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What happens when you put 30 experienced and passionate people in a room together to discuss the crisis of mental health in young people?

The aim of the summit, organised by Legacy Group International was to open discussions around the crisis happening in mental health of young people. A collection of people of all walks of life, with views to share and support to offer each other. Recent statistics indicate one in eight 5 – 19 year old children have experienced mental ill health, one in five school girls admit to self harming. Numbers like these show its on the rise, and a concern for us all.

I had the opportunity to not only share my thoughts on this subject, but benefit from the perspectives of others too. From those who work in various aspects of the mental health sector, to those on the living with mental ill health – by coming together, we had a melting pot of ideas. We explored solutions and, due to the volume of progress made, we are still working on actionable points and how best to get them into action.

What happens when you get together to make changes to a common cause? You get people conversing, debating, discussing and finding solutions – and amazing results. Its clear there are areas to improve, this opportunity to review current practices and experiences is very valuable for all concerned.

Events like these make mental ill health an everyday topic, stripping away taboos and get people together to make a difference in their worlds. Talking, learning and working to make positive change.

What better way to spend my morning, being the host and lead panelist for the ‘What matters’ think tank summit. Great feeling in the room today, one of empowerment and encouragement, a big thank you to all those who took the time to attend. Your investment in the future of mental ill health for young people is very inspiring.