UK - "We found that people were having trouble accessing services"

UK - "We found that people were having trouble accessing services" That's Mali Jones, a Peer Service Designer with Mind Our Future, speaking from lived experience about mental health support gaps in Wales. Mind Cymru's latest report showcases something powerful: people with lived experience leading the change. The Mind Our Future project puts 11 young people aged 16-24 in the driver's seat as Peer Service Designers. They're not just being consulted, they're designing the services themselves, working alongside youth services in Gwent to reshape mental health support. Their peer-led research with 200+ young people revealed what those with lived experience already knew: - Support services are hard to find and navigate - Stigma remains a real barrier to reaching out - Help is often inconsistent and inflexible Now they're using that experiential knowledge to build something better. Supporter Francesca Murphy shared her story at the report launch, how Mind's support became a lifeline after a sailing accident impacted her mental health. These aren't abstract statistics. They're real people, with real expertise born from real challenges. Across Wales, Mind's services reached 30,000+ people last year, powered by volunteers contributing £670,000 worth of their time and expertise. As Lexy Gingell, another Peer Service Designer, reminds us: "Young people deserve a chance for mental health support – no matter who they are, or where they are." Lived experience isn't just valuable—it's essential to getting mental health support right.