PLEASE NOTE THIS GROUP IS NOW FULL

• Are you aged 16-20?
• Have you been an inpatient in an adolescent mental health unit in England in the last 2 years?
• Would you like to be involved in improving mental health, learning disability and autism services in England?

We are looking for a small group of 16-20 year olds to join a Children and Young People's Expert Reference Group.

About the Expert Reference Group

NHS England is committed to improving mental health, learning disability and autism services. To help do this, they have set up a Taskforce: the National Quality Transformation Programme on Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism (MHLDA).

As part of this they recognise the importance of input from experts by experience, they are working with an Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG). The LEAG group is all aged over 18 with a wide ranging experience across MHLDA services so another group is needed just for young people.

Common Room are coordinating and facilitating a specific Children and Young People's Expert Reference Group (CYP ERG) which will feed into the LEAG.

If any of this sounds confusing don't worry we'll explain it all when we meet.

Aims of the Expert Reference Group

• To discuss , check and challenge pieces of work from the Quality Transformation Programme that can feed into the LEAG group.
• To ensure the voices and experiences of children and young people are considered when making changes to current NHS England inpatient provisions.

What’s the time commitment?

We plan to meet once a month on a Thursday. This will be an evening session for around 1.5 hours. The meetings will take place on Zoom. We plan to meet from November 2024 until March 2025.

Do I have to talk about personal stuff?

No. The reference group is about improving MHLDA services using the voice of young people who have lived experience. This doesn't mean that you need to share those experiences in the group, just your views and thoughts on the suggested changes, given your insight.

Interested?

To join the group or to find out more, fill in our contact form by clicking on the button below and we'll be in touch to arrange a one-to-one chat on Zoom. We'll let you know a bit more about the group and what you will get out of being a member also.  Please note - we may not be able to offer places to everyone who applies.

Common Room takes your privacy seriously. When you provide personal information to us it will be kept securely and not shared with any external parties without your express permission or unless we have a specific safeguarding concern. Data will only be accessible internally on a need to know basis. Your data will not be held any longer than necessary.

• Read our Safeguarding policy here
• Read our Data Protection policy here