#BeeWell survey outlines wellbeing priorities and challenges for young people in Greater Manchester
New data highlights impact of the cost of living and food insecurity on young people’s wellbeing in the city.
New data from the latest #BeeWell survey for Greater Manchester highlights the importance of ensuring every young person has access to everyday support in their wider community.
#BeeWell is a collaboration between The University of Manchester, The Gregson Family Foundation, and Anna Freud, together with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
This year’s report identifies urgent challenges around food insecurity, with one in 10 young people reporting that, on most days, food in their house didn’t last and there wasn’t enough money to buy more. The survey also found that only one 10 young people are consuming the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
The #BeeWell Youth Steering Group has highlighted the need for greater awareness of how nutrition affects energy levels and wellbeing, alongside increased support for families to make healthy choices.
Since launching in 2021, the #BeeWell programme, has engaged almost 100,000 young people in Greater Manchester to listen to their needs, understand their wellbeing, and drive action to ensure they receive the support they need.
The new report also highlights that:
Physical activity among girls remains a concern, with just one in four girls meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guideline of one hour of activity per day.
Young people raised concerns about the sports offered in PE, gendered PE kits that make participation uncomfortable, and a lack of access to free and enjoyable activities in the community.
While 60% of young people feel like they belong at school, lower levels of school belonging were reported among girls and LGBTQ+ young people. Age also had an impact with Year 10s reporting lower levels of school belonging and feelings of hope and optimism than Year 7s.
Following the introduction of new measures in this year’s survey on access to trusted adults, the new data reveals that while 75% of young people say they have someone to talk to about their worries, boys are less likely to feel that they have someone to confide in than girls.
The #BeeWell Youth Steering Group believes that improving feelings of school belonging would have a positive impact on overall wellbeing, including increasing hope and optimism for the future.
The report highlights areas where Live Well, Greater Manchester’s vision for a shift in how public services and community organisations collaborate, will play a crucial role in ensuring no young person is left behind.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“The #BeeWell findings make it clearer than ever why our Live Well ambition is so important. We are listening to young people, and they are telling us that access to support in their neighbourhoods, safe spaces to go, and someone to talk to are vital to their wellbeing.
“Through Live Well, we are ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background, can get the help they need to thrive. Wellbeing is everybody’s business, and Greater Manchester is leading the way in putting young people at the heart of this mission.”
Professor Jessica Deighton, Director of the Applied Research and Evaluation Division at Anna Freud, Professor in Child Mental Health, and Wellbeing at UCL and Co-Academic Lead for #BeeWell, said:
“The annual #BeeWell survey is a fantastic example of how science and data can be harnessed to boost the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people within their own communities. Young people are experts in their own lives and only by listening to them can we provide the right support at the right time.
“This year’s data from Greater Manchester shows how the cost of living is impacting the wellbeing of young people, with many telling us about their experiences of food insecurity. This highlights an urgent need for funding to tackle poverty, one of the root causes of mental ill health, to help the next generation thrive.
“It’s also concerning that, according to these results, girls in the city are doing less physical activity than boys. Finding ways to address this gap is crucial, so it’s fantastic to see campaigns like #FeelGoodYourWay, developed in response to #BeeWell data, championing community initiatives helping girls move more.”
Saint, from the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group, said:
“It is incredibly important that we run #BeeWell surveys so we can accurately determine where young people need more support.
“By analysing these key headlines, we can target the most significant factors impacting the mental wellbeing of young people and aim for improvements within those areas.
“Every young person should be given the opportunity to flourish and succeed and ensuring this not only provides an environment of safety and belonging for the individual, but will collectively help us progress into a more cohesive and compassionate society in the long run.”
Hayley Lever, CEO of Greater Manchester (GM) Moving said:
“Movement, physical activity, and sport is fundamental to young people’s mental wellbeing.
“The #BeeWell findings highlight the urgent need to accelerate our collective efforts to make physical activity more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for all young people.
“I’m so proud of #FeelGoodYourWay and how it shines a light on how movement, physical activity, and sport is changing young lives for the better.
“The right opportunities to move can transform a young person’s life.”
Councillor Mark Hunter, GMCA Portfolio Lead for Young People, said:
“Every young person in Greater Manchester deserves access to great everyday support. The #BeeWell data provides us with the evidence we need to take action—whether that’s tackling inequalities in school belonging, increasing access to healthy food, or ensuring young people feel safe and supported in their communities.
“We want to bring services and communities together to make our vision for Greater Manchester a reality, and we are committed to making a real difference to young people’s lives across our city region.”
In response to the findings, #BeeWell will work with Greater Manchester’s ten local authorities to support the development of an action plan to improve young people’s wellbeing across the city-region.
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Read the reports:
Anna Freud is proud to be part of the 'Our Wellbeing, Our Voice' campaign through #BeeWell. The coalition – which also includes the Fair Education Alliance, the Children’s Society and Pro Bono Economics - is advocating for a national wellbeing measurement programme to address the needs of children and young people across England.
About Anna Freud
Anna Freud is a mental health charity and we’ve been supporting children and young people for over 70 years. We listen to and learn from their diverse voices, and integrate this with learnings from our science and practice to develop and deliver mental health care. This holistic approach has world-changing potential – our training, schools support, networks, partnerships and resources equip those who impact children and young people’s lives with the knowledge and skills to support their mental health.