Second Funding Call

Our second funding call closed in June 2021. We focused on our Voices, Power & Attitudes research challenge, having not funded any projects that addressed this challenge through our first funding call. The emphasis was:

  • What is the impact of racism on the mental health of children & young people in the UK?
  • What interventions will be effective in addressing racism in ways that will benefit children and young people’s mental health?

For this funding call, potential applicants had the opportunity to submit an expression of interest for feedback, before a full proposal.

From 9 applications, we awarded a total of £70,000 between three successful research teams.

  • 67% of successful applicants had an early career researcher as the lead applicant
  • 100% of successful applicants had early career researcher involvement within the team
  • 67% had multi-disciplinary involvement within their team
  • 67% had cross-sector involvement within their team

Artwork credit: Selorm RQA from Fully Focused Productions, who joined our priority setting workshop to visually reflect on racism and mental health in the UK.

Two young boys stand holding their hands over their faces. The words around them say THIEF; NOT GOOD ENOUGH; GIVE UP, TARGET; OUT OF PLACE; SPEAK PROPER ENGLISH; REJECTED; THUG; CRIMINAL; POOR; IMPOSTER; FEAR; ALL THE SAME

Priority Setting

We recruited an internFiyory, and two advisors, Nikki and Jawwad, to help us develop this funding call. 

Fiyory carried out a rapid scoping review of existing published research focused on the impact of racism on children and young people’s mental health in the UK. 

Fiyory, Nikki, and Jawwad also hosted a priority setting workshop with young people aged 16-24 years with lived experience of racism and/or mental health difficulties in January 2021. This was followed by a priority setting workshop with those who support young people who experience racism.

The trio then led our public information webinar about the second funding call, encouraging applicants to focus their proposals on the priorities that emerged during the workshops and literature review.

We are very proud that Fiyory, Nikki, and Jawwad also published two commentary pieces in relation to their work: 

  • on the Department of Health and Social Care mental health research goals in the Journal of Mental Health
  • and on the affect of racism on mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in the UK in The Lancet.
Workshop: Priority Setting

A workshop with those who support children and young people affected by racism to set priorities for the second funding call.

Webinar: Information for the second funding call

Exploring the aims and themes of the second Emerging Minds funding call and information on how to apply.

PDF: Funding Call Briefing

Take a look at the briefing we published for this funding call, which gives an idea of our priorities and decision making process.

Commentary: Journal of Mental Mental Health

Amplifying the voices of young people from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds in mental health research

Commentary: The Lancet Psychiatry

How does racism affect the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in the UK?

Projects Awarded Funding

Transmission of experiences of racism, anxiety and depression in families (TRADE)

Research project led by Dr Yasmin Ahmadzadeh, King’s College London in partnership with Centre for Mental Health

Understanding young people’s experiences of racially motivated appearance-focused (RMAF) bullying

Research project led by Dr Shioma-Lei Craythorne, Aston University

Improving wellbeing and mental health relating to racism in 10-11 year olds: a Bristol case study

Research project led by Dr Verity Jones, University of the West of England Bristol