View Basket : 0 items
A group of young people laughing together outside on a bench. Group includes two black girls (one in a wheelchair), one black boy, and a white boy.

Become a YoungMinds Activist

YoungMinds Activists raise their voices about mental health and create change. Find out more about our Activist programme, what our Activists do and how to get involved.

Three people holding a placard which says 'creating change'. The person on the left is holding a small placard 'youth power' with the person on the right in a wheelchair holding a placard 'activating change = youth voice'

Activists are young volunteers who are passionate about mental health or have experienced challenges related to mental health in their lives. They campaign to create positive change, and help shape and influence the work we do.

Our Activists come from a range of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, sexualities and religions – everyone’s welcome and the diversity of our Activists is part of what makes the programme so exciting.

The Activist programme is relaunching this September 2026, and we're looking for the next cohort of changemakers!

Find out how to apply

Apply to the Activist Programme

Who can apply?

We're looking for young people who are:

  • aged 16-23 and living in England
  • passionate about making a positive change to youth mental health
  • living with personal experience of mental health challenges

You don’t need any previous campaigning experience to apply – the programme provides all the training, skills, and knowledge you will need along the way.

YoungMinds wants to ensure the cohort represents a diverse range of voices and backgrounds. Applications are especially welcome from:

  • Black and racialised young people
  • Disabled young people
  • young people who come from a low-income background
  • care-experienced young people
  • young people who are or have been carers
  • young people who identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community
  • young men (trans and cis)
A young man wearing a grey hoodie and looking at his phone while he sits on the grass and leans against a tree.

Apply now

  • Applications are open 3-17 July 2026.

Apply now

Online open evening

  • To find out more about the programme before applying, sign up for our online open evening on 8 July 2026 6pm-7pm.

Sign up to the open evening

About the Activist programme

A young Black woman in a wheelchair talking to a young Black man on a bench in the park. The woman is laughing while the man explains something.

The Activist programme is designed to support young people to: 

  • connect with their activism
  • learn new skills
  • get involved in campaigning for change
  • try new things
  • discover new interests and talents

Take a look at some of the skills and experiences our Activists gain on the programme.

  • Meet and connect with new young people and professionals.
  • Explore activism in fun, creative spaces.
  • Access skill-building opportunities.
  • Learn more about mental health and social justice issues.
  • Build media and presenting skills.
  • Share your story and use your voice to create change.
  • Inspire others to get involved in social action.
  • Learn and grow in a community that cares about each other.
  • Build skills that will help inspire social action in other young people.  
  • Share your story and encourage other young people to find the courage to talk about mental health.
  • Use your experiences to inspire change.
  • Use your voice to talk about the things that impact mental health in different spaces and places.
  • Speak up for change as part of a collective of campaigners.
  • Explore how mental health issues impact people and communities in different ways.
  • Work together with lots of different people to dream up big solutions to the big issues that impact young people’s mental health.
  • Work with teams across YoungMinds to raise awareness of the issues impacting young people’s mental health today.
  • Work with YoungMinds to improve the experience of young people with mental health struggles on a national level through advocacy and influencing.
  • Co-design resources for young people, parents, carers, and professionals.
  • Co-produce campaigns with us.
  • Speak out about young people's mental health in the media and events and conferences.
  • Co-create social media content.
  • Work with our policy team to ensure youth voice shapes all our policy. 
  • Keep young voices at the centre of decisions and conversations about mental health.
  • Influence YoungMinds' campaigns and services to ensure that we’re driving to improve the issues that young people care about the most.
    I felt really alone and powerless in my struggles. Joining YoungMinds as an Activist gave me an avenue to make change.
    Georgia, Activist
    It was the first moment I felt like I had real influence. It was special because, when you have depression, you don’t feel like much of what you do has an impact on the world.
    Aaliyah, Activist
A Black teenage boy wearing a hearing aid speaking to a white non-binary teenager. They are walking on the street outside a shop. Both people are smiling.

What do Activists do on the programme?

Our Activists commit to a two-year programme designed to take them from learning the basics to running a major, real-world campaign. Along the way, they will connect with an amazing community of peers, work closely with our staff, build transferable life skills, and get equipped to lead activism and campaigning in their own local communities if they wish.

Here is a breakdown of what Activists do and the toolkits they build across the two years:

Year One Building the foundations and designing the campaign 

In the first year, Activists learn all the skills needed to understand how to create a campaign. During this year, the cohort works together to design and create their very own campaign from scratch.

  • Community

    Activists come together in person and online to build a strong community of young people with lived experience of mental health. Through getting-to-know-you days and social spaces, the cohort connects and supports each other, it's definitely not all work!

  • Activism and systemic barriers

    Activists work with the YoungMinds staff to look at the real-world barriers young people face. They explore how social movements work, who holds the power to change things, and how to spot systemic issues. 

  • Media and safe storytelling

    Activists learn how to share their lived experience safely through public speaking and media training. They keep full control over what personal experiences they choose to share.

  • Campaigning skills and strategy

    Activists learn all the skills needed to design and deliver campaigns and how to catch the eye of decision-makers.

Year Two

In the second year, Activists move from planning to action and deliver the campaign they designed in Year One. This could involve raising awareness of youth mental health, calling for policy change by the government, or creating tangible changes in their own local areas.

  • Campaign delivery and advocacy

    The cohort brings their campaign to life by leading the public launch, rolling out social media toolkits, speaking to the press, and meeting face-to-face with MPs and senior leaders to demand real change.

  • Community activism training

    Activists get practical training on how to write grants and manage budgets. These skills are designed to help them become independent activists and campaign for change within their own local communities long after the programme ends. 

  • Graduation and celebration

    At the end of the two years, the cohort takes part in a graduation ceremony. This is a special space for the young people to come together, reflect on their journey, and celebrate everything they have achieved over the past two years.

Activist commitments

To make sure the cohort thrives as a team, Activists are asked to commit to a few core things across the two years:

  • Committing to the full two years

    Staying with the programme for the entire two-year cycle to get the most out of the experience and see the campaign through from start to finish.

  • Maintaining 75% attendance

    Aiming for at least 75% attendance across the core programme, which works out to attending at least 6 out of the 8 online sessions. We hold an online session in the evening every fortnight.

  • Prioritising in-person days

    Attending the vital in-person induction day in September or October, and making every effort to join the other in-person days, which happen about once every three months.

  • Helping build and run the campaign

    Bringing their energy to the planning sessions in Year One, and helping lead the action in Year Two.

  • Making time for 1:1s

    Jumping on a monthly catch-up call with their allocated team member to touch base on how they are doing.

  • Sharing feedback

    Providing honest reflections to staff on what is working and what needs to change. This programme is for the young people, so the team wants to know if something isn't working, while also making time to celebrate the wins!

The team completely understands that life gets busy and things happen. The programme entirely pauses during May and June for exam season, so anyone focusing on revision can do so without any extra distractions or programme commitments. If an Activist ever needs to step away or take a temporary timeout from the programme for any other reason, staff will always work with them to make sure they are supported.

Whenever the cohort meets up in person, travel expenses are always covered, and plenty of good food and refreshments are provided.

More opportunities for young people

Take a look at some of the other ways you can get involved as a young person with our work.

  • A white non-binary teenager laughing with an older Black woman in a professional setting.

    Become a Youth Advisor

    Youth Advisors work alongside YoungMinds staff, making sure that everything we do is done in partnership with young people.

  • Join our Youth Panel

    Our Youth Panel discuss the big picture questions about our organisation and shape the future of our work.

  • A person writing in a notebook.

    Write for YoungMinds

    Take a look at the opportunities we have to share your mental health story by writing for YoungMinds.

opens in new window