Leaders Unlocked · 2023
MH:2K Derby and Derbyshire is a youth-led mental health research project in which 25 young people aged 14–25 acted as 'Citizen Researchers', designing and delivering peer research with 734 young people across Derby and Derbyshire in 2022–23. The research focused on three pathways: eating disorders, digital services and social media, and health inequalities. Key findings show that young people from minoritised communities, LGBTQ+ backgrounds, and those with long-term health conditions face intersecting barriers to accessing mental health support, including stigma, lack of cultural competence, poor service awareness, and long waiting times. The report makes practical recommendations for commissioners and providers on improving equity, confidentiality, digital engagement, and service accessibility.