Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people in the UK, with half having a history of self-harm. Young people from marginalised groups (e.g., LGBTQ+, those in care or care leavers, ethnic minorities) as well as those living in rural or deprived areas are at higher risk compared to their peers, and often reluctant to seek help from health and social care services. Research shows that the voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSE) sector (hereafter referred to as “voluntary organisations”) 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 health and social care sector.

The ATTUNE project will explore young people’s experiences in seeking and accessing support from voluntary organisations for self-harm and suicidal thoughts or behaviour. Shaped by the insights of young people with lived experience and in collaboration with voluntary organisations and statutory services, the project aims to develop best practice recommendations for effective collaborative care in youth suicide prevention.

The research will take place in the West Midlands (counties of West Midlands, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire & Herefordshire) and South West Peninsula (counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset & Dorset), two regions of significant geographic, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity in England. A youth advisory group from the Institute for Mental Health will help shape the research programme, interpret findings, and communicate key messages.

ATTUNE seeks to:

• Understand young people’s experiences of seeking, accessing, and receiving support from the voluntary sector in diverse regional contexts when experiencing self-harm or suicidal thoughts and behaviours.
• Establish how the voluntary sector interfaces with the statutory sector in diverse regional contexts to serve young people by exploring their engagement, collaboration, and the barriers and facilitators to effective collaborative care.
• Co-produce best practice recommendations for effective collaborative care between voluntary and statutory sectors in youth suicide prevention, considering the impact of diverse contexts.

Interviews with 40 young people (20 per region).

• Eligibility:
• Aged 16-25 years
• Have lived or living experience of self-harm and/or suicidal thoughts or behaviour and have sought, or are currently, seeking help from voluntary organisations
• Live in the West Midlands or South West Peninsula (England).
• Interviews will be online or face-to-face and will include:
• Questions about the young person’s interests, family or friends
• A visual ‘mapping’ exercise where the young person maps out their history of accessing (or attempting to access) mental health support
• Reflections of their visual maps, including what has worked and what could be improved.

Interviews with 20-28 voluntary organisation representatives supporting suicidal and/or self-harming young people in the West Midlands and/or South West Peninsula.

• This includes staff from the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector who offer support and services tailored to these young people. Examples include helpline staff, youth workers, peer support workers, counsellor/therapists, crisis café volunteers etc.

Interviews with 20 statutory sector representatives working with suicidal and/or self-harming young people in the West Midlands and/or South West Peninsula.

• This includes professionals in primary care, public health and social care professionals working with young peopl Examples include General Practitioners (GPs), Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) workers and psychologists, children’s services, social workers etc.

A workshop with 10-15 young people, voluntary and statutory sector professionals from both regions.

• The purpose of the workshop is to share interview findings and co-produce best practice recommendations for effective collaborate care between voluntary and statutory sectors.
• The workshop will be online and facilitated with young experts by experience from the Institute for Mental Health’s Youth Advisory Group.

If you want to take part, either as a young person OR voluntary or statutory sector professional, please complete this form.