Young reporters 13-18 make UK first student-led mental health documentary

By Dawson, 13, Jack, 16 and Aimee, 14

Students aged 13 to 18 from The Priory Learning Trust are making a unique TV documentary in April on the mental health crisis affecting UK children.

They are now in production of Our Silent Pandemic to go across YouTube and selected TV outlets later this year.

The one-hour film is a partnership between In Charley’s Memory, Jessie Hawkes from The Digital Ladder, The Priory Learning Trust, Jill Dando News, and the Good News Post. 

The news comes as brain tumour survivor, Lyra Coles, aged 7, is to release a Toy Story song worldwide over Easter to raise money and awareness of In Charley’s Memory. 

It will be her third Charity single with the last two topping the charts and outstripping Stormsy in views.

One of the team, Olivia, 16, pictured with Jack, 16, of Worle Community School Academy in Weston-super-Mare, said: “Mental health has become the massive issue of our day. Covid19 has accelerated what was already a crisis.”

“It has become The Silent Pandemic. Our documentary aims to show the nature of the problem and call for urgent solutions.”

Dawn Carey, Head of ICM, said: “The numbers of young people needing help across the UK has rocketed since the start of Covid19.”

“Urgent action needs to be done. This documentary is quite rightly being done by young people themselves.”