Cardiff Met Project aims to Improve Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

Researchers from Cardiff Metropolitan University are leading a major evaluation of Power Up, a pioneering wellbeing and social action programme supporting young people aged 10 to 25 in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Delivered by Platfform, a Wales-based mental health and social change charity, Power Up provides vital support for children and young people experiencing mental health challenges. The programme offers a wide range of services, including wellbeing programmes, peer support, workshops and courses, one-to-one support and volunteering opportunities – helping young people build resilience, confidence and connections within their communities.

The initiative comes at a critical time for youth mental health in Wales. Recent reports show a significant decline in children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing in Wales highlighting the urgent need for accessible and effective support services.

A research team from Cardiff Met’s Centre for Health, Activity and Wellbeing Research (CAWR) is conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the three-year programme. The study aims to:

• Understand the changes the programme is designed to achieve
• Explore its direct impact on young people’s wellbeing
• Identify its wider influence on systems supporting youth mental health

Dr Paul Sellars from the CAWR research team said: “We know there is an urgent need for improved support services for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. We are working together with the Power Up team to map out what changes we expect the programme to make.

“The team is using a method called ‘ripple effects mapping’ to understand the full impact of the programme, including effects that might not be obvious at first. We are doing this through workshops, activities, group discussions and one-to-one interviews. Young people are a key part of this process, so their views and experiences are at the centre of understanding how the programme is making a difference.

“We hope we can provide valuable insights into how community-based interventions can address the growing mental health needs of children and young people and inform future policy and practice across Wales and beyond.”