At The Mix, young people are at the heart of everything we do. So when it was time to give our website a fresh new look, we didn’t just want their input…we needed it. From day one, we made sure that we were all in this together, right through to the very end. The result? A website for young people, by young people.
And if they weren’t busy enough, our brilliant collaborators share their experiences of what the process involved in helping shape the future of The Mix…
Jack
Trans advocate, theatre lover, accessibility champion
Jack joined our user design workshops with a passion not just for great design, but for equity and inclusion. He told us how the process felt like ‘working with a team on something really fun, as opposed to something anxiety-inducing and clinical.’
‘My name is Jack, I'm a 20-year-old trans guy from Cymru (Wales). I love theatre (especially Les Mis!), Doctor Who, BBC Merlin, and Lord of the Rings. I'm currently studying musical theatre and want to make the world a more accessible and accepting space, especially for disabled, neurodiverse and trans people.’
‘The sessions involved seeing how the website was constructed and exploring different designs and features. It was interesting and engaging, especially when seeing all of our opinions build up on the Miro board, and then considering the opinions of others in my own beliefs, and revising my views to make things accessible and balanced for everyone.
‘Everyone was really clear when explaining things to us, and it was accessible for people with any different requirement, from captions, to no cameras and microphones to opening rounds to help us settle in and get to know each other. I'd definitely do it again, given the opportunity.’
And Jack’s proud of what we’ve built together:
‘The new website is clear, clean and concise. It's accessible and a supportive space. I think it'll benefit young people for years to come - though the initial adjustment to the change will feel unusual! Personally, I can't wait to see how it grows and develops, and I'm glad I could contribute to something that will actually make a difference to people's lives. I've changed something for good.'
Is
Dog sports enthusiast, accessibility advocate
For Is, being involved in the website redesign was all about turning ideas into action.
‘I’m Is, I’m interested and passionate about dogs - dog sports such as agility as well as training, assistance dogs - and accessibility.’
‘The website redesign process involved a group of young people meeting up with a The Mix staff member and a website designer to help formulate our ideas into something real - the new website!’
‘I think the new website will benefit people who use it as it’ll be easier to navigate. We’ve also tried to make it as accessible for everybody. Hopefully it will help young people to access resources and any help they should need.’
Creating LifeSkills - our self-paced learning platform
Alongside our brand new website, we built our first ever self-paced learning platform, LifeSkills.
LifeSkills provides various interactive modules on a range of topics that matter most to young people - from anxiety to resilience to building a growth mindset. And of course, we couldn't build it without the help of numerous young people offering their knowledge and wisdom.
A special thanks to:
Zainab Mohammed
Fatima Diallo
Catalina Popescu
Alyson Ahir
Alison Smyth
Their input was instrumental in the making of our module on anxiety - offering thousands of young people a new way of learning about and coping with whatever they may be going through.
MHI's Senior Clinical Advisor Fiona Pienaar said: 'We consulted with this group because of their expertise in terms of their knowledge and wisdom associated with this age group and this topic - whether through life experiences, observations or a particular field of study. They brought insight and clarity beyond what we, as older adults, could bring.'
Catalina shared their experiences of working on the project...
“Hi! I'm Catalina. I really enjoy taking walks to clear my head, and I'm a dog person! I'm passionate about involving and working with young people, which has also become my everyday job.
The sessions involved getting a small but active group of young people with various experiences to help and guide the creation of digital tools that could support others in understanding what anxiety can be.
There is so much to like about the Anxiety LifeSkill! If I had to pick one aspect, I would say it's an amazing resource that helps introduce something as complex as anxiety in an easy and engaging way. It's a module I wish I had when I was younger — it's relatable, and it was wonderful seeing our input come to life!
I think LifeSkills will help young people with a concise introduction to aspects they may find difficult to explain or understand. It can be a starting point for further conversations around wellbeing, and maybe even a way of destigmatising mental health — one module at a time.”
Why young people's input mattered
This redesign wasn’t just about new colours or smoother navigation. It was about creating a space that feels right — built with young people, for young people. A space that listens, supports, and reflects the real needs of those who use it.
Thanks to Jack, Is, and the rest of our amazing young contributors, we’ve built more than just a new website. We’ve created a platform that’s more inclusive, accessible, and genuinely helpful — somewhere young people can feel seen, heard, and supported every step of the way.
But this is just the beginning.
Our new site will keep evolving, just like the young people who helped shape it. And we’ll keep listening, learning, and improving — together.
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