Background
Young people in the UK have poorer health and well-being than in many similar countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected many young people’s mental and physical health. Integrated Care Systems (ICS) were set up across England in 2021 to get people to work together and improve the health and wellbeing of people who live in their area. This project explored how under-served young people in the north east London (NEL) borough of Redbridge can participate in health and wellbeing services in accessible and inclusive ways. Under- served means not having enough help or access to the right services. The project was developed, and was delivered by a collaboration including young people, a community organisation (Community Action Redbridge), University of Hertfordshire researchers, and the NEL Integrated Care Board (who lead the ICS).
Redbridge has a very diverse population and high levels of poverty, with limited support for young people and a voluntary and community sector which is not as well connected as in other areas of NEL. It was also important to consider how things like disability, ethnicity, culture, and poverty affect each other, the health and well-being of under-served young people and their opportunities for participation.
Project Aims
The project aimed to create a strong and lasting partnership where young people, and adults who work with them, can learn and work together to explore how participation can best improve the health and wellbeing of under-served young people aged 15-25 by:
- Developing a place-based partnership of adults and young people which builds on existing groups and connections in and around the London borough of Redbridge.
- Bringing local people together to explore what matters for under-served young people’s health and wellbeing, what good and inclusive participation looks like in practice and how young people and organisations can work together to make this happen.
- Evaluate the project in collaboration with young people, reflecting on lessons learnt, what went well and what could be improved in future partnership working.
Project Activity
The project was delivered across four phases (set up, community building, evaluation, dissemination). It worked with young people living in Redbridge and stakeholders across statutory, voluntary and community services. Seven young advisors were involved throughout via regular meetings, co facilitation of workshops, peer engagement, participation in national and local forums, and contributing to the evaluation.
Engagement activities reached around 70 under-served young people through community based sessions and two online workshops. These explored lived experiences of local health and wellbeing, identifying recurring themes: mental health, access to services, community safety, decision making participation, and inequality.
Stakeholder engagement comprised approximately 150 interactions with 58 professionals, an in person workshop, and six Community of Practice meetings. These created structured opportunities to explore participation, rights based approaches, health inequalities and creative health practice.
Key findings
- Key facilitators of effective partnership included shared values, strong local knowledge and place based approaches, creation of shared spaces for meaningful youth–adult interaction and valuing diverse perspectives.
- Flexible, relationship centred and inclusive approaches were essential for building trust.
- Challenges included early uncertainty about the project “offer,” staffing and structural changes within partner organisations, capacity constraints among stakeholders, and the personal challenges faced by many young people.
- These findings highlight the need for time, flexibility and trauma informed approaches when engaging under-served groups.
Impacts and outputs
- Short term impacts included strengthened cross sector relationships, improved communication between statutory and VCSE organisations, and an increased commitment to youth participation. Young advisors reported greater confidence, skills and sense of influence. The project modelled inclusive involvement, with early system level changes such as improved accessibility of local authority meetings.
- Medium term impacts include contributions to Redbridge strategic planning and securing additional impact funding to co produce creative outputs. Longer term potential lies in adapting the PANELS model across Integrated Care Systems and informing future research and policy on youth participation.
- The team has also secured UH ESRC Impact Acceleration Award funding to co produce creative, accessible outputs with young people and stakeholders. This is supporting continued collaboration with the project's young advisors on design, production, and dissemination, and inform development of subsequent research proposals.
- Presented poster at International Conference on Integrated Care, May 2026 and Association for Young People's Health ‘Innovation and good practice in adolescent health’ event, Sept 2025.
- Conference and other presentations- UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre international conference themed Shifting Power: New Frontiers in Youth Participation, June 2026; NIHR SPHR East of England public health research conference, March 2026; NHS England Children and Young People Neighbourhood workshop, Jan 2026; Institute for Voluntary Action Research 'Youth Voice in Healthcare' workshop, December 2025 and International Child and Family Conference, June 2025.
Papers and resources
Visit the project website
See poster presented at conferences
Next steps
- Short film
- Summary for young people and practitioners
- Academic journal articles
- Application for further research funding to build on and expand on learning from the project
Who was involved?
Contact
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