On Friday, students from schools and colleges across Brighton and Hove, including Varndean Sixth Form College, had the opportunity to participate in a Citizens Brighton & Hove debate on the impact of social media on mental health, when they met with Peter Kyle MP, Minister for Trade and Business, and Cllr Jacob Taylor, Deputy Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council.
The meeting followed the launch of Human Flourishing and Social Media, a report and set of recommendations published by Brighton & Hove Citizens, a coalition of schools, faith institutions, and community organisations. Co-authored by school and college students alongside educators and academics from the University of Sussex, the report highlights the voices of over 1,600 young people across the city, calling for bold, practical action to improve youth mental health and human connection.
The Human Flourishing and Social Media Report is the latest milestone in Brighton & Hove Citizens’ ongoing campaign to make the city a national leader in youth mental health. Following previous successes — including securing £400,000 of council funding for in-school counselling — the alliance continues to show how community organising can deliver real change, powered by the energy and vision of young people.
“Brighton & Hove has a proud history of youth leadership,” said Donna Marie Janson, Principal at Varndean Sixth Form College. “Our young people are showing us what civic action looks like in the 21st century — thoughtful, evidence-based, and hopeful.”
