University of Creative Arts (UCA) students in Canterbury, collaborated with Kent and Medway CYPMHS to create poignant videos supporting young people accessing mental health services.

The service worked with the university to develop scripts and briefs, setting clear expectations before presenting them to the students. After initial pitches, the best concepts were created and students formed teams to produce animations and illustrations that can be used in the service.

The students produced assets including short, animated films based on real narratives from children and young people, along with visual materials for staff use, aimed at enhancing communication between staff and users of the service.

UCA Senior Lecturer in Visual Communications, John Dargan, said:

“Through this unique collaboration, our final-year Visual Communications students managed to bring real mental health stories to life through animations and visuals. This project not only allowed the students to use their creative skills to make a real impact, but also nurtured their talent and professional curiosity.”

Sara Boorman, Deputy Director of Children’s Services for Kent and Medway at NELFT, said:

“Working with UCA to produce tools that will be used to aid understanding of young people's mental health journeys has been a great experience. Thank you to all the students for their commitment and hard work.”

To access the animations and other resources created by the students, go to our website page here: 

Working with the University of Creative Arts (UCA) Canterbury | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust