Spirit’s Youth Advisory Panel is made up of 10 young people from across the UK. Every other year, they are given responsibility for allocating money through their Challenge Fund to projects that will empower young people. They manage the entire process – from setting out the initial application criteria to making the final decisions on allocating funds.

“It gives me the greatest pleasure to announce that Youth Cyrmu has been chosen as the beneficiaries of our Challenge Fund,” said YAP Chair Michaela Collins. “Mental health issues in young people across the UK are on the rise, with 50% of all mental heath issues beginning by the age of 14.

“Cymru’s ‘Create and Communicate Wellbeing’ project will empower young people to be effective drivers of social change using the arts and their own creativity to challenge mental health stigma and to promote wellbeing through the creation of community hubs, the development of a digital toolkit and awareness campaigning.”

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Youth Cymru will deliver a project to develop young people aged 11-21 as Creative Wellbeing Champions. The project will allow them to have a better understanding and insight into their own and others’ mental health and sense of wellbeing.

They will carry out community youth social action projects, providing their peers with opportunities to improve their own mental health and wellbeing whilst reduce stigma in their communities.

Michaela added: “We were really impressed with the ambitions of the Youth Cymru project and we are excited to the see the impact that this innovative project will have on hundreds of young people in Wales.”

Further information:

To find out more about Youth Cymru and what they do, visit the Youth Cymru website.