Stephen Morgan MP has today commended the pioneering #BeeWell youth programme setting up in Portsmouth, where secondary schools will be invited to have their say on a range of topics including their emotions, relationships, aspirations, and health.
The initiative, which has the city MP’s full support, will provide information on the views of young people in a bid to influence and improve wellbeing services available locally for young people.
Participating schools, communities, voluntary sector organisations, and young people themselves are amongst those who will be called on to act on the survey results and help bring about positive change to wellbeing provision for young people, both locally and nationally.
First launched in Manchester in 2021, the programme has already heard the voices of 60,000 young people. Mr Morgan has been meeting with the team behind the initiative to learn lessons from the pilot, discussing its value to young people and encouraging the programme to Portsmouth.
Responding to the announcement of the roll out of the programme in Portsmouth and across Hampshire, Stephen Morgan MP, said:
“The wellbeing of young people in the UK is among the lowest in the world, and it is evident much more needs to be done to enable every young person to thrive.
That’s why I’m pleased to see the #BeeWell initiative being rolled out in Portsmouth, providing our young people with an opportunity to have their say.
I know from my work with the team just how useful this data has proven to be for areas in Manchester in changing public services to put young people at their heart. I look forward to continuing to work with #BeeWell to capture these benefits for Portsmouth to improve the lives of all young people in our city”.
David Gregson, founder of #BeeWell, said:
“It is crucial that we hear directly from young people themselves in conversations about their wellbeing.
I’m delighted that such a high proportion of schools – and such a wide range of schools – in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, have committed to taking part in the #BeeWell survey this autumn.
The feedback young people share will give weight to wider debate about their wellbeing, informing how we collectively act to deliver improvements.”
For more information about the #BeeWell programme, visit: https://beewellprogramme.org/.
