November 24, 2025
Youth Fed has been recognised in a major new national report highlighting what works in improving young women’s mental health across the UK.
Empowering Minds: Transforming Young Women’s Mental Health—an independent evaluation led by Centre for Mental Health and funded by the Pilgrim Trust—showcases the impact of the Young Women in Mind programme, which has supported more than 3,000 young women aged 16–25 across the North of England and Northern Ireland. Youth Fed is proud to be one of the organisations contributing to this work.
The report highlights Youth Fed’s use of creative therapeutic approaches, including poetry, writing and arts-based sessions, to help young women express themselves, build confidence, and develop tools for emotional regulation. Parents also reported “brilliant” improvements in their daughters’ well-being as a result of taking part in Youth Fed’s support.
The evaluation reinforces the importance of the principles that underpin Youth Fed’s approach:
- Trusted one-to-one relationships
- Safe, women-only spaces that reduce stigma and support open conversation
- Peer connection and community, helping young women feel less isolated
- Trauma-informed, flexible support shaped by the voices of young women themselves
Kevin Bradburne MBE – Director of Delivery at Youth Fed, said:
“This evaluation provides strong external validation of what we see every day in our work with young women—that relational, creative and trauma-informed support changes lives. We’re proud to contribute to this national programme and to stand alongside other organisations working to ensure young women are heard, supported and empowered.”
Youth Fed also played an active role in the programme’s community of practice, working with partner organisations to share learning, strengthen support pathways, and champion best practice across the sector.
The full report, Empowering Minds, is available via the Centre for Mental Health and Pilgrim Trust websites.