Voice your opinion on children’s mental health- join YoungMinds national advisory panel Very Important Kids
 
This September YoungMinds, the children’s mental health charity is searching for 15, 5-25 year olds to join its national advisory panel Very Important Kids (VIK).
Are you passionate about making changes to the future of children’s mental health services? Have you had direct experience as an inpatient?  Have you spoken to your doctor or school nurse when you are feeling down? Or do you have a family member with a mental health problem? Then we want to hear from you. Please contact healthyheads@youngminds.org.uk for an application.
VIK meet in London every six weeks and provide expert opinion on the issues affecting children and young people with mental health problems. These discussions inform and influence YoungMinds national campaigns and are used to strengthen children’s mental health services.
 Anna Devereux- Murray, YoungMinds Participation Coordinator said: “VIK’s work is of huge significance, not only making changes to mental health services in local communities, but also working towards making changes to the law in this country. The group’s work on the Mental Health Act resulted in extraordinary change ensuring young people under 18 who need to be admitted to hospital will be treated in an environment which meets their needs.”
Claire, a VIK member said: “Children and young people are experts in knowing what they need to do to stay emotionally healthy. VIK is an opportunity for young people, like me with experience of mental health problems to have our say, hear what other people think, and use our own experience to help other children and young people.”
If you would like to join VIK you need to complete an application. Please email healthyheads@youngminds.org.uk <mailto:healthyheads@youngminds.org.uk>  for a copy of the form.