Applications for the NHS Youth Forum and Young Researchers programme are now closed for 2025! Sign up to our newsletter to hear about when we re-open.
This is your opportunity as a young person to have a say about the health services available to you.
We know that there is no one better to ask about young people’s health services than young people themselves. You have the right to have a say on the decisions about the services you access.
That’s why we are working with NHS England to deliver the NHS Youth Forum, and developing loads of things to get involved in with us. Your experience can help shape the future of NHS England and make it a more inclusive and accessible space for all.
What is the NHS Youth Forum?
The NHS Youth Forum is a wide group of young people making their voices heard within NHS England through taking part in loads of different opportunities.
Our structure
All members of the Forum can join us for our monthly consultations, as well as being sent loads of other opportunities for you to get involved with!
- Content Creators: You inform and create social media content focusing on healthcare, making young voices heard online
- Young Researchers: You work with NHS policy teams across a 1-year research project and represent the NHS Youth Forum at events
- Local Reps: You share what’s going on in your local youth forums
- Youth Forum: You take part in monthly consultations, focus groups and other opportunities
Members will take part in monthly consultations where NHS teams will come to young people and ask for their opinions about services, resources and projects that are being worked on.
This group gives young people the chance to have their voices heard and input on key health issues, with opportunities to take part in different projects and pieces of work, like focus groups, content creation, skill workshops and attending events!
We send out opportunities directly to you, so you can choose what conversations you would like to get involved with. This voluntary role is flexible and you only have to commit to one hour of work a month.
We want to hear from any 11 to 24-year-olds who want to get involved in conversations around health services. Regardless of your background and lived experiences, this role is for any young person between 11 and 24-years-old who wants to make a change.
Who are the NHS Young Researchers?
The NHS Young Researchers are 25 amazing young people from all over the country, just like you.
Our Young Researchers programme offers a space to share feedback, thoughts and ideas on the changes you want to see within NHS England and the wider health services. As part of the NHS Young Researchers, you could work on different projects closely with NHS staff and decision makers, sharing your views at regular discussions and raising the health issues that matter most to you.
The group also gives you the chance to work with others in a team, stand up for things that are important to you, speak publicly, and build confidence in yourself.
The role is a 12-month voluntary opportunity which is run online, although there are some in-person residential trips to get involved with too. We know young people have busy lives already, so don’t worry, you only have to commit to a minimum of four hours of work a month.
Regardless of background and lived experience, this role is for any young person between 16 and 24-years-old, who wants to make change.
I have been part of the NHS Youth Forum Young Researchers twice now, in the mental health and transitional care subgroup. It is a really unique opportunity as the research is 100% led by young people and the data is also first-hand from young people about their lived experience.
The data is so important as the NHS is for service users and often young people are forgotten about so it gives an opportunity to advocate for unheard communities. One of my favourite parts has been networking and working in partnership with NHS Policy leads.
Beth
Former NHS Young Researcher
NHS Young Researchers reports 2024-2025
NHS Young Researchers complete an annual research project, working closely with NHS policy leads on different topics. For the 2024-25 cohort, members were split into subgroups focusing on four key areas: mental health, transitional care, new hospitals, and the NHS workforce.
With the support of our Voice and Influence Team and NHS England, the Young Researchers have led every part of their projects; from designing the survey, collecting the responses, analysing the data and writing the reports. We are so thankful to have worked with NHS England Policy Teams who have offered guidance and support to the Young Researchers.
In all four projects, the Young Researchers have offered recommendations based on their findings. We hope that these reports and recommendations are heard and that meaningful change can happen. We ask that you share these reports, talk to other young people about their thoughts and feelings towards these topics, and consider what you can do to create change.
Mental Health
The Mental Health sub-group (Anna, Megan, Sharvari, Susie, and Yifan) focussed on neurodiversity, mental health within the community, experiences of mental health care, waiting lists and immediate support.
New Hospitals
The New Hospitals sub-group (Raaghav, Princess, Raveena, Veronica, Lila, Esme, and Maya) worked in collaboration with the New Hospitals Programme to understand young people’s feelings towards hospital design.
NHS Workforce
The NHS Workforce sub-group (Esther, Karam, Nishika, Rahma, and Victor) aimed to identify the barriers preventing young people from pursuing careers in the NHS and provides recommendations on how to improve the promotion and profile of NHS career opportunities.
Transitions
The Transitions sub-group (Beth, Anushree, and Katie) explored young people’s experiences of healthcare transition within the NHS.
NHS Youth Forum Residential
In November, we came together for a residential weekend in Birmingham where we met and shared ideas and formed tight bonds as a collective.
This was an opportunity to meet face to face, make friends, and explore our passion for youth voice!
On our residential we...
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Reflected on our passion for youth voice in health care
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Met with NHS Policy Leads and spoke about careers
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Explored how we can advocate for lesser heard voices with the NHS SEND Team
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Learnt about health inequalities
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Drank a LOT of herbal tea and mochas!
Thank you so, so much for the best weekend. It’s been wonderful. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, it’s honestly changed my life and allowed my confidence to grow so much.
Former NHS Young Researcher
Visits to Parliament
We've been invited to several Parliament visits, including taking part in two Parliamentary roundtables where MPs and decision makers heard the voices of young people on matters far and wide, including the 10-Year Health Plan and young people’s phone use.
Our NHS Youth Forum was also invited, alongside other young people from our B-Amplified Network and young Ambassadors from SEEN, to represent youth voice at the Barnardo’s Parliamentary reception. This was an opportunity for MPs, Barnardo’s Trustees and donors to see the hard work of children and young people across Barnardo’s.
Our NHS Youth Forum member Veronica gave a passionate speech about her experiences; and Rahma and Esme held important conversations with decision makers about the issues that matter most to them.
Sharing my thoughts at the RCPCH [Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health] Parliamentary roundtable event as well as hearing the conversations and plans regarding improving health for young people and children was an incredibly insightful experience!
As a young person, it felt empowering to be in a space where I was heard and my contributions were valued. I am so grateful for this experience!
Former NHS Young Researcher
Being part of the NHS Young Researchers has been a highlight of the past year, allowing me to contribute to healthcare policy while deepening my understanding of the NHS and strengthening my teamwork and communication skills. In particular, collaborating with NHS England policy teams and engaging with so many young people from diverse backgrounds has really broadened my perspective.
For me, a key moment as part of the NHS Youth Forum was participating in the RCPCH Parliamentary Round Table, where I joined NHS and government leaders to shape the NHS 10-Year Plan. In general, I think that the voices of young people are vital in shaping the future of healthcare, bringing fresh perspectives and driving meaningful change. I would say that if you’re really passionate about making a difference, let your voice be heard – because you can have a real impact on healthcare!
Raaghav
Former NHS Young Researcher
It was incredible and I felt so included and seen.
Former NHS Young Researcher
Getting involved in Barnardo’s Leadership Conference
In September, NHS Youth Forum members Princess, Victor, Raveena, and Lila delivered a powerful workshop called 'Working Together: Addressing Health Inequalities for a Fairer Future' which was about their perspectives on health inequalities for senior leaders in Barnardo’s.
I spoke about the root causes of health inequalities, focusing on the social determinants and the unequal prioritisation of some health conditions compared to others. Next, we facilitated small-group discussions where participants reflected on the meaning of good health, and concluded the workshop by asking them to each make a personal pledge for how they plan to address health inequalities in their own lives.
Delivering the workshop allowed us to raise awareness about this important issue and share young people’s perspectives with Barnardo’s leadership! It was an incredibly rewarding experience, and left me feeling hopeful about our collective desire and commitment to reducing health inequalities in the UK.
Raveena
Former NHS Young Researcher
Why including young people in decision making matters
Get involved as a young person
If you’re a young person aged 11-24 in England looking to shape the conversations on health services, develop your ideas, and create lasting change, this is the place to do it.
Applications for the NHS Youth Forum and Young Researchers programme are now closed for 2025, but sign up to our newsletter below to hear about when we re-open.
This has been such an incredible experience and I got to see London!!!! It was super exciting and even the opportunity to talk to the MPs and other young people was just so amazing to do, being part of the NHS Youth Forum is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Princess
Former NHS Young Researcher
It has felt different to anything I’ve done before. The ownership over the projects and power to do stuff is really good.
Sharvari
Former NHS Young Researcher
Get involved as an organisation or healthcare provider
It’s always great to hear from organisations and professionals in the health sector who are keen to engage young people in their work.
If you would like to arrange a consultation with the NHS Youth Forum, please contact us at [email protected] for more information. We’d love to hear from you.
Find out more about the health and social care services we provide for children, young people, and families, and how to work in partnership with us.
Our EDI commitment
We're committed to creating safe, ethical, inclusive, and meaningful opportunities for young people to have their voice heard and acted upon across our work. Read our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Commitment to find out more.
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