Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
The Power of Storytelling in Mental Health: How Sharing Lived Experience Transforms Recovery, Opportunity, and Social Change
Chris Wainwright
Storytelling has become a cornerstone of contemporary mental health advocacy, recovery-oriented practice, and stigma reduction. This presentation explores how sharing lived experience stories can create meaningful change for audiences while also generating powerful benefits for those who tell them. Drawing on research from youth mental health, lived experience advocacy, and peer support, the session examines how storytelling can foster hope, challenge stigma, strengthen identity, and support recovery. The presentation will also highlight emerging evidence demonstrating how advocacy roles can enhance mental health, educational engagement, employment opportunities, leadership development, and civic participation among lived experience advocates themselves.
Being Part of Research: Lessons from the West Yorkshire ICB Research Engagement Network Champions on research inclusion
Professor Anne-Marie Bagnall
Inclusive research means making opportunities for diverse people and communities to participate in research. One of the main health research funders in the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), has developed a Research Inclusion strategy that aims to widen the diversity of research participants taking part in its studies. In West Yorkshire, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) has supported a Research Engagement Network of community-based research champions, who have been sharing the invitation to be part of research with their own communities, and answering difficult questions about what that means. We have been working with them to understand the concerns of community members about research, and discussing these concerns with people from a range of sectors in a series of World café events.
Professor Bagnall will present alongside:
Zainab Khalid, Hamara Healthy Living Centre
Vanessa Raimundo, Moms on a Mission
Andrew, Jah Light Community Project
Joining the seminar
This seminar is a hybrid event. You can join online (MS Teams - you will be sent a link) or in-person in: CL213, Calverly Building, City Campus, Leeds Beckett University
Christopher Wainwright is a Public Health PhD researcher, Associate Lecturer, and youth mental health practitioner whose work focuses on lived experience advocacy, peer support, and youth empowerment. Beginning his advocacy journey at the age of ten through youth councils and the UK Youth Parliament, Christopher has spent over two decades supporting young people across education, mental health, community development, and policy settings.
His doctoral research, conducted in partnership with Griffith University (Australia) and batyr, examines how mental health storytelling and lived experience advocacy influence wellbeing, recovery, education, employment, and civic participation among young people. Alongside his academic work, Christopher collaborates with organisations across Australia, Africa, Asia, and Europe to advance youth-led change and promote meaningful youth participation in research, policy, and practice.
Anne-Marie will be presenting alongside:
Zainab Khalid, Hamara Healthy Living Centre
Vanessa Raimundo, Moms on a Mission
Andrew, Jah Light Community Project
