YES to youth voice – ten years on
This year, we’re celebrating 10 years of the Youth Empowerment Squad (YES) — our award-winning youth forum giving young people a real voice in shaping care across Barts Health.
Run by young people, for young people, YES has welcomed more than one hundred members since it began and now brings together 24 current members who meet monthly to share their views and help improve care across the Trust. Over the years, they’ve worked with dozens of departments to make our hospitals more inclusive, accessible and youth-friendly.
From developing The Bridge Board Game to help teenagers move confidently into adult care, to creating a COVID-19 leaflet that cut through confusion, YES members have made their mark. They’ve even shaped how young people take part in recruiting NHS staff, and their feedback from 15 Steps Challenges has helped make hospital spaces and information more welcoming for every young patient who walks through our doors.
“What inspired me to join YES is the opportunity for young people to express themselves within the healthcare system,” says Siam, 20, current chair of YES, who joined the group at 16.
“It’s a platform every NHS Trust should embed to involve young patients in their care, rather than treating them as passive users of the system. YES empowers young people to share their lived experiences, influence decisions, and co-design services that truly meet their needs.”
Some members joined because there was no youth forum where they lived; others are training for healthcare careers — our future NHS workforce helping to build the healthcare of tomorrow.
Neil Fletcher, Clinical Nurse Specialist for Teenagers and Young Adults, said:
“Our YES members constantly balance studies, work and health to keep the youth voice strong at Barts Health. They’ve taught us to be flexible, open, and truly listen and learn.”
Over the years, YES has become increasingly youth-led, with members chairing meetings and shaping agendas. Their work has inspired wider improvements across the Trust, making information clearer, services more inclusive, and young people’s experiences central to how we design care.
Beth Brown added:
“Children and young people have different healthcare needs from adults, so it’s vital that their voices are included in improvement. YES helps us understand their unique challenges and build trust for the future.”
Many alumni have gone on to remarkable things — joining the NHS Youth Forum, becoming a Deputy Mayor, or training as doctors, nurses and dentists.
To mark the anniversary, members will create a digital time capsule filled with memories, messages and reflections to be opened on their 15-year milestone — celebrating how far they’ve come and what’s still to come.
Here’s to the next ten years of YES — continuing to champion young voices, shape better care, and inspire the future of the NHS.