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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Plain Text Version

Public Health Scotland

Young People’s Panel

Recommendations and Actions Report

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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

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