“It's actually often them suggesting what they want to play and then we'll join in with them” A Thematic Analysis of Field Notes: 6 month report July - Dec 2025
A Thematic Analysis of Field Notes from the Mental Health Manifesto (MHM) project: 6 month report July - Dec 2025 Prepared by: Dr Michaela James Swansea University. Blog written by Nicole Burchett Single Parents Wellbeing
Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and in Partnership with Mental Health Foundation, Swansea University and Public Health Wales, the Mental Health Manifesto is led by Single Parents Wellbeing (SPW) CIC, based in Cardiff.
The project engages with children and young people (10-24 years) from single parent households to co-design and deliver what they need to create positive pathways to a mentally healthy future. During the project the young people are given the opportunity to make new connections, have their voices heard and build positive foundations for their future.
Every six months we receive a report from Swansea University which gives a more indepth overview of the progress of the project. This looks at the demographics and numbers of young people involved as well as hearing their thoughts on the project through case studies and focus groups. The project has three main aims: Learn and Grow; Building Leadership and Ownership; Inform and Influence.
Using a ‘Formative Evaluation’ approach when reporting helps the information collected be used in real time to better the project as it progresses. This is the main purpose of the recommendations and reporting at three and six month periods. The six month report focuses on project implementation, the experiences of the young people and areas for improvement, what follows is a summary of the main seven areas covered in the report.
1) Logic Model Review
The Logic Model that guides the Project is reviewed bi-annually to ensure that its focus is maintained. A review with staff and Youth Action Academy (YAA) young people resulted in no definitive changes, rather, certain areas were felt necessary to highlight during the project’s final year: Learn about and be supported to build healthy relationships; Campaigning - changing systems and services in the wider community; YAA steer, design and deliver campaigning and; Mental Health Manifesto as a physical document and legacy piece.
2) Overview of Project Activities
Since July 2025 a total of 62 activities have been delivered with an average of 86 young people attending per month; an increase from the previous six months. Regular attendance remained stable with a dip in August and December (showing the impact of seasonal factors). Overall the statistics show that October is the most successful month for engagement.
3) Field Note Report Findings
After two years of project delivery and field notes, a review was conducted to collate all suggested recommendations and draw a focus on their implementation. Analysis of the field notes shifted from broad themes to a targeted focus on the project aims to assess their success or otherwise. It was concluded that during the six month period the project continued to provide a deeply meaningful, responsive and empowering environment for young people from single parent households.
Aim 1. Learn and Grow - this remains the strongest and most consistently evidenced. Balancing structure with flexibility to provide safe spaces for young people to reflect and explore their mental health and wellbeing.
Aim 2. Building Leadership and Ownership - this theme has gathered momentum with the young people building on their confidence and taking on leadership roles. It was also noted that parents were also stepping up to volunteer with the young people showing a sense of community.
Aim 3. Inform and Influence - although this aim was less visible it also gained momentum in the reporting period Opportunities to influence practice and policy were taken, showing the young people’s growth in confidence to engage in these types of activities.
Logistical Considerations - this was a recurring theme highlighting the need for good communication, staffing, planning and coordination. Without this, challenges that interrupted the flow occurred, that had to be managed by the staff.
Feedback (young people, volunteers and staff) - there is a consistency in the sessions being described as ‘fun’, ‘welcoming’ and ‘confidence-building’ with a wish for a continuation of the project.
4) Lessons Learned: Interviews with Staff
Two staff were interviewed to capture the lessons learned through the responsive and changing project. Reflecting on the past six months produced 5 key themes: Partnership Building & Community Engagement; Recruitment & Attendance; Co-Production, Youth Voice & Ownership; Staff Capacity & Workload; and Emotional Safety, Wellbeing & Support.
Partnership Building & Community Engagement - “So I think turning up and connecting with people they see that you really care and you want to be a part of everything that's going on.” This presence helped build trust, visibility and opportunities.
Recruitment & Attendance - “...every mini meetup I did, um was full…They were having a brilliant evening, but we weren't getting the connection.” On reflection the depth of connection came from engaging the young people regularly and so the MHM delivery model changed.
Co-Production, Youth Voice & Ownership - “It's actually often them suggesting what they want to play and then we'll join in with them”. The young people gradually got more confident to make suggestions when they could see they were acted on.
Staff Capacity & Workload - “I’m working really closely with TB… I’m learning so much more from her.” The team works closely to overcome the inevitable disruptions to the project as staff members leave and join.
Emotional Safety, Wellbeing & Support - Having a counsellor join the sessions has been crucial for the young people, as well as supportive for the staff member leading. Creating a safe space for the parents to wait, has also seen peer support emerge among this group.
5) How Has it Been? A Focus Group with Young People
The Youth Action Academy joined a discussion group to find out about their motivation and experiences within the project, from which four themes emerged:
Motivation to Join YAA - “It's the sort of like work I'm interested in like youth activism and and and things like that.” They joined to gain experience, build confidence and find meaningful opportunities.
Growth & Confidence - “I definitely feel like it's expanded my professional skill set”. The ethos and co-produced approach made them feel heard, valued and trusted with real responsibility.
Barriers & Ideas for Improvement - “I would like to say that initially I had um the same transportation issues”. Accessibility was an issue for the young people and having clear advanced notice along with hybrid working, helped them engage with the project.
Belonging & Involvement - The young people noted that a wider, more diverse membership should be a focus e.g.those not at university.
6) Questionnaire Data
As part of the evaluation design, all young people were invited to complete a questionnaire covering mental health, satisfaction as a young person, attitude, help-seeking behaviour and communication. A total of 26 young people completed the questionnaire and due to the small sample size, limited conclusions could be drawn. However, at face value it appears that the MHM project has had a positive impact on their communication and confidence.
7) Future Direction
The following six-month cycle will align with the end of the project in July 2026. The report shows that the project is in a good position to build on its strengths and respond to the needs of the young people in the final months.