Search:
#BeeWell surveys the wellbeing of pupils in secondary schools across Greater Manchester annually, beginning in Autumn 2021, and will deliver positive change in all our communities as a result.
The #BeeWell programme is the result of multiple partners coming together around a shared objective of improving wellbeing. David Gregson, a businessman, philanthropist, and board member of multiple national charities and sporting bodies, contacted The University of Manchester in 2019, looking to collaborate on a project to address his deep concerns about the wellbeing of young people in the UK. The University of Manchester and Anna Freud Centre at University College London are experts in assessing the wellbeing of young people, having spearheaded the learning and evaluation strand of the National Lottery’s HeadStart programme. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority and its 10 local authorities have worked closely with schools in the city region around a Life Readiness survey for Year 10 pupils under the direction of Mayor Andy Burnham. Young people, schools, the voluntary sector and local authorities have all been fundamental in shaping the programme from the very start.
In collaboration with a team of experts, more than 150 young people from 15 pathfinder schools across GM designed our wellbeing survey to ensure it captures what matters to them. The annual #BeeWell survey is the first of its kind across a city region, and heard from almost 40,000 young people in its first year.
The #BeeWell data is published on an annual basis, with the aim of encouraging our partners to respond to what young people are saying about their wellbeing.
#BeeWell will:
The challenge and opportunity to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people in the UK is more pressing than ever. Recent surveys have shown that adolescents in the UK are in the bottom four of some 80 countries in terms of life satisfaction. The mental health of young people in the UK was decreasing well before Covid-19, and the pandemic is exposing the wildly divergent experiences and outcomes of young people from different backgrounds. As we emerge from the pandemic, we believe that supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people, needs to be central to the future plans.
Introduction to #BeeWellThe Child Outcomes Research Consortium, based at the Anna Freud Centre, provides expert support for schools to act on their feedback through webinars and dedicated support to individual schools, and facilitation of communities of practice related to wellbeing priorities. Find out more on responding to your school’s survey results, here.
View website#BeeWell aims to bring about change in our communities.
#BeeWell Partners will mobilise communities by providing localised insights into the experiences of young people across the 66 neighbourhoods of Greater Manchester. Some 100 organisations have already confirmed their support for #BeeWell, including businesses, arts organisations, sports clubs and youth services. Together we hope to make young people’s wellbeing everyone’s business.
Coalition membershipThe voice of young people is critical to the success of the programme. Our Youth Steering Group said that one of the long-term changes we should aim for is “Powerful young people creating their own futures”. This approach has been embedded into the programme from the start: with young people sitting on our governance boards, holding the programme accountable to its aims and co- creating our survey and the #BeeWell framework for wellbeing as well as designing our logo and shaping this website.
If you have any questions about the programme please get in touch with the team at beewell@manchester.ac.uk.
#BeeWell Young People
