Our Experience in Mind

Experience in Mind is a volunteering project for young people aged between 16 and 25 who have some experience of mental health issues, either as carer, or through personal experience. The project is led by young people who have got together to design and deliver training for professionals and schools using their own experiences. The project currently provides a range of training using various media aimed at giving professionals a better understanding mental health from a young person’s perspective. This training is unique in that it’s young people using their own words and their own experiences to inform workers and other young people. We are currently developing new training and materials for working in schools, with young peoples’ organisations and with families and carers.

Experience in Mind aims to make a difference in reducing the prejudice and stigma that is associated with mental illness and hopes that through training, people will become more open minded to mental health and their ability to relate to the issues. Therefore besides training, the project is very active in the community, showcasing our work through film and photographic exhibitions and promotional events.

Experience in Mind is run in partnership between Sussex Central YMCA and Mind in Brighton & Hove, and is a vinvolved project, which is part of v's National Youth Volunteering programme.