Public Health Scotland Young People's Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report
Mental health is a prominent issue that many young people feel passionately about and are enthusiastic to have the opportunity and space to be involved in shaping policy around it. The establishment of the Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel in 2021 aimed to provide young people with the opportunity to inform decision-makers on how to meaningfully engage with young audiences to support their wellbeing.
Working closely with staff from Young Scot’s co-design service, Young Scot Hive, and staff from Public Health Scotland, the panel produced a set of recommendations that inform Public Health Scotland how their organisation can continue to engage with young people, supporting their health and wellbeing in the process. This was the first time Public Health Scotland had directly engaged with a group of young people in this way, and so the youth panel helped to demonstrate to the organisation how they can engage collaboratively with young people across Scotland.
The outcomes of this project were:
Gather views and insights of young people directly on Public Health Scotland delivery of their mental health and wellbeing work, supporting the development of the Public Mental Health Approach
Create equitable space for debate and conversation between young people and senior leadership
Explore and constructively challenge decision makers - viewing strategic discussions through the lens of the lived experience of young people
Develop and test ideas for implementation
Consider long term sustainable system change throughout
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Public Health Scotland
Young People’s Panel
Recommendations and Actions Report
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 2
Introduction
Mental health is a prominent issue that many young people feel passionately about
and are enthusiastic to have the opportunity and space to be involved in shaping
policy around it. The establishment of the Public Health Scotland Young People’s
Panel in 2021 aimed to provide young people with the opportunity to inform
decision-makers on how to meaningfully engage with young audiences to
support their wellbeing.
Working closely with staff from Young Scot’s co-design service, Young Scot Hive, and
staff from Public Health Scotland, the panel produced a set of recommendations that
inform Public Health Scotland how their organisation can continue to engage with
young people, supporting their health and wellbeing in the process. This was the first
time Public Health Scotland had directly engaged with a group of young people in this
way, and so the youth panel helped to demonstrate to the organisation how they can
engage collaboratively with young people across Scotland.
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 2
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 3
Gather views and insights of young
people directly on Public Health
Scotland delivery of their mental
health and wellbeing work, supporting
the development of the Public Mental
Health Approach
Create equitable space for debate
and conversation between young
people and senior leadership
Explore and constructively challenge
decision makers - viewing strategic
discussions through the lens of the
lived experience of young people
Develop and test ideas for
implementation
Consider long term sustainable
system change throughout
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place
during the time of the project, there were
adjustments made to the Young Scot operating
model and working practices. To ensure that
delivery of engagement through co-design
continued with minimal disruption, providing
young people with opportunities to participate
during this time, the sessions were delivered
remotely using Zoom video conferencing and
other digital communication tools, such as
Menti, a digital questionnaire platform and
Mural, Miro and Google Jamboard, digital
interactive whiteboards. Young Scot staff
members delivered and facilitated the activities
to ensure that the young people taking part
were supported and encouraged to share their
insights and experiences.
The model for delivery meant that the young
people met virtually in a shared space as a
full group but then completed some of the
activities in small group “breakout spaces” led
by Young Scot staff, with feedback after each
activity with the full group. Additional support
measures were offered to all participants, in
order to take part, ensuring that the model
was inclusive and accessible.
The outcomes of this project were: Delivery method
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The Public Health Scotland Young People’s
Panel was taken through Young Scot’s YSHive
co-design process, designed to build their
knowledge and understanding of Public Health
Scotland and their mental health strategy,
before developing creative recommendations,
using these to challenge decision-makers
and hold them accountable to their continued
engagement with young people.
The process
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Young Scot delivered a series of four engaging
workshops, following a selection and an
induction session, with young people that
followed Young Scot Hive’s co-design model:
Explore; Create; Disrupt; Act. At each stage
of the process, the panel were asked to make
informed decisions that would then go on to
shape their final recommendations for Public
Health Scotland.
The first session focused on the initial stage
of the process, Explore, and took place on
Tuesday 19th October 2021 from 5-7pm. This
session brought the young people together for
the first time to work as the panel, to get to
know each other and the Young Scot and Public
Health Scotland staff. It aimed to build the
young people’s understanding of Public Health
Scotland as an organisation and explore their
current research on mental health indicators.
Public Health Scotland staff presented this
research to the panel, whereby the young
people, split into five breakout groups,
proceeded to rank the indicators in terms of
their significance to young people; prioritised
key areas and identified any missing factors.
The Create session took place on Tuesday 9th
November 2021 from 5-7pm. The panel created
ideas for two pillars of Public Health Scotland’s
proposed mental health strategic framework:
Prevention and Developing Well. For the
Prevention strand, the young people were split
into three breakout groups and created ideas
around their three key mental health indicator
areas that they had prioritised in the previous
session: Ourselves, Family and Friends and
School. When suggesting recommendations
around Developing Well, the young people,
as one large group, focused their ideas on the
following question: How can we encourage
schools to be mentally flourishing places? The
insights produced at the Create stage will help
guide the development work that Public Health
Scotland are doing towards their mental health
strategic framework and shape their ambitions
for the future of the organisation’s engagement
with young people in areas of strategy and
decision-making.
The third workshop, centred on the Disrupt
stage, took place on Monday 6th December
2021 from 5-7pm. This workshop was an
opportunity for the young people to reflect
on their experience on the panel so far.
From these reflections, the group provided
recommendations that were split into two sets:
how Public Health Scotland can continue to
engage with young people in topic areas and
strategy and decision-making; and how Public
Health Scotland can continue to engage with
young people as an organisation.
The panel met for their fourth and final
co-design session on Thursday 10th
February 2022 from 5-7pm as part of the
Act stage, where the group finalised these
recommendations and prepared to present
them to Public Health Scotland’s Senior
Leadership Team. This presentation took place
on Thursday 24th February at 10am, where
Public Health Scotland’s Senior Leadership
Team had the opportunity to listen to the young
people and consider the next steps for their
engagement with young people. Following this,
the group had the opportunity to present their
recommendations to Public Health Scotland’s
Board on Wednesday 16th March at 10.30am.
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Twenty-three young people participated in the Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel and
completed the Equality and Diversity survey. Participants ranged in age from 14-17.
Eighteen young people identified as female; four identified as male; one identified as
non-binary.
One young person identified as transgender, five identified as bisexual; one identified
as pansexual; one identified as asexual.
Seven young people identified as Black, Asian or from a minority
ethnic background (BAME).
There were representatives from fourteen local authorities across Scotland:
Aberdeenshire, Angus, Dundee, Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire,
Edinburgh, Falkirk, Highland, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross, South
Lanarkshire and West Lothian.
All twenty-three young people shared they were in school.
Three young people shared they were from the lower two quintiles of the
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD).
All twenty-three young people were first time volunteers with Young Scot Hive.
Demographics
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Motivations
The young people had varying motivations
for joining the panel. Many young people
expressed in their application that being part
of the project would enhance their learning and
skills development. Some young people stated
that they are aspiring medical students; others
shared that they wanted to study Occupational
Therapy; whilst another expressed that
this project would go towards their Duke of
Edinburgh Award and would improve their CV.
Some young people expressed that they wished
to join the project due to their own experiences
of mental health, and as a result are keen to
support other young people. Many participants
expressed that mental health is an area they
feel passionate about and are keen to learn
more about it with other young people.
“It is a subject in which I am
always zealous to learn more
about, and I love having the
opportunity to express my
opinions on it and hear the
opinions of others to develop
mine further”
(Participant, 16,
South Lanarkshire).
Other participants also acknowledged the
impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had
on the mental wellbeing of young people and
how this has motivated them to participate in
opportunities that better support the mental
health of themselves and their peers. One
participant expressed in their application:
“Because I have seen the effect
of the pandemic on friends and
family, and it has made me
much more aware of mental
health issues and how young
people can be affected. Thus,
I want to support those facing
issues and be part of a
positive change”
(Participant, 16, Edinburgh).
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Mental Health Indicators
Key Themes
The key themes that emerged within the project through the Young Scot Hive
co-design process centred around: Public Health Scotland’s research on mental
health indicators (Explore); Public Health Scotland’s proposed mental health strategic
framework (Create); and Public Health Scotland’s continued engagement with young
people. The insights provided by the young people within all three of these themes
informed how they shaped their final recommendations.
Ourselves
Community &
Neighbourhood
Friends &
Family
School
Wider society
Healthy behaviours
(exercise, alcohol & drug use, diet, safe sex
Health and illness
(our physical health, long-term illness/disability
Sleep
(sleep duration, sleep quality)
Screentime/social media
(screen time, social media usage, addiction FOMO)
Learning & development
(free time for things we enjoy, creative
opportunities, play)
The young people began by exploring the
research that Public Health Scotland had
conducted on mental health indicators.
There were five key areas that the group
examined: Ourselves, Family and Friends,
School, Community and Neighbourhood,
and Wider Society. The panel decided to
prioritise Ourselves, Family and Friends
and School as the key indicator areas.
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For the Ourselves priority area, the young
people prioritised social media, healthy
behaviours and sleep as the key indicators.
The panel expressed that social media places
too much pressure on young people to look
and act a certain way. For example, TikTok
culture focuses too much on following trends,
pressurising young people to be “cool” and
“different”. In addition, the panel felt that the
way healthy behaviours are taught in schools
places too much pressure on young people
to act as if they never engage in behaviours
that would be classed as “unhealthy”, such as
drinking alcohol or having sex. They felt that
there is no common ground or practicality.
Finally, the young people on the panel
expressed that it is common for many peers
their age who go to sleep in the early hours of
the morning, and that it is common amongst
young people to brag about their lack of sleep.
The panel provided recommendations to
Public Health Scotland on various indicators
that are categorised in the Ourselves area.
Firstly, they felt that the indicator play felt
confusing and inappropriate when discussing
factors that impact young people’s mental
health and they suggested that this be reworded. They therefore felt that play was not
significant regarding the mental wellbeing
of young people. Another indicator they felt
was confusing was learning and development.
The group stated that it is misleading as
they interpreted it as meaning educational
development or overcoming barriers such
as dyslexia. They stated that the term is not
suited to what it intends to be and therefore
does not make sense to them. Additionally,
the panel felt that long-term illness or/and
disability is an indicator that belongs more in
the Family and Friends area. The young people
felt that this indicator is not a very common
issue experienced amongst young people
themselves, whereas it is seen more amongst
family members, particularly within older
generations.
When identifying if there was anything
missing from the Ourselves topic area, the
panel highlighted the impact of playing video
games on the mental health of young people.
The amount of time playing, and the type
of content they are engaging in, can have a
negative impact on young people’s mental
wellbeing. The group also referred to the
lack of social interaction and connection that
playing video games can have and the negative
influence this can have. Moreover, the panel felt
that body image is an indicator that belongs
in the Ourselves area over Wider Society.
Although body image is impacted by wider
society, through social media and magazines
etc., body image varies from person to person
and stems from how we perceive ourselves.
Ourselves
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The young people on the panel felt that family
relationships is a majorly significant indicator
that falls into this area. They emphasised that
many young people have a different mindset
to their parents when it comes to topics like
politics, sexuality, and gender for example,
which can cause frustrations. They expressed
that many family members are matter of
fact and stubborn with a ‘the world isn’t fair’
mentality, which can cause tension. For them,
young people would benefit from the family
dynamic being more understood more from
the young person’s perspective.
The panel recommended to Public Health
Scotland that there does not need to be as
much emphasis placed on family structure.
Young people are often taught that to have
divorced or single parents is not the “normal”
family unit, when it is increasingly common
and does not automatically result in negative
mental wellbeing. Due to this, the panel did
not perceive family structure as significant
as other indicators.
Family and Friends
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School
The young people on the panel had a clear
enthusiasm for School as a mental health
construct area as they did not highlight any
indicators as insignificant in this respect. They
expressed that exam pressure was both a
significant and common indicator that they
had observed in themselves, their friends
and their peers. The panel also conveyed that
relationships with peers at school is extremely
significant as it shapes the classroom
environment, such as when young people are
doing group work. Relationship with peers can
also have a negative impact on wellbeing when
young people fall out and are in a negative
headspace at school. The young people also
highlighted that teachers do not provide
enough support with friendship fallouts.
When identifying if there was anything missing
from the School topic area, the panel felt that
there was a lack of emphasis on the influence
of peers at school. They gave examples of
peers influencing how a young person may act,
influence their post-school choices, such as
going to university. The panel also highlighted
that having to look a certain way at school
adds pressure on young people, especially
if the young person already does not feel
confident. The young people felt that there
were expectations to look and act a certain
way if you are in a certain group. Finally, the
panel noted that the responsibility of caring for
a family member was a missing indicator and
highlighted the impact it can have if a young
person ends up missing some days at school
and becomes behind on their work
and attendance.
There were other issues raised by the
panel that they felt should be considered as
indicators. Some young people emphasised
that the most common issue facing young
people today is growing up in a digital age and
feeling raised by the internet. They felt that
young people learn who they are and their
personality through the internet, and this puts
a lot of pressure on young people to be older,
in terms of how they act, look and feel.
Some young people also felt that there needs
to be a real focus on getting to the root of
issues, rather than attempting to manage them
once they occur. They gave the example of
channelling more energy into making young
people more secure in themselves.
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1. What does it mean?
No stigma
Helping you grow as a person
Willing to take risks and try new things
Being confident
When people are positive emotionally
Not letting your mental health impact
daily life
Space where mental health is openly
talked about, you feel listened to
How do we encourage schools to be
mentally flourishing
2. Barriers
Negative people - bad friends
Negative streotypes e.g snowflakes
Lack of funding and resources
Having silly rules/unwillingess to change
Teachers not listening to pupils
Being treated as individuals - not just
statistics
Exam pressure - too much focus
3. Good examples
MVP (mentors & violence prevention)
- talk to younger peers about violent
behaviours
Teachers - Metal Health first aiders/teachers trained in mental health/book sessions
Mental health ambassadors
Counsellors at schools/guidance teachers
QR codes - scan and email a teacher
4. What do you want to
see in your school?
Wellbeing Wednesday - needs to be
relatable and personal - mental health
impacts people differently - need to
consult young people what they
actually want.
Understanding for attendance issues
Quiet room/ “escape”
Activites during lunch breaks
Uncomfortable if there’s been issues with
teachers - can’t open up to them -
someone external
Mental health as a subject - consistant
throughout year groups
Guidance teacher - no conflict of interest
- someone external
All staff - Mental health training
Proposed Mental Health
Strategic Framework
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Prevention
The panel focused their input on the social
media indicator when creating ideas for
prevention around Ourselves. The young
people felt that it was important for younger
children to avoid using social media as they are
easily influenced, and it is possible they may
develop a negative mindset from an early age.
They also highlighted that time limits on apps
could prevent young people from spending
too much time scrolling and that there should
be more effective monitoring and stronger
repercussions of offensive or harmful language
online. Following this, the young people gave
three main recommendations for Public Health
Scotland on how they could prevent some of
the issues that are caused by social media.
Firstly, they suggested that Public Health
Scotland could conduct research into the
impact of using social media from an early age
as well as the effects of spending too much
time on there. The young people recommended
that this research could be used to develop
campaigns that warn parents of the impact of
children using social media from an early age.
This campaign could also inform young people
on how much time is reasonable to spend on
social media. Finally, the panel suggested that
Public Health Scotland could monitor the type
of language or behaviour that is being used
online to identify common issues to inform their
campaigns. Partnering with organisations who
specialise in this field may be an initial step in
this direction.
When considering how to prevent issues that
impact mental wellbeing amongst Family and
Friends, the young people felt that having
another support system, such as talking to
peers, can help prevent stress if a young
person feels like they cannot talk to their
parents. They also highlighted that it is
important to get to the root of the issue. For
example, if parents could be educated in some
format about the impact of mental health on
their children and how it affects relationships
with others. The panel suggested that schools
could be used to mediate between young
people and parents. For instance, teachers
could get feedback from students and then
aid in expressing this to parents. They
recommended that Public Health Scotland could
publish a list of resources for young people
to use to support them in coping with family
disputes or tensions. The young people felt that
there needs to be readily available support for
parents as well as young people.
They emphasised that young people have
the capacity to understand parents’ issues
and that this should be communicated to
parents. Finally, the young people felt that
there needs to be an available safe space or
support for young people to have these types
of discussions with their parents.
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For the issues that occur within the School topic
area, the young people tailored their ideas
for prevention around two of the indicators:
exam pressure and post-school choices. For
prevention of exam pressure, the young people
created three main ideas. Firstly, the entire
exam process could be slowed down into a
pace that was more digestible. For example,
instead of the process consisting mainly of
exams at the end of the year, grading could
also include classroom assignments completed
throughout the year, so it is not one large
build up. The panel also suggested that there
needs to be more individuality to the exam
structure and more specific to each student.
This could be achieved by making it more
accessible to get extra support or alternative
arrangements during exams. Currently, this
is difficult to access because a young person
needs to provide evidence that they qualify
for this. Finally, the young people felt that the
way teachers approach exams should be more
unified as some are more relaxed whilst others
are not, creating uncertainty throughout
the process.
Following this, the panel identified two action
points for Public Health Scotland. Firstly, the
organisation could publish recommendations
such as these to schools as guidance for them
to follow to ensure better wellbeing of their
pupils during exams. Secondly, Public Health
Scotland could develop a campaign – perhaps
a social media campaign – during exam season
that provides support for post-exam results,
making it clear that failing an exam is not the
end of the world.
For the post-school choices indicator, the
young people felt that there needs to be more
information in schools about different career
routes after school, instead of university being
the main focus. The young people suggested
that schools add a subject or class that
informs students about wider career routes
and achievements. They also felt that this
information should be made available at an
earlier age which will help to de-stigmatise the
idea of different routes other than university.
Again, the young people felt that these
are suggestions that could be published as
recommendations to schools.
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Developing Well
When creating ideas around how to encourage
schools to be more mentally flourishing as part
of the Developing Well strand, the young people
shared their own experiences of initiatives from
their own schools, or schools of their friends. The
panel expressed a variety of things they would
like to see in their school and three common
themes were identified: staff, resources
and activities.
The young people felt that all staff in schools
should complete training in mental health,
just like they would for first aid. They also felt
that there should be a specific guidance or
counsellor teacher on site, who the students
could approach to discuss matters with them.
This is because some of the panel highlighted
that there is a conflict of interest if this role
is allocated to any general teacher, as it puts
students in an uncomfortable position if this
is a teacher they do not like or have issues
with. Having a specific guidance teacher would
create more of an inclusive environment and
allow students to discuss personal matters
comfortably. They also felt that there should
be more understanding for attendance issues.
In terms of resources, the young people felt
that mental health should be taught at schools
as a subject which should be consistent
throughout year groups. This could lead
to greater understanding about individual
wellbeing, and it would teach from an early
age the importance of looking after your
mental health. The panel also expressed that
they would like to see a quiet space or room
in their school if students required a place
to wind down / support young people with
anxiety. Finally, the panel felt that there should
be more activities available in schools during
lunchtime and breaks that support the mental
wellbeing of their students. They discussed
initiatives such as Wellbeing Wednesday,
but they felt that these activities were too
standardised.
The young people felt that the activities should
be more relatable and personal as mental
health impacts everyone differently. They also
stressed the importance of these activities
being co-designed with the students, to have
a more effective and successful impact.
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Public Health Scotland’s continued
engagement with young people
Ideas to
take
forward
Ideas to
recommend
Idea Highlights of
this idea
Potential issues
& solutions
Action points
for PHS
Idea Highlights of
this idea
Potential issues
& solutions
Action points
for PHS
Presenting info in an
accessible and effective
way/not too
overwhelming.
No influencing the YP’s
decisions - impartial
Had the info to unpack
and participate in
informed discussions
Giving young people
space to discuss the info/
having staff there to
provide info
Less is more not too
many young people in
groups - split into
smaller groups
Consulting and working
with a range of ages
More insight
Gives a wider range of
opinions - gives a wider
overview
Less engaged
maybe-things
simplified more - could
impact decisions
some topics might not be
appropriate/push back
from parents
Shorter more frequent
sessions
would make sessions
shorter - maybe not as
valuable/but could
be a solution
Name - has to be
young people friendly/
and made clear in
advertising
School partnerships/
more promotion in
young people spaces
When reflecting on exploring mental health
indicators as part of the Explore stage of the
YSHive co-design process, the panel contributed
the success of the session to the way that Public
Health Scotland presented the information on
indicators in an effective and accessible way
and did not attempt to influence their decisions.
The panel recommended that, when engaging
with young people on specific topic areas, Public
Health Scotland continue to present information
in this way when continuing to engage with
young people.
Another aspect of the Explore session that was
enjoyed and taken forward was the discussion
around school topics and how this affects many
young people. The panel felt that most young
people feel passionate about school issues as
it impacts them daily and as a result, young
people can provide Public Health Scotland with
the most relevant information. However, when
considering what could have improved their
experience of engaging in this topic, the panel
recommended that more emphasis should be
placed on relationships between peers as this
has a significant impact on the mental health
of young people.
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Additionally, when identifying what else was
missing from the Explore stage, the young
people felt that the organisation would benefit
from consulting a wide range of ages when
engaging with young people in topic areas.
This will allow Public Health Scotland to hear
from a diverse range of views, providing them
with more insight. However, the panel also
highlighted some potential issues that should be
taken into account. Firstly, some topics may not
be appropriate to engage children in, perhaps
resulting in some resistance from parents.
Secondly, younger young people may be less
engaged and may need things simplified which
could impact the value of decisions made so
shorter sessions are recommended. Finally, they
felt that the name of the project should be more
young people friendly as ‘panel’ is not appealing
for children or younger young people.
When reflecting on the Create stage, the
panel enjoyed discussing how schools can be
encouraged to become more supportive spaces
for young people’s mental health. The young
people recommended that Public Health Scotland
continue to engage with young people in strategy
around education and school-based issues. They
felt that this was engaging and inclusive as
most young people had experiences of mental
wellbeing being impacted by school experiences.
The panel reflected on what could have been
improved about their participation in the
Create stage and recommended that for future
engagement with young people in areas of
strategy and decision-making, Public Health
Scotland should engage more regularly with
young people over a sustained period. For
example, if another youth panel for a specific
decision-making project was established, then
more regular sessions or activities would be
beneficial in enabling constructive discussions.
This has been common feedback from panel
members who have frequently commented that
they would have enjoyed their time more on
the panel if the sessions had been more regular
and if the project was longer. They felt that
discussions would have been more valuable
and they would not have had to spend as much
time remembering the content of the previous
sessions.
The panel gave Public Health Scotland two action
points for this recommendation of engaging with
young people regularly. Firstly, if a youth project
is established again with a group of young
people, then at the beginning of the project, a
set list of session dates should be provided to the
young people. This will give the young people
involved enough notice to plan their availability
around the sessions, resulting in less pressure
on them. The panel also suggested that it is
imperative for Public Health Scotland to find
areas of strategy and decision-making where the
voices of young people will be most valued. For
example, consulting with young people about
what areas they would want to be involved in
before establishing a specific project area would
be more of a co-designed process and be of more
benefit to young people and the organisation.
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As well as more regular and sustained
engagement with young people, the panel
suggested that setting research tasks
in-between sessions would improve
engagement with young people on strategy
and decision-making. The panel suggested
that participating in peer research would give
the young people a chance to experience how
their ideas could be implemented beyond the
project. The young people involved could then
feedback to others in the group during the
sessions, opening up discussions and allowing
the group to build on those ideas.
When considering what other areas of Public
Health Scotland they want young people to
be involved in, there was a clear appetite for
more engagement with the organisation’s
online content, whether that is through social
media or marketing. Collaborating with young
people to co-design online content could bring
new and fresh perspectives that supports the
organisation’s online presence to be more
engaging and inviting generally. For example,
young people could support Public Health
Scotland in utilising other online platforms to
engage with and deliver information to a
younger audience, such as TikTok. The panel
strongly recommended that if Public Health
Scotland chose to deliver information via
TikTok, they should co-design content with
young people to ensure it will be what young
people actually want to see and engage with.
The panel also emphasised they would like more
young people involved within the Board at Public
Health Scotland and within senior strategic
decision-making.
Finally, the panel recommended that Public
Health Scotland engages with young people
in other topic areas, such as the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic on young people and young
people’s relationship with the internet. They
felt that many young people feel anxious about
the spread of fake news, and to know what
media is reliable or not. Like the mental health
indicators, this is a topic area that young people
feel strongly about and would enjoy a space to
explore it with the organisation.
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 19
Recommendations
On Thursday 24th February 2022, the young people on the Public Health Scotland
Young People’s Panel met with Public Health Scotland’s Senior Leadership Team. This
was the first time the Senior Leadership Team has met with an external group of
young people in this way. The panel presented their recommendations, before moving
onto a discussion about what is next for the organisation’s engagement with young
people. Because of how well the young people presented their recommendations,
and how keen the Senior Leadership Team were to respond to them, the panel were
invited to present their recommendations again to Public Health Scotland’s Board.
The recommendations are split into two sections: how Public Health Scotland can
engage with young people in topic areas and strategy or decision-making; and how
Public Health Scotland can continue to engage with young people as an organisation.
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 19
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 20
Recommendations on topic areas
and strategy / decision-making
Have frequent and regular sessions with young people over a longer and more sustained duration
The panel feel that this will be of more value, as young people will be able to explore topics in
greater depth, leading to more meaningful discussions to affect change at Public Health Scotland.
It also puts less pressure on young people if they have to miss a session and it will make young
people feel more involved and not just an afterthought.
Consult a wider range of young people, especially regarding age group
Every age range has different experiences and only focusing on a small age range doesn’t allow
for a broad perspective. For example, the panel’s current main concern is exam pressure as they
range from 14 to 17 years, yet this is different to what a 12-year-old is experiencing. By consulting
a wider range of young people, Public Health Scotland will make more informed decisions on
young people issues.
Set research tasks in-between sessions
By setting tasks such as asking peers to complete surveys on specific topics, this will allow Public
Health Scotland to gain access to a broader range of opinions and would open more discussions,
as well as continuing momentum in-between sessions.
Present information in an accessible & youth-friendly way
The panel praised how Public Health Scotland staff presented the mental health indicators
research and recommend that this continues in future engagement with young people. Young
people need to fully understand the topic to explore it in-depth and have meaningful discussions.
Establish school partnerships to reach out to more young people
Many young people may not have heard about the opportunity and so this makes it more
accessible to have established partnerships with schools and other organisations. Getting to
know people on a project can be intimidating, so it is more supportive having someone you trust
recommend the opportunity.
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 21
Recommendations on how Public Health Scotland
can continue to engage with young people as
an organisation
Involve young people at senior levels of decision-making, such as pitching ideas
and recommendations to the Board / Senior Leadership Team
This would allow the organisation to engage with young people directly and allows a focus
on issues that are relevant and important to young people. Young people would feel like their
considerations are being listened to and that Public Health Scotland will attempt to act on them.
Involve young people in co-designing Public Health Scotland’s social media and online content
Young people are the experts in what is most appealing for other young people and are
knowledgeable on current trends. Whilst the panel acknowledged that Public Health Scotland are
tailoring their online content to more of a general audience, the group felt that more could be
done for young people. The online content is the public face of Public Health Scotland, if it was
co-designed with young people, it would demonstrate the commitment to listening to them.
Involve young people in more school-specific topics, especially relationships
with peers and exam pressure on physical & mental wellbeing
The young people really enjoyed discussing school issues as this is something that is relatable to
most young people that the organisation will engage with. This is something young people feel
passionate about and can make informed decisions based on their real-life experience.
Engage with young people in other topic areas: COVID-19 impact, relationship
with the internet, fake news, eating disorders, stress
The young people recommend that Public Health Scotland engages with young people on
many different topic areas, including the impact of COVID-19 on young people; young people’s
relationship with the internet and the dissemination of fake news; eating disorders and stress.
Public Health Scotland has been dominated by the pandemic; by exploring other areas with young
people, they can be supportive for children and young people in a wide variety of ways.
Although mental health is something young people are passionate about, they can offer advice
on so many other areas that affect them, to support Public Health Scotland to make informed
decisions that will provide more support to young people. The panel questions that if Public Health
Scotland can work with them on mental health issues, why not other things also?
YSHive – Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel - Recommendations and Actions Report PAGE 22
Feedback
The young people were asked to share their experiences of being on the Public
Health Scotland Young People’s Panel, what worked well and what could be
improved generally, as well as some specific questions around presenting to the
Senior Leadership Team, and what they would like to see happen next with their
recommendations.
When asked how prepared they felt to
present to the Senior Leadership Team,
the average score was 9.5 out of 10.
When asked if they received all the
information they needed in advance,
the average score was 10 out of 10.
When asked what they would like to see
happen next from your recommendations, the
young people expressed that they wanted to
see their recommendations put into action
within schools and the community. They also
stated that they wish to receive feedback on
how their recommendations are being used,
and for the organisation to continue to engage
with them.
When asked their experience of presenting to
the Senior Leadership Team, the young people
found it interesting, informative and good
fun. The majority of the panel thought it was
primarily daunting and nerve-wracking, but
once the conversations began, their
confidence grew.
When asked what could have improved their
experience of participation on the panel, the
common feedback of more regular and frequent
sessions was shared, as they acknowledged it
would allow them more time to discuss topics
and build relationships.
When asked if they had anything else to
share, the young people thanked the staff
for the opportunity of being a member of the
Public Health Scotland Young People’s Panel:
“Everyone has been really
approachable and helpful”.
“Thank you for helping further my
understanding of Public Health Scotland
as I didn’t know much about it before.
I would like to have the opportunity to
involve myself in more opportunities
like this. I would also like to see the
action and I hope we don’t lose touch”.
“I just want to say a huge thank you
for everything you have done, creating
a space where we feel comfortable and
passionate to discuss these serious
topics. I would definitely recommend
other young people to take part in
this amazing experience”.
Young Scot
Caledonian Exchange
19A Canning Street
Edinburgh
EH3 8EG
youngscot.net/news
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YoungScot