Your voice matters! Get involved and help us create services that truly meet the needs of young people like you.
At Alliance we want you to have a voice in how we develop and deliver our services. We’re proud to have the ‘Investing in Children’ award, which is only given when we can prove we truly involve young people in designing and improving what we do. And that’s where you come in!
There are so many ways to get involved and make a real difference:
- Help shape our well-being programmes: You can review psychoeducational programmes that our therapists create and suggest changes based on your thoughts and experiences.
- Be part of recruitment: Join our interview panels and help choose the staff who will work with young people.
- Join focus groups: Discuss the issues that matter to you and give feedback that we share with local decision-makers. Your input could help influence new projects and funding to support young people.
- Peer Mentoring Programmes: Become a peer mentor and help others while growing your own skills and confidence.
We’re excited to introduce our Peer Mentoring Programme designed in collaboration with young people to support emotional health and wellbeing in schools. This programme is currently being rolled out in primary schools, with a version for secondary school students coming soon!
So, why peer mentoring?
It’s not just about offering support, it’s a powerful way to grow personally. By becoming a peer mentor, you’ll develop key skills in communication, empathy, and problem-solving, all while building resilience. It’s an opportunity to make a positive impact in your school and create a space where everyone feels valued and understood.
What’s Involved?
The programme includes five sessions (45 minutes to 1 hour each) covering:
- What it means to be a good friend vs. a good peer mentor
- Confidentiality and safeguarding
- Developing listening, communication, problem-solving, and team-building skills
We’ll also help your school promote this opportunity and offer interactive training sessions. Plus, we’ll support you and your peer mentors with the initial rollout, using focus groups to gather feedback and ensure the programme is tailored to your school’s needs.
Interested in being part of this exciting journey? Talk to your Mental Health Lead in school to get started, and we’ll help you plan the next steps!
