What can we learn from young people about their mental health, and what impact did the COVID-19 pandemic have? We will hear from two projects carrying out innovative work with and including young people.
Award-winning mental health nurse and global health consultant Dorcas Gwata speaks about her upcoming book, Street Clinic. Gwata guides us into London’s bloodied streets, inviting us into her world, to witness her work with young people who are highly exposed to violence by virtue of where they live and who they go to school with. By meeting young people on their level, on the street and on their terms, and by talking to them in a language they understand, Gwata reveals how innovative nursing can help young people and families to work through trauma, depression and anxiety towards better outcomes.
Nexus is a short drama, based on Dr Lindsay Dewa’s research into the impact of lockdown on the mental health of young people. It was brought to life through a collaboration between Imperial College, West London NHS Trust and the Burdett Trust for Nursing. The film was fully co-produced with a group of young people, who were involved in the initial research. Aswell as being used internally by the West London NHS Trust, the film has been toured around the UK and conferences both in the UK and abroad. Along the way it has picked up a number of awards and has been featured on various BBC outlets, including the World Service. A learning platform is currently being created for the film and will be widely available to health professionals
Noosheen Lotfi started working with children and young people in 2005 and qualified as a mental health nurse in 2015. Throughout their career, Noosheen has worked across a variety of national and international projects aimed at promoting social integration and education engagement with young people, parents and professionals. While working at West London CAMHS as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Noosheen was introduced to the NEXUS project and jumped at the opportunity to marry together their love of research and creativity to raise awareness of some of the challenges young people faced during and after the pandemic.
The event was held online in April 2024.