My Story and Me: a storytelling intervention for young women and girl

Mental health problems for young women and girls are on the rise. For example, in 2017, one in eight young women aged 17–19 experienced mental health problems. This has increased to one in four in 2022. This could be due to a range of factors, including the circumstances young women and girls face.

We are creating a storytelling intervention for young women and girls called ‘My Story and Me’ to help all young women and girls to understand and talk about their mental health.

In the future, young women and girls who receive ‘My Story and Me’ will:

1. Watch a pre-recorded video of young women and girls talking about ‘Who am I? What is My Mental Health Story? How Would I Like to be Supported?’

2. They will then record their own story about ‘Who am I? What is My Mental Health Story? How Would I Like to be Supported?’. These videos will only be accessible to the person who made them.

We want to hear from a range of different voices. A core focus is to hear from those who are less likely to be heard. We particularly encourage participants who:

• are neurodivergent

• are from minoritised ethnic groups

• identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community

• identify with more than one of the above categories

In total, the video will be around five minutes long and may involve some preparation beforehand via email and/or phone call. Those taking part should be based in the UK.

You will receive a £20 voucher as a thank you for your time, which you will receive by email. 

Those who are 16–24 can choose either the video or audio recording option. Those who are 12–15 can only choose the audio recording option. Please read the options below carefully.

We use the terms ‘girl’ and ‘young woman’ inclusively. If you are gender diverse and feel this topic is relevant to you, and you want to take part in this study, we welcome your views. We will respect your gender identity.

I want to take part! What do I do next?

1. Complete a short form (at the link below) to express your interest and we will follow up with you (this will take 5 minutes).

2. Sign a consent form to tell us that you are happy to take part (this will take 10–15 minutes.) *If you are 12-15 years old, your parent or carer will also need to sign a consent form.

3. Create the recording  about ‘Who am I? What is my mental health story? How would I like to be supported?’ (this will take 30 minutes, including preparation time).

4. Check the final videos. Make sure you are happy with the video (this will take 10 minutes).

If you have any questions about the project, your rights in the project, or how we are using information, please contact at MyStory@annafreud.org.