At Youth Action Unlocked, young people from across the North East came together to design projects that could make a real difference in their communities. From Newcastle, The Other Direction group, made up of Daniel, Erin, Jannah, Kate, Lucy and Penny, set out to tackle vaping by raising awareness and encouraging healthier choices among young people.

The group identified vaping as an increasingly common issue affecting their generation and wanted to better understand the reasons behind it. Driven by a desire to create change, they carried out peer-led research with around 30 young people, exploring attitudes towards vaping, reasons for starting and the age it typically begins.

Jannah shared: “We’re covering vaping and smoking in the community area, and we’ve noticed a lot in our areas where vapes have been put out on the roads that aren’t fully finished with.” For Erin, the focus was on education and responsibility: “We want to make sure they’re educated and have awareness of the impact. But also know if they’re going to continue where to dispose of them.”

Using their findings, the group created a short awareness video exploring the impacts of vaping and encouraging young people to reflect on their choices. They also developed resource packs for schools and youth clubs, alongside supportive “goodie bags” designed to help young people reduce or stop vaping, with participants encouraged to hand in a vape as part of a positive behaviour change approach.

The project has been shared across youth groups and conferences, including presentations at an NHS health conference, where the group showcased their research and impact to professionals in the sector.

Reflecting on the importance of youth voice, Penny said: “I think young people are the ones who are experiencing it so if you want to help change what’s going on then you need to know what’s going on from the inside perspective.” Erin added: “Because young people understand other young people… they can take into account how they would like to receive information and what’s important for them.”

For Penny, the goal is clear as she highlighted the need for wider change: “I want there to be a ban on targeting this addictive habit towards children because that is what they’re doing, and it should be marketed the same way smoking is.”

The group’s journey through Youth Action Unlocked has been more than a project. As Erin said: “I never thought it would get to the extent it did… it shows that young people can make real change.” Penny added: “I’m really proud that we’ve been able to get young people’s voices as a young person group and project further than we initially thought.”

The Other Direction have shown how youth-led research, creativity and lived experience can come together to raise awareness, spark conversation and push for meaningful change around vaping in young people’s lives.

Their work was about more than presenting a project – it was about finding their voice, building confidence, and starting the work of changing their community for the better.

Watch this video that the group created to raise awareness about vaping: