This page provides an overview of participation, engagement, co-production, and youth voice within CAMHS and Mental Health Support Teams.

Our vision

“Young people, and those who support them, should feel empowered, have their voices heard and have meaningful opportunities to shape mental health services in ways that matter to them.” – CAMHS & MHST Participation Statement

Ripple Effect :  ‘Small voices make big changes’

This is a newsletter created by young people who have their own lived experience of mental health and want their voices to be heard. The first newsletter will launch on 10th October for World Mental Health Day!

Editions

Participation is all about people.

The voices and experiences of young people who have experienced mental health challenges, and those who support them, should help shape what services are delivered and how they are provided.

Rather than being something that is done to young people, participation is about working with them. By listening, involving, and partnering with young people, we can create better, fairer mental health support for everyone.

We know that not everyone wants to share their views in the same way. That's why we offer a range of opportunities across engagement, participation, and co-production.

Understanding Engagement, Participation and Co-production

 

Approach

What it means

How people are involved

Level of influence

Examples

Engagement

Sharing information and asking people for their views, feedback, or experiences.

People are informed about plans, services, or changes and are invited to share their opinions.

"We'll ask you." People can influence thinking through feedback, but decisions remain with the organisation.

Surveys, questionnaires, feedback forms, consultations, focus groups

Participation

Working with people to help shape ideas, projects, and services.

People actively contribute their views and experiences, helping to develop solutions and influence decisions.

"We'll work with you." People's views directly inform planning and decision-making.

Workshops, youth advisory groups, project groups, regular discussions, service reviews

Co-production

Working together as equal partners from the beginning to the end of a project.

People with lived experience share power, responsibility, and decision-making alongside professionals.

"We'll work together as equals." Decisions are made jointly, with everyone having an equal voice.

Co-designing services, lived experience roles within teams, joint decision-making groups

Lundy Model Handout.png

The Lundy Model of Youth Participation, created by Professor Laura Lundy in 2007, is a framework that helps us make sure young people’s voices are listened to and acted on.

It gives practical ways to make participation happen across CAMHS and MHST, which is why it’s the model we’ve chosen to use.

There are a variety of participation projects taking place across our services. We also work closely with our partners, including schools, charities, and voluntary organisations.

We are currently developing a way for young people, families, and supporters to stay up to date with opportunities and projects happening across different areas.

Current Opportunities

Every CAMHS and MHST team within Dorset HealthCare has a Participation Champion role.

Participation Champions encourage and promote meaningful engagement and participation with young people and their supporters within their teams.

The role can look different depending on the service, allowing teams to adapt their approach to meet the needs of the young people and families they support.

Being a Participation Champion is an important role, and we greatly appreciate everyone who takes it on, particularly alongside the demands of day-to-day work.

Participation Champion Responsibilities

  • Champion Participation - Promote a positive culture of participation within your team, ensuring young people's views and experiences are considered in service delivery and decision-making.
  • Advocate for Youth Voice - Help ensure young people are listened to, valued, and involved in decisions that affect them, using the Lundy Model.
  • Promote Inclusive Participation - Recognise that young people engage in different ways and support a range of opportunities for them to get involved and speak up.
  • Raise Awareness - Encourage colleagues to identify opportunities for engagement, participation, and co-production, and share examples of good practice.
  • Support Learning and Development - Attend quarterly Participation Champion Action Learning Sets and share learning, ideas, and resources with your team.
  • Gather Feedback and Drive Improvement - Collect and share feedback from young people and supporters to inform service development and quality improvement.
  • Close the Feedback Loop - Help demonstrate the impact of participation through a "You Said, We Did" approach.

Participation Champions are not responsible for leading or delivering all engagement, participation, and co-production activity within their team. The role is about encouraging, supporting, and promoting good participation practice, rather than doing everything themselves.

Participation Champions are not expected to:

  • Be the sole voice for young people within the team.
  • Lead every participation project or activity.
  • Make decisions on behalf of young people.
  • Hold sole responsibility for ensuring participation happens.

For further information, resources, and guidance, please visit Doris (the staff’s intranet) and search for  CAMHS & MHST Participation Champions

  • Participation - Having a say and being actively involved in decisions that affect you.
  • Engagement - Taking part, sharing ideas, and having your views heard.
  • Youth Voice - Young people sharing their thoughts, opinions, and ideas, with adults listening and acting on what they say.
  • Co-production - Working together as equal partners to design, develop, and improve services.

If you are have questions or would like more information, please get in touch:  dhc.yp.participation@nhs.net.