M&S partners with YoungMinds to support young people's mental health struggles

Retail giant Marks & Spencer has partnered with YoungMinds, the leading mental health charity for young people, with the aim to raise £5 million.

M&S kickstarted the fundraising with a £1 million corporate donation, which is enough to fund vital YoungMinds services for a year. The partnership will provide funding and support for vital resources aimed at young people and the adults in their lives.

In reaching their goal, £5 million will double the number of people supported by YoungMinds to 7 million, primarily through digital resources and the parents’ helpline.

To support the new partnership M&S and YoungMinds have commissioned new research to better understand young people’s mental health.

The research, published today, found that:

• 65% of young people hadn’t asked for any kind of formal support, despite struggling with their mental health
• Loneliness is the biggest cause of mental health problems in young people with 44% saying loneliness had a negative impact on their mental health
• 61% of those waiting for mental health support had stopped attending school, college, university or work
• 59% said missing school made them feel isolated and 47% said it made them worried about their future

Laura Bunt, Chief Executive of YoungMinds, said: "Young people today are experiencing pressures that are unique to their generation. Having grown up in a pandemic, they are now living through a cost-of-living crisis and in an increasingly unstable world. Referrals to services are at record highs, and too many young people are struggling without support.

"Over the next three years, we will work together to show young people that they are not alone with their mental health and provide vital advice and guidance when they need it most."

The research demonstrates that waiting for support can lead to worsening mental health, with 41% of those seeking support saying their mental health had worsened while waiting. Over 20% of young people have waited more than six months for formal support.

Victoria McKenzie-Gould, Corporate Affairs Director at M&S, commented: "When we asked colleagues and customers what issues were front of their mind, their family’s mental health was top of the list. It’s a growing issue which touches us all, with around five children in every classroom struggling.

"YoungMinds brings practical help, hope and optimism to what can seem like an overwhelming problem, and that optimism is what will help us make a difference. Supported by our 60,000 fantastic colleagues and 30 million customers across the UK we want to create a coalition of the hopeful.

"Together, we’ve got this."