A young Black woman sitting on a bench in the park.

Our AJEDI commitment

We believe every young person deserves mental health support when they need it – no matter what. But not all young people have equal access to help. That’s why Anti-Racism, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is central to everything we do. It guides how we operate, support our people, and serve young people.

Black and racially minoritised young people face more barriers to support and are overrepresented in crisis services and the youth justice system. Without tackling these inequalities, our mission cannot succeed.

What does AJEDI stand for?

Anti-racism and Justice

This means actively challenging racism and the wider systems of oppression that shape mental health outcomes.

Equity

This goes beyond equality by recognising that different people need different types of support to thrive.

Diversity

This is about ensuring our workforce, leadership, volunteers and the young people we work with reflect the richness of society.

Inclusion

This means creating a culture where everyone can belong, be safe, and bring their authentic selves.

How AJEDI informs our work

AJEDI shapes everything we do. From how we hire and train staff, to how we design support, run campaigns, and stay accountable, we put Black and minoritised young people at the centre of our work.

  • Our culture and people practices

    Shaping recruitment, training, policies, and leadership development through an AJEDI lens.

  • Our programmes and services

    Embedding equity and cultural competence in how we design support for young people.

  • Our voice and influence

    Ensuring that Black and minoritised young people’s experiences are centred in our campaigning and policy work.

  • Our accountability

    Remaining transparent and accountable through reporting and governance mechanisms and internal and external communications.
A young Black teenage boy wearing a hearing aid. He is laughing with a young Black man in the park.

Looking ahead

This year we've taken important steps in our AJEDI journey, like launching AJEDI learning resources, delivering anti-racism training, and establishing accountability structures. But there's still more we need to do.

We know that building trust and momentum will take sustained effort and accountability, not one-off actions, and we need to understand where we've fallen short.

Over the coming year, we will focus on embedding AJEDI into everything we do – not as a separate initiative, but as a core part of how we work.

By focusing on sustainable change and clear accountability, we aim to build on the foundations laid so that all young people – especially those most underserved – receive the support they need.

Key priorities this year

Strengthening organisational culture

Ensuring equity, justice, youth voice, and safeguarding are central to our systems, behaviours, and decision-making.

Staff engagement

Every YoungMinds team member will commit to at least one AJEDI-focused action each year, supported by mentoring and peer accountability groups.

Aligning AJEDI with strategy and workplans

Clear actions will be built into departmental objectives and the wider organisational strategy.

Learning and accountability

We will continue to review progress, learn from gaps, and report transparently, creating structures that allow both individual and organisational growth.