This UKRI-funded Citizen Science Collaboration project ran for three years from 2021-24. Through participatory methods with lived experience researchers, we have co-produced research proposals on youth mental health. 

On this site you can find out more about our methods and our team, read about the research teams and their priorities for youth mental health research, explore the project's evidence gap maps, and see our outputs, including our project booklet.

Youth VOICES, which began in 2025, is a follow-on project enabling the youth co-researchers from Youth LIVES to share their stories, ideas, and insights to lead in the creation of a podcast.

If you are interested in finding out more, please email us.

Sensitive content warning:

This project website contains comments about mental health conditions and services, including suicide and self-harm, eating disorders, and depression. It includes comments about difficult experiences such as struggling to access mental health support and concerns about stigma and not being believed. 

If you are a young person struggling with your mental health, or are in a difficult situation, it is important to speak to a teacher, parent, carer, or other trusted adult for support. If you do not feel that there is a trusted adult to speak to, please consider contacting one of the services below for advice and support:

• To talk to someone, visit Childline or call 0800 1111.

• For 24/7 support with mental health over text messaging, visit SHOUT or text 'shout' to 85258.

• For suicide prevention and support, visit Papyrus or ring the hotline on 0800 068 41 41.

• In case of emergency or suicidal feelings, call Samaritans immediately on 116 123.