Young People Need to Be Heard
By Rebecca Maw, CEO of The Key
Mental Health Awareness Week has come and gone, bringing important conversations about movement, mindfulness, and what it takes for young people to thrive. But if we want real, lasting change, we need to go beyond surface-level solutions—and start listening more deeply.
This year’s theme, “Movement: moving more for our mental health,” opened up valuable discussion. But for those of us working alongside young people, it also raised a bigger question: What kind of movement truly matters?
It’s not just about getting young people active. It’s about helping them feel activated—with agency, with purpose, and with the belief that their voice has power.
Because what young people are asking for isn’t more control. It’s more trust.
Too often, systems step in with the right intentions but the wrong approach, focusing on problems rather than potential. Support can feel prescriptive instead of empowering, leaving little space for ownership, creativity, or autonomy.
But young people are not fragile or broken. They’re full of ideas, strength, and insight. They don’t need fixing. They need space and support to flourish.
The Conditions for Thriving
Self-Determination Theory—a key framework in psychology and education—tells us that wellbeing is built on three essential needs: autonomy, competence, and connection. When young people feel trusted to make choices, confident in their abilities, and meaningfully connected to others, they thrive.
And yet, too many young people, especially those growing up in poverty and facing challenging personal circumstances, are caught in systems that erode rather than nurture these foundations.
The Power of Being Trusted
Thankfully, a growing number of organisations are shifting from doing for young people to working with them. And the difference is powerful.
When young people are given real ownership - whether it’s leading a creative project, shaping an initiative, or mentoring their peers - they begin to see themselves differently. Not as a challenge to be managed, but as leaders in their own right.
Take the story of a 15-year-old girl who had been experiencing anxiety at school. When she was empowered to take on KEY+ and lead and design her own project with friends, her confidence began to grow alongside her skills. She wasn’t being told what to do. She was being trusted to take the lead with friends, explore their passions and deliver something that mattered to them. That change in approach unlocked a shift in self-belief.
These moments aren’t rare. They’re just rarely spotlighted.
At The Key, we see them every day.
- 98% feel more confident in themselves
- 98% have gained skills they say will shape their futures
These are more than feel-good stats. They’re signals of agency, growth, and long-term impact.
What we noticed this Mental Health Awareness Week
There was strong momentum around encouraging young people to move more. But just as important is helping them feel moved—by purpose, by connection, and by the knowledge that they matter.
At the same time, the usual narratives crept back in. A recent Sunday Times debate questioned whether young people are entitled or lacking in values. But this framing misses the point. Today’s young people are navigating a world shaped by economic pressure, social change, and complex challenges having lived through a period of extreme isolation. They are doing with incredible adaptability, creativity, and strength.
They are not the crisis. They are the capacity.
Where do we go from here?
If we want Mental Health Awareness Week to drive real change, it can’t stop at awareness. It must lead to action - every week of the year.
That means building systems that amplify young people’s voices, not just respond to their needs. Creating environments where they’re not passive recipients of help, but active shapers of their own stories.
If we want better outcomes, we need to create better conditions.
So, let’s keep asking:
- How can we shift from control to collaboration?
- How can we design for trust, not just treatment?
- How can we show young people that what they think, feel and contribute truly matters?
Because mental health doesn’t improve when we try to fix people. It improves when we believe in them and makes space for their brilliance to lead the way.
About the author
The Key