Our Past Youth Board Members

Alyssa

I decided to join the 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.

Bluebell

I decided to join the youth board because I am passionate about advocating outdoor therapies as an environmental treatment for stress in children and young people.

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. I enjoy socialising with friends and getting to know people, exploring new places and cultures and I also enjoy learning new skills.

Grace

I jumped at this amazing opportunity to become a member of the youth board because I have always loved being an active member of the community and contributing to solving issues and positively impacting those around me.

Mental health lies close to my heart due to personal experience and its detrimental effect on many of my peers. Yes, it’s started to be spoken about but it’s time to make an actual change. Let’s make our words count.

Hannah

I decided to join the youth board as I have a desire to help people and deface the stigma surrounding receiving support. The youth board provides a platform for me to have a voice for young people.

My friends and family continuously inspire me as they are all facing their individual battles, whether that’s openly or privately, yet always find a way to keep on going and put a smile on my face. I hope to do the same for others in my time at the youth board and in my future career.

Harry

I 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.

Iona

Hi, my name is Iona! I am currently studying A-level Psychology, Philosophy and English Language. I wanted to join the youth board because I care for others and their mental health. I am so happy to have been presented the opportunity to make a difference in a world which can be so difficult to navigate. As someone with lived experience of mental illness, I want to help as many people like me to access the support they need from Winchester Youth Counselling and be able to advocate for themselves in the process.

In my spare time, I love to cook, and this is my biggest passion. I am basically the rat from “Ratatouille” pretending to be a human. It does often feel this way as an autistic person and I hope to show other autistic people that it is okay to be different. I also love stickers!

Katie

Hi! I’m Katie. I’m currently studying Health and Social Care at university, aspiring to become a counsellor or social worker in the future. I’m really passionate about supporting young people’s mental health and improving access to the right help. My own experiences have shown me how difficult it can be to reach out for support and I want to help change that.

Joining the WYC Youth Board means a lot to me. It gives me a chance to help reduce stigma, raise awareness, and be part of creating more inclusive and empowering services for young people.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, colouring, and listening to music.

Megan

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.

Tae

I wanted to join the WYC Youth Board because I feel it’s important to have a space where young people have the opportunity to express issues that are important to them such as mental health and self-esteem. I am studying childhood and youth studies as I am interested in the cognitive development of young people. In my spare time I enjoy listening to live music and writing poetry.

Thea

I decided to join the youth board because I am passionate about mental health regarding anxiety and depressive disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and phobias and helping people from all walks of life and as I progress through my studies and acquire new skills.

I plan to use my knowledge, personal experience, and empathetic nature to contribute to Winchester Youth Counselling. I hope to support their work by offering ideas to promote security, comfort, and trust to people who have experienced mental health difficulties.

Zachariah

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.