A new video captures the great work from the TRIUMPH Network Youth Advisory Group on their first weekend away

The Transdisciplinary Research for the Improvement of Youth Mental Public Health (TRIUMPH) Network brings together young people, health practitioners, policy-makers and those working with voluntary organisations with academics from across clinical, social sciences, arts and humanities, design, and computer sciences disciplines. They work together to find new ways to improve mental health and wellbeing, especially among vulnerable and disadvantaged groups where need is greatest.

ALPHA is one of four TRIUMPH Youth Partner organisations supporting the network. It helped recruit a diverse group of sixteen young people from across the UK to form the Youth Advisory Group (YAG). This group plays a key role in the development of the network and ensures that young people are able to be meaningfully involved in TRIUMPH events, activities and research.

The YAG weekend was a great way for young people to express their opinions and meet other young people who are passionate about getting their voices heard.’ Peter Gee, Facilitator

The Youth Advisory Group met for the first time in June 2019 for a three-day residential meeting in Glasgow. The aim of this residential was to set the importance of young people’s participation by involving them in discussions about the development of the network.

Peter Gee, who helped facilitate the weekend, says: ‘The YAG weekend was a great way for young people to express their opinions and meet other young people who are passionate about getting their voices heard. Although serious discussions were had, there was also time for fun, with an treasure trail around Glasgow, and for relaxing. It has provided us with ideas to help shape the youth element of the TRIUMPH Network going forward.’

The next step is to define the research priorities for the TRIUMPH Network. ALPHA will be hosting an agenda-setting workshop on the 12th November at Portland House, Cardiff Bay, launched by Minister for Education Kirsty Williams. This will provide an opportunity to bring together experts in the field of youth mental health across Wales for collaborative discussion around the TRIUMPH Network themes. It will identify current challenges and opportunities for future research in order to support the development of new initiatives and strategies to promote young people’s mental wellbeing and prevent mental ill health.

Peter adds: ‘This workshop will provide the direction for network events and activities over the next three years, and the scope for future research funding opportunities available through the network.’

Email GeeP@cardiff.ac.uk to find out more about the forthcoming workshop.

Read a blog on the YAG residential here.

To find out more about Triumph, click here.

To find out more about ALPHA, click here.