Young people co-design website around mental health

www.sussexdiscoverycollege.org.uk

Young people from across East Sussex, aged 12-20, have been involved in developing a brand-new website for Discovery College. The college is a partnership of different organisations, headed by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, that create and deliver co-produced courses that any young person in East Sussex can join, to look after their mental health, enjoy themselves, be with other young people, and build their skills.

Co-design is the guiding principle for Discovery College, a sister programme to Recovery College. Young people with lived experience of mental health challenges play a key role in designing the programme of arts and psycho-educational courses to support young people’s mental health. Discovery College has been running for a number of years. A new partnership with Lewes-based arts charity Culture Shift and support from Arts Council England is enabling Discovery College to expand and grow.

“Young people have consistently told us that they want to show their communities and the world that experiencing mental health challenges is not a barrier to having strengths, talent, hopes and aspirations. Through the website they can now share this and more with us and, like everyone else involved with the project, I am delighted with the result.”

 “Designing Together was the name of the course we delivered to a really switched on group of young people, reflected Ross Andrews Clifford and Chloe Taylor, web designer and developer.
`Everyone ought to be proud of what they achieved; a dynamic and interactive resource and information website for Discovery College’s courses, which will bring awareness to its uniquely supportive role within the mental health arena for vulnerable young people.”

The website helps shine a light on a support programme for young people and the evolving programme of arts and psycho-education courses.