A 'Thank you' from our CNTW NHS colleagues in Patient and Carer Improvement and Involvement Service

The young people at Ferndene have begun a youth-led project to improve how the CNTW NHS Trust promotes the Your Voice service user and carer experience survey. Although overall Your Voice feedback is at its highest recorded level, young people remain significantly under-represented in our formal feedback. This project aims to understand why and work directly with young people on solutions.

Following discussions between the CYPS Service Improvement Lead, CYPS Involvement Lead and the Feedback and Outcomes Lead, the idea was developed to invite current inpatients to explore the issue and co-design a new approach. With support from Newcastle Bridges School and CNTW staff, the school timetable was adapted to bring seven young people together for the first creative session.

The group began by learning why feedback—positive or negative—is important, how identifying common themes drives improvement, and how acknowledging good practice can be meaningful and motivating for staff. The 'You Said, We Did' poster helped demonstrate how previous feedback from service users, parents and carers has already shaped change across the Trust. We also explained the Youth Involvement Bank and how this project represents the types of meaningful activities it facilitates.

Together, the group explored how the Your Voice survey could be made more visible and appealing to young people on the wards. They agreed that an eye-catching, young-person-friendly (not corporate) poster would be the most effective way to encourage more engagement. Within 90 minutes, they had brainstormed ideas and started designing posters featuring bright colours, their own slogans, and cartoon animals with speech bubbles encouraging others to scan the QR code. They also suggested a cartoon strip explaining Your Voice, ending with the QR code.

This work is ongoing, with a second design session planned. CNTW CYPS Service Improvement Lead and CYPS Involvement Lead are extremely grateful to the young people, Newcastle Bridges School and Ferndene staff for their enthusiasm, creativity and support in driving this collaborative project forward.