Attitude and behaviour change – it takes a generation

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the work of the Children and Young People's Programme of Time to Change, which is England's biggest campaign to end the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws upon research into the nature and effects of mental health stigma and discrimination on young people and also outlines the strategy of the Time to Change campaign and its initial outcomes.

Findings

The paper includes testimonies from young people with lived experience of mental health problems about the stigma and discrimination they have faced. It also outlines the aims, objectives and stages of implementation of the Time to Change Children and Young People's Programme. The paper particularly focuses on the campaign work undertaken in secondary schools, the social leadership programme for young people with lived experience of mental health problems and the process of designing effective campaign messaging for social media.

Originality/value

Time to Change is England's biggest campaign to end the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health. This paper provides a unique insight into the process of developing and rolling out an anti-stigma campaign for young people.

Citation

Russell, N. and Taylor, J. (2014), "Attitude and behaviour change – it takes a generation", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 207-214. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-09-2014-0026