that can be used to evidence the mechanisms of change that occur when using music as an arts based practice to support adolescent mental health. |
URL | https://youtu.be/XNneqZozE6U |
Title | Theo CREATE Collage Blog 2025 |
Description | In this short film/VLOG Theo (project participant) describes the importance that artistic creativity and outlets play in helping young people to connect, communicate, reflect and fight the negative effects of loneliness |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2025 |
Impact | A first hand account from a participant on the importance of arts based practice to foster connection and reduce adolescent loneliness and complications caused by lonliness. |
URL | https://youtu.be/YOs5ZmAIL3M |
Description | APP55977: Greening the indoors: transformation of indoor environments in a changing climate (GREENIN) |
Amount | £480,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | APP55977: |
Organisation | University of Surrey |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2025 |
End | 05/2027 |
Description | Optimising cultural expeRIences for mental health in underrepresented younG people onlINe (ORIGIN) |
Amount | £2,611,840 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NIHR204148 |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2023 |
End | 04/2028 |
Description | Transforming Care and Outcomes in Borderline Personality Disorder |
Amount | £3,484,216 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/Z50371X/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2024 |
End | 03/2029 |
Description | ATTUNE and CREATE - Co-production Writers Retreat |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A two day workshop where 10 members from Project ATTUNE, Project CREATE, Young People Cornwall (YPC) and YPAG participants across both projects come together for a writers retreat weekend as part of the co-authoring/co-productive process for the writing of 'Navigating the Backstage processes of Participatory research approaches'. This retreat truly highlighted the challenges, benefits, messiness and muddle of writing and authentically co produced paper across multiple disciplines and stakeholders. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7296207408949809152/ |
Description | Attune Project Podcast - Amplifying Youth Voices |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A discussion on the critical role of amplifying the voices of young people in youth participation in research, including the impact of involving young people in research, the connection between ATTUNE and Project Create, and the future directions for these transformative projects. Including a discussion on the intersection of academia, arts-based programs, and adolescent mental health. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://open.spotify.com/episode/1h2IvqoYotvIhjbD7qSfr4?si=qD3SCotHQK6O84lmsxfhrQ |
Description | August Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | An introduction to social action and the project that they will be creating and delivering as a group. introduced them to multiple online formats in which they could develop their ideas including blog, online zines, podcasts etc. We explored themes and issues which they feel are important and created a group 'skills CV' to help the group and individuals identify the roles that they might like to do during the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | COMIC (Child Oriented Mental Health Innovation Collaboration) and University of Leeds - PPI methodology sharing. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Gathering of academics and researchers across multiple projects at the University of Leeds and Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust COMIC York around participatory practice with young people and children. Presented on project CREATE's set up and progress regarding research focus and methodologies as well as the set up, engagement and considerations of the Project CREATE YPAG. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | CPD Workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Workshops on understanding neurodiversity, gender and adolescent mental health. These led to increased understanding of how to support autistic young people, and more awareness of their sensory needs. Teachers recognised the need for adaptations in classroom environments and curriculum. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
URL | https://thebeacon.kent.sch.uk/ |
Description | CREATE Living Lab #1 - Listening Lab |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A two day face-to-face workshop with the YPAG and Co-I's of project CREATE delivered by musician and youth worker Paul Lewis of Mr Lewis Media and musician and academic Jackie Walduck from the Royal Academy of Music. The two days explored the terms related to mental health and research and their meanings as understood by the group who then transformed their understanding into either a group or solo musical performance using instruments and digital media platforms and soundscapes. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://create.leeds.ac.uk/living-labs/ |
Description | CREATE Living Lab #2 - Learning Lab |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | This is the second two day Living Lab workshop aimed at develop methods (accepted across youth, science, and art) to interpret the meaning and learning about mental health from youth-generated creative products in arts-based research. The workshop was facilitated by independent researcher, author, teacher, and speaker Helen Kara who specialises in research methods, particularly creative methods, and research ethics. The Living Lab brought together, in a live environment, young people (from our CREATE YPAG), social scientists, and arts researchers with the aim of generating and exploring up to five analytic frameworks that support transdisciplinary and youth-informed analysis of creative products generated in mental-health research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | CREATE Living Lab #3 - Levers Lab |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A two day workshop delivered in collaboration with Our Creative Connection, Sarah Astin, Ruby Ingleheart and CREATE Porject Co-I's to explore with 21 members of Project CREATEs Young Person's Advisory group (YPAG) the mechanisms of change that can occur when participants engage in film making, photography and painting/drawing. This workshop revealed multiple considerations and cencepts about the various mechanisms at play within different art forms and the impact this has to engender different mental health related outcomes. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | CREATE YPAG Not So Alone podcast launch Episode 1: Friends |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Participants launched their first podcast episode eon Spotify for their Not.SoAlone campaign. They discuss their experiences and challenges with making friends as young people in todays world. They talk about everything including mental health, loneliness, people pleasing and being neurodivergent. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | CSSD London Regional Workshop - WP3 Mechanisms of Change: Movement |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Worked Dr Sylvan Baker at Royal Central School Of Speech and Drama (CSSD) and 12 participants in a workshop that explored the mechanisms of change that occur when participants engage with movement. Participants reflected back how movement and the workshop helped them to reconnect with their bodies and heightened their relationship with themselves and their presence within their bodies. This workshop also evidenced how structures delivered in this movement workshop support neurodivergent participants to engage in the workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Co researcher, participants analysis member checking session |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This was a two-hour session of member checking conducted with partiicpants/co researchers from the projects Young Persons Advisory group. They reviewed codes and themes of two of the terms explored in Work Stream 1. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Collaborative exploration film: Arts as a window through mental health |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A short film showcasing the second Living Lab workshop where CREATE's young researchers collaborated with academic experts and explored the intersection of art and youth mental health. Through engaging activities like captioning art, reflective discussions, and resource development for their social campaign, participants delved into the complexities of mental wellness while balancing serious conversations with enjoyable interactions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://youtu.be/-XRDgBNXR6E |
Description | Cornwall regional workshop - Work Package 3: Mechanisms of Change - Music |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Worked with Music For Good, Arts Well and 13 participants at Young People Cornwalls 'the House' to deliver a day workshop that explored the mechanisms of change that occur when participants engage with music making music. Participants reflected how the workshop improved their confidence through freedom to learn a new instrument or crreate music as a group as well as the opportunity to share the experience with strangers and friends. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | December Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | YPAG developing design ideas around campaign project raising awareness about adolescent loneliness. Group have identified project name - Not So Alone and identifying accurate and accesible design and marketing maerial to appeal to their peers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Facilitator interview - Cornwall Mechanisms of change regional living lab practitioners |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This meeting involved discussing workshop reflections with Music for Good facilitators facilitators on the Cornwall regional living lab. The discussion was recorded as data for the WS3 living lab output. Music for Good practitioners articulated personal and professional development outcomes when reflecting on the workshop and activities focus on process and not outcomes and the effect this has on shaping engagement and involvement for participants. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Facilitator interview - living lab 3 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This meeting involved discussing reflections of the facilitators (Ruby Ingleheart, Chris Chinnock, Sarah Astin) on the Work Stream 3 living lab, the discussion was recorded as data for the WS3 living lab output. The discussion highlighted themes around how the workshop and delivery style has influenced and changed how they will go on to deliver and facilitate workshops in the future. Particularly the ongoing dialogue with participants to assess their engagement and ideas within the workshop and not just at the beginning or end of a workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Focus group - Listening Lab/Terms/Values |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Participants who completed the Delphi survey were subsequently invited to participate in a focus group session aimed at delving deeper into their interpretations of selected research and mental health terminology within their respective areas of expertise. The focus group comprised arts practitioners and social scientists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Focus group with arts practitioners - MH measures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Arts practitioners were invited to participate in a focus group session aimed at understanding their experiences of working with standard measures of mental health and/or wellbeing in arts based contexts with young people. The session explored positive and challenging experiences with these measures. This was part of a series of focus groups to inform WS4 as preliminary research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Focus group with social scientists - MH measures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Social scientists were invited to participate in a focus group session aimed at understanding their experiences of administering standard measures of mental health and/or wellbeing with young people in arts-based contexts. The session explored positive and challenging experiences with these measures. This was part of a series of focus groups for WS4 to inform preliminary research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Focus group with young people - MH measures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Young people were invited to participate in a focus group session aimed at understanding their experiences with completing standard measures of mental health and/or wellbeing. The session explored positive and challenging experiences with these measures. This was part of a series of focus groups for WS4 as preliminary research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | January Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Group have begun to plan delivery of their campaign and have created a social media platform with supported media to improve reach of their campaign. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.instagram.com/not.soalone/?hl=en-gb |
Description | July Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Online YPAG meeting that 1. Reflected on the Listening Lab workshop, reviewed the groups feedback as well as the actions taken in response to these. 2. An introduction to analytical methodologies and the role that this would play in Project CREATEs second work-stream. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | June Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | YPAG members were able to meet Co-I's working on the project as well as an introduction to Agnes Wood the Public and Patient Engagement Ambassador for Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust COMIC York. Aim of the session was 1.) To build contacts and connections between Co-I's and the YPAG as well as with external organisations. 2.)Continue to build relationships and rapport among the YPAG. 3.) Begin to explore the themes of the upcoming Living Lab - with a focus on how and when participants listen to music, the role that music plays in their everyday lives. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Launch of the Not.SoAlone campaign |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Not So Alone Campaign is dedicated to using the power of the arts to tackle youth loneliness and improve adolescent mental health. https://www.instagram.com/not.soalone/ At the heart of this campaign is a diverse group of young people passionate about making a difference in the lives of other young people: They have created a community in order to provide a space where young people can express themselves and connect with others who share similar experiences. Their mission is to help young people realise they are not alone by sharing stories and creating content that shines a light on youth loneliness. Together they want to build a supportive online community that values creativity and connection. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
URL | https://www.instagram.com/not.soalone/ |
Description | Lecture: Creative Research Measures - If So How? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | 2 lectures to 200 students at UCL MS psychology re Creative Research Methods- if so how? the lecures covered methods for the Project CREATE work Streams |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
Description | Listening Lab - Cornwall Regional Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Collaborative day long workshop delivered in collaboration with Arts Well and Music for Good (in Cornwall) to ten young people aged 10-17. Workshop focused on exploring mental health and research terminology through the interpretation of the terminology (through music) by other young people and then the collaborative creation of a piece of music called 'Safe Space'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://create.leeds.ac.uk/project-create-in-cornwall-short-film/ |
Description | Lived Experience Lab: WS4 Participant Reflection blogs |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | 4 Participant created blogs reflecting on their experience of the Lived Experience Lab (living lab 4) weekend. These we're then formatted into instgram posts to increase their reach to a wider audience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://www.instagram.com/p/DGvX-SXs-RA/?img_index=1 |
Description | May Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Delivery of project CREATE first two hour online session with the newly formed YPAG group. The session began to introduce the young people to one another, the goals of the YPAG and project CREATE (with a focus on work stream one) and to build the foundations of a co-productive relationship. We introduced the group to Padlet and the 14 terms and values previously identified from the artists/scientist focus group held earlier in the month. The group was asked to identify the terms that they knew and give a brief description with either words or images of what they thought that term to mean. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Not So Alone Podcast Episode 3: The importance of theatre for Young People |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | One of our Not So Alone members, initiated and recorded a podcast interview with Artistic Director Marie Vickers from London Bubble Theatre about the role drama and theatre can play in helping young people communicate, connect and find purpose. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Y7ExhFUd9OUTatNBcuaOf?si=F_BvdVxPR9qimtL2aMTxIw |
Description | October Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | YPAG worked at understanding and developing the skills required to fully engage with their roles within their social action projects. The groups also created a 'Team Charter' to identify their preferred working practices when working with one another and the wider project CREATE team. Exploring boundaries, personal responsibilities and managing expectations on themselves and each other. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Our Creative Connection Podcast: arts Based Mental Health Research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Create PI and Project Manager joined the Our Creative Connection Podcast for an episode to discuss the highlights and complexities of measuring the impact of creative practices and the need for a shared understanding between arts and science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
URL | https://open.spotify.com/episode/19mzYWDCcdzpBoFDciPe90?si=Mz1dxF09SPq5pD-mVX_E3A |
Description | Participant creative exploration of loneliness and it's opposite for Not So Alone campaign |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | 4 Young people created short films for their Not.SoAlone instagram campaign that explored their interpretation of loneliness and it's opposite through pictures. Increasing understanding of the lived experience of young people and their relationship to loneliness. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.instagram.com/p/C-kt4fKAIG1/ |
Description | Participatory methods in mental health research with children and young people |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Networking event led by COMIC for researchers, academics and young perrson focused mental health organisations which: shared innovative ways to effectively co-produce research with young people; Discuss participatory research methods. Presentations delivered by: Co-Production: Westfield Centre - Alexandra Tucker and Carrie Megaw Young Children's Recommendations: Interview Methods for 4 to 5 Year Olds' - Arwa Katab Creative participatory methods with children - Kara Gray-Burrows (BRUSH and Tooth PASTE) Involving young people in research Mental health and gaming PPI - DR HANNAH ARMITT CHILYPEP: Children and Young People's Empowerment Project - Presented by CHILYPEP participants |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Project CREATE Content analysis with YPAG members |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A two hour content analysis session run by Dr. Georgia Pavlopoulou with partiicpants from the Project CREATE YPAGs. Session took text transcribed from previous workshops and worked with the participants to help them provide their insight into the transcriptions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | September Young Persons Advisory Group (YPAG) Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | The groups narrowed down their social action project ideas (aimed at raising awareness about adolescent loneliness) by identifying the What they want to do and How they want to do it. Also presented the groups with the various roles a project needs and alongside their skills CV created in the precious session they identified the roles that they wanted to do. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | WS1 - Delphi Survey |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | A survey was distributed to gather insights on research and mental health-related terminology, which were to be explored in the initial phase of our project. The survey was disseminated among project team members and other collaborators involved in mental health initiatives to solicit their perspectives on terms that pose challenges when working with young people, artists, and scientists in mental health projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | WS4 Living Lab: Lived Experience Lab: Mental Health Measures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Using collage as a tool, participants and the Project CREATE team, explored the existing measures that are used in measuring adolescent wellbeing and mental health. This workshop primarily focused on the Gad7 and WEMWBS measures and with our YPAG co-researchers sought to identify the challenges and experiences that young people and staff may encounter when utilising these measures in an arts-based setting. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
URL | https://youtu.be/YOs5ZmAIL3M |
Description | Work Stream 2: CSSD London Regional Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | With the aim to further our understanding of how art can be interpreted for the purpose of research, this workshop employed theatre performance as a form of expression. Participants performed plays that were followed by discussions and feedback that became an integral part of the data helping the expansion of the 'research map' (developed from Work Stream 2 living lab) and bettering understanding of how participants propose viewing art to inform mental health. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Work Stream 3 data analysis member checking session |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This is a whole day session at the University of Surrey, working with wider team on Work Stream 3 data analysis developments, reviewing updated logic model for mechanisms of change outputs. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | YPAG Not So Alone podcast launch Episode 2: Stresses of Social Media |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Participants launch their first podcast episode on Spotify for their Not.SoAlone campaign. They discuss their experiences and challenges with making friends as young people in todays world. They talk about mental health, loneliness, people pleasing and being neurodivergent. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://open.spotify.com/episode/0pI58XpV86vqQQTSeE6Qvd?si=4e424f1d05354952 |