This Mental Health Awareness Week, we are reflecting on a busy and inspiring March 2026, during which NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire & Humber (YHARC) was proud to support three distinct mental health events across the region. From creative community collaboration, to prevention science and youth mental health these events brought together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and people with lived experience to shape the future of mental health care.
1. Making the Journey from Treatment to Prevention | The Milner, York
12 March 2026 | The Milner, York
On the 12th March 2026, YHARC hosted a full-day event at The Milner in York, bringing together leading academics, NHS practitioners, and public health innovators from across England to explore what a genuine prevention agenda in mental health could look like under the emerging NHS 10 Year Plan.
The day featured keynotes on suicide prevention in primary care, the economics of early intervention, and Recovery Colleges as a co-produced prevention model. Parallel afternoon sessions showcased cutting-edge research including the IRL Trial (examining social media restrictions and young people’s mental health) and RELAX (a digital perinatal anxiety prevention intervention).
A closing panel tackled the hard question at the heart of the day: is the NHS structurally capable of making the shift from treatment to prevention? The consensus was clear: the evidence and clinical will are there. What is needed now is political commitment, cross-departmental investment, and accountability frameworks that reward keeping people well.
2. Creativity, Practice and Research | The Hepworth, Wakefield
13 March 2026 | The Hepworth Wakefield, 10:30am – 3:30pm
The following day, The University of Sheffield and YHARC’s Mental Health theme joined Creative Minds at The Hepworth Wakefield for a workshop celebrating the findings of a research collaboration exploring the Creative Minds model and the impact of arts-based community work on mental health.
Participants took part in creative activities and contributed their reflections on what the research had meant to them. Key themes included the power of lived experience, the importance of breaking down institutional barriers, and the value of creativity as a vehicle for resilience and recovery. Attendees also looked ahead, identifying next steps for co-production, such as increasing accessibility to research, building stronger links across the region, and embedding co-production into funding applications from the outset.
3. Youth Mental Health Workshop | AIM Bradford & Born in Bradford
24 March 2026 | Salts Mill, Saltaire
On 24 March 2026, AIM Bradford, Born in Bradford, and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire and Humber hosted a vibrant and collaborative event at Salts Mill, bringing together over 80 participants from across research, the NHS, the voluntary sector, and community organisations. Staff from local universities, colleagues from other regions of the UK, and public representatives also joined, creating a diverse audience with a shared interest in improving young people’s mental health.
Read more on the AIM Bradford blog
Looking Ahead
March was a busy month for mental health research across Yorkshire & Humber and a reminder of just how much is happening in this space. Across three events, the same themes kept emerging: the value of lived experience, the need to connect research with real-world policy, and the importance of working across boundaries between organisations, sectors, and communities.
As we mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we thank everyone who participated, presented, and contributed to making these events such a success. We look forward to continuing this vital work together.