WYC Youth Board
Young Voices, Big Impact: How Our Youth Advisory Board Drives Change
At Winchester Youth Counselling, we believe the voices of young people matter. That’s why our Youth Advisory Board, a dynamic group of young people, many with with lived experience, shapes everything we do.
Representing Diversity: Our Youth Advisory Board members come from diverse backgrounds, including the LGBTQ+ community, neurodiverse individuals, and those from minority ethnic groups. This ensures we truly understand the needs and challenges faced by young people in our community.
Driving Positive Change: Our Youth Advisory Board plays a crucial role in:
- Understanding young people’s needs and perspectives: They inform our decisions and ensure our programs and services are relevant and engaging.
- Developing and implementing impactful programs: Youth Advisory Board members participate in shaping new initiatives and improving existing ones.
- Advocating for young people’s rights: They champion youth voices at local government and community events, ensuring their concerns are heard.
- Encouraging young people to reach out for support: Youth Advisory Board members actively engage with their peers, breaking down barriers to seeking help.
Actively Engaged: Our Youth Advisory Board meets monthly and participates in various activities, including:
- Providing feedback on our strategy, policies, and processes.
- Shaping the development of new and existing programmes and services.
- Representing WYC at events and fundraising initiatives.
- Advocating for young people’s rights and interests to decision-makers.
The Youth Advisory Board is the heart and soul of Winchester Youth Counselling, ensuring that young people are not just recipients of our services, but active partners in shaping their own well-being and that of their community.
Get Involved: Interested in joining the Youth Advisory Board and making a difference? Learn more about the application process on our website!
Alyssa
Hi! I’m Alyssa. I decided to join the WYC Youth Board because I wanted to be able to speak up and be an advocate for increased awareness within our younger community after having gone through mental health struggles myself. I am interested in spreading awareness about the effects that anxiety has on relationships and friendships and hopefully how we can actually prevent this from happening.
Charlotte
Hi, I’m Charlotte! I’m 24 and have just completed my Psychology degree. I wanted to join the Youth Board as I care deeply for others and their mental health. Thus, being able to help or influence someone for the better is important to me. I hope that I am able to make a difference to people’s lives and be able to introduce better care and standards for our mental health system, especially for young people. In my spare time, I enjoy socialising with friends, getting to know people, exploring new places and cultures and I also enjoy learning new skills.
Emaline
Hi, I’m Emaline! I am currently studying Psychology at University and aim to be a psychotherapist in my future career. I decided to become a member of the WYC Youth Board because it perfectly aligns with my beliefs behind psychology. I believe promoting positive mental health is crucial and targeting adolescents means we can help to promote healthy habits from as early as possible. My current hobbies and interests include illustration, fitness and travelling. I aim to promote talking about how we feel, as well as using our community to encourage positive mental health.
Francesca
Hi, I’m Francesca! I currently study Psychology at university, alongside volunteering in the mental health field. I also research neurodivergence as part of my final year project. As a young member of the LGBTQ+ community and person with lived experience of mental health difficulties, it’s so important to me that our youth is adequately represented here in Winchester, especially those in marginalised groups. That’s why I wanted to join the Youth Board. In the future I aspire to become a fully qualified Clinical Psychologist and promote the better mental health of the vulnerable. In my free time I love to play videogames, thrift-shop, and go metal-detecting.
Harry
My name is Harry. I have a passion for youth mental health and I am hoping to complete a PhD and become a clinical psychologist in the future. I am also a scout leader in Winchester with both the 3rd and 2nd, the latter of which is an SEN group which is incredibly rewarding. I have decided to join the youth board because I know the services they provide would have made a huge difference to me and others when we were younger. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to help Winchester Youth Counselling in any way I can, their work is incredibly important.
Megan
Hi, my name is Megan. I am 25 and in my final year of a Classical Studies degree at university, with an interest in working in curatorship in museums and heritage sites. I have an A-level in psychology, and I enjoy cross-stitching, word puzzles, and video games in my free time. I have engaged with WYC’s services in the past, and the team helped support me with my own struggles with mental health and neurodivergency.
I believe that by joining the WYC youth board, I can help support others in overcoming struggles similar to those I have experienced. I would also like to focus on physical health issues in young people, as mental and physical health are intrinsically linked to each other. There has been a big change in recent years to accept and recognise mental health struggles in young people, but those who are physically disabled are still subject to a lot of misinformation and bias from those who should be supporting them. With my own experiences with mental and physical challenges, I hope to help others feel heard and supported in all aspects of their lives.
Zachariah
My name is Zachariah. I play hockey for college and my local team, and I spend a lot of spare time reading about psychology as well as reading non-fiction books. I wanted to join the youth board because I think that young people’s mental health is so important, especially with all of the social and academic pressure that young people go through today. I am most passionate about common struggles with mental health such as anxiety and low self-esteem, as many people I know have experienced these. I hope to make a difference and raise awareness.