ATTUNE Research Study Launch Event

We are excited to announce the official launch of ATTUNE: The role and the contribution of the voluntAry secTor to the prevenTion of sUicide among youNg pEople. ATTUNE is an NIHR-funded research study investigating how voluntary organisations support young people at risk of suicide and self-harm.

Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people in the UK, with half of those who die by suicide having self-harmed in the past. Many young people experiencing self-harm or suicidal thoughts are reluctant to seek help from health and social care services. Research shows that the voluntary sector plays a significant role in supporting these young people. However, we know very little about how, why, and when young people choose to seek help from voluntary organisations, or how these organisations respond to their needs and interface with the statutory sector.

Shaped by the insights of young people with lived experience, ATTUNE will explore their experiences of seeking and accessing support from the voluntary sector in the West Midlands and South West Peninsula. The project aims to develop best practice recommendations for effective collaborative care between voluntary and statutory sectors on youth suicide prevention.

EVENT DETAILS

When: Thursday, 27 February 2025, 2 - 3.30 PM (GMT)

Where: Online (Free)

Who should attend?

• Voluntary organisations
• Local authorities
• Health and social care professionals across primary and secondary care, public health and social care
• Young people aged 16-25 with lived experience and their families (England) who would like to learn more about the study and how to get involved.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS & PANELLISTS

Dr Anna Price (University of Exeter) will chair the panel discussion. Anna is a Senior Research Fellow with expertise in child and adolescent mental health, particularly neurodevelopmental differences, transitions, and digital health. She also co-leads the Primary Care Mental Health theme at the University of Exeter and specialises in mapping health services and engaging diverse research partners, including those with lived experience.

Dr Maria Michail (University of Birmingham) is an Associate Professor and leads the ATTUNE study as well as the suicide and self-harm research group at the Institute for Mental Health (IMH). Her research focuses on young people with multiple vulnerabilities, aiming to advance service provision in clinical and community settings. Her work is shaped by the insights of young people with lived and living experience and their families.

Dr Gary Lamph (The Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust) is a clinical nurse academic and Reader in Mental Health Nursing. His research and clinical interests are focused on improving primary care services for individuals who present with complex emotional needs, personality disorders, and experiences of childhood adversity.

Dr Paul Patterson (Forward Thinking Birmingham) is a Public Mental Health Programme Lead with over 25 years of experience in NHS youth mental health services. He has led applied research projects with the Universities of Birmingham and Warwick, supporting clinical service development and co-participatory service redesign.

Jess Worner (National Suicide Prevention Alliance; NSPA) is a Lived Experience Network Manager. She is passionate about amplifying the voices of people with lived experiences of suicide to influence suicide prevention services and strategies. She has spent the past 14 years working in the social care and voluntary sector.

ZeZe Sohawon is a young advisor for the Institute for Mental Health (University of Birmingham) who has spoken at international conferences and met with the Crown Princess of Denmark to discuss youth mental health. As CEO of a charity supporting autistic youth with mental illness, ZeZe has raised £320k in funding and is a recipient of the Diana Award.

Lizzie Mitchell is a young advisor for the Institute for Mental Health (University of Birmingham) with lived experience of mental health difficulties. Lizzie is passionate about shaping research and improving interventions for young people at risk of suicide and self-harm.

For further information, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at attunestudy@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Led by Dr Maria Michail from the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with the Universities of Exeter and Bristol, ATTUNE is funded by the NIHR within its Three NIHR Research Schools’ Mental Health Programme.