A journey to be proud of
Sophie was one of the Trust’s team of youth ambassadors for two years, a time which she says “helped me personally and has been brilliant for my career.”
Now 26, Sophie is completing a master’s degree in psychology and recently started a part-time role for Mind as a peer support worker.
Our youth ambassadors, aged between 16 and 25, play a key role in ensuring the voice of young people – those the Trust is here to serve – is at the centre of our work. As lived experience partners for the Trust, they are involved in many different ways, from helping to shape our strategic business plan to reviewing resources, influencing policy and recording podcasts.
Personal experience
Sophie’s own experience of mental ill health started in her teens. She says: “I struggled with an eating disorder and then depression and anxiety. I was in hospital for a while and had a lot of therapy. I’m very grateful for the support I received but I know how hard it can be to access services, and that’s one reason why I wanted to work for the Charlie Waller Trust.”
She also lost a close friend to suicide, another motivation for wanting to work within mental health. She explains: “It was very sad, and I want to use that sadness to make sure others don’t go through the same thing. I know how hard it is to get help, so I think anything I can do to support young people’s mental health is valuable.”
A lovely cohort of people
Sophie explains that she applied for the youth ambassador role while on her university undergraduate placement year (working with a paediatric psychology team) with no expectations but that it turned out to be a great experience.
“They were a lovely cohort of people,” she says of her fellow ambassadors, “and I built really great relationships with them. They were all invested in improving mental health services and empowering young people. I was gutted when I turned 26 and had to move on!”
Meeting celebrities!
There were many highlights for Sophie, especially representing the Trust at the Flackstock music festival (an annual event held to celebrate the life of TV personality Caroline Flackstock). Not only did Sophie get to meet some of the celebrities, she also discovered new confidence. She explains: “Three of us ran a workshop on music and mental health for around 50 people. I was very nervous but the feeling I got afterwards was just brilliant. I was so proud of myself!
“Flackstock was probably the first time I went up in front of a group of people and after that I think my confidence just grew.”
Recording a podcast
Another new experience for Sophie was to take part in a podcast, hosted by one of the other youth ambassadors. She says: “The topic was stigma around medication. I’m on medication for my mental health and it was really good to open up and talk about it. It was good to challenge the stigma as there’s no difference to taking medication for your physical health.”
Other projects have included reviewing resources, taking part in a webinar and speaking as part of a youth ambassador panel to staff and trustees at a Charlie Waller information day. All of this has made a huge difference to Sophie. “My confidence has grown,” she says, “and I can talk easily to people now.
“It’s a really rewarding way to use my experiences to make positive change, rather than dwelling on all the sad times.”
A brilliant charity
Would Sophie recommend the youth ambassador role to other young people? “Definitely! There are so many transferable skills – teamwork, public speaking, leadership, communication. You have to be passionate – put yourself out there and take on all the opportunities. And it’s a brilliant charity to work for. Everyone I’ve worked with has been so lovely and welcoming.”
Sophie’s next steps
Sophie is currently completing her master’s degree at the University of Bedford and has managed to bring her experience as a youth ambassador into that as part of a portfolio about her life and experiences. Always one to keep busy, she recently started a part-time job with Mind as a peer support worker, facilitating small groups of service users with a trained counsellor, first as a volunteer and now in a paid capacity. She’s sure her role as a youth ambassador was fundamental in getting the position and made sure to talk about it in her interview.
She’s also been working with a PhD student in London on a digital tool for young people who self-harm. She says: “I’m always trying to involve myself in different research projects and I thought this one sounded really cool.”
While we can’t take the credit, it’s wonderful that Sophie’s time as a youth ambassador for the Trust has contributed to her positive outlook. She says: “When I was struggling as a teenager, I never thought I’d get to university, let alone a master’s. Looking back, I’m proud of my journey and how I got here.”
