News
Why it’s time to listen to girls
A group of teenage girls from south east London are today launching an inspiring new podcast highlighting issues affecting girls’ mental health and wellbeing.
Co-produced, scripted and hosted by the girls, who are aged 11 to 18, they’ve been supported on their journey by Dr Laura Smith, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Lead for Psychological Therapies, together with Madison Myers, Children and Young People’s Participation Worker at Oxleas, who have worked closely with them to produce the podcast series.
Together, the girls share their stories and draw on personal experience to explore the key challenges they face today.
Alongside expert guests, they discuss essential topics – including the crisis in girls’ mental health, the epidemic of violence against women and girls, and why boys need to listen.
The first of six episodes of Who Run the World is about the crisis in girls’ mental health – where 1 in 4 girls in the UK are experiencing mental health issues and suicides in young women are rising at the fastest rate ever recorded.
Hear from Jess, who shares her personal experience of mental health issues, with the group asking, ‘why is girls’ mental health getting worse’?
Guest Dr Ola Demkowicz from the University of Manchester discusses her research into what girls themselves have to say about mental health issues and what needs to change to improve girls' wellbeing.
The podcast means a lot to the girls involved. Talking about its impact and what they hope it will achieve, 13-year-old Tiahna said: “The podcast to me is like a symbol of freedom. Six girls, working together to talk about these issues and raise awareness. Listeners can expect genuine answers on tough but necessary topics and definitely lots of laughs.”
Larra, aged 11, said: The podcast gives us a space to talk openly about feminism, women’s rights and issues that really matter. Listening together to understand different perspectives and experiences encourages us to have conversations that can create change. Listeners can expect an intimate podcast, honest conversations, different perspectives and answers to questions that really matter.”
Reflecting on what has been achieved from an NHS perspective, Dr Laura Smith said: “We’re committed to listening and learning from our service users and communities. It has been a privilege to work with such a talented and creative group of girls and to create an opportunity for their views and priorities to be shared with a wider audience.”
Madison Myers added: “Working with this amazing group of girls has been insightful and a learning curve. The project has been co-produced with the girls every step of the way and reflects what girls are struggling with and the priority areas the whole system needs to hold in mind.”
Ways to listen and watch
Who Run the World is available on the following platforms:
Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/0341bT6mcCAXpTmkwAYhfg
Vimeo
https://vimeo.com/showcase/who-run-the-world
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF81uQfV-1_8
Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-run-the-world/id6797916162
Coming soon
In episode 2, the girls welcome guest Commander Clair Kelland from the Metropolitan Police and ask what they’re doing to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and girls. They share some shocking facts and figures about current risks to girls’ safety including that more than two-thirds change their daily behaviour and routines to avoid sexual harassment.
Make sure you don’t miss it!
Media enquiries
The communications team provides a point of contact for journalists to respond to all media enquiries.
We are happy to help journalists represent the trust accurately, so please do get in touch to ensure your facts and information are up-to-date before publishing your story.
Our media team is responsible for:
- Responding to media queries
- Arranging interviews with our nationally and internationally renowned experts who can talk about some of the trust’s specialist topics
For all media enquiries Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, please email oxl-tr.communications@nhs.net where a member of the team will review and action your request.
If you have an urgent enquiry outside of office hours or at the weekend, please contact our director on call via the Bracton Centre switchboard on 01322 294300.
Filming and photography requests
We receive documentary, location and broadcast filming requests on a regular basis – we consider all proposals on an individual basis and will try to accommodate proposals where possible, if appropriate.
No photography or filming is permitted without prior arrangement and agreement. Our patients always come first and we have a duty to protect their safety and confidentiality. Anyone found filming or taking photographs on the trust premises without the permission of the trust’s communications team will be asked to leave by the security department and may face prosecution.
Unless agreed otherwise, film crews and photographers must be accompanied by a member of the Communications Team at all times.
Contact: oxl-tr.communications@nhs.net
