COMIC Research

The CONIFAS team would like to wish you a happy holiday season! Here are some of our study updates so far:

Join us for a day of celebrating and showcasing amazing research!
When: 6th November, 9:30 am - 16:00 PM.
Where: York CVS, Priory Street, YO1 6ET.

EDIP facts and figures!

We are coming to the end of the EDIP project. Here are some facts and figures about the amazing participants, study results and how the study was run.

#mentalhealthresearch #NHS #Research #YoungPeople

Help us celebrate Makaton Awareness Day! 🎉

Makaton is a unique language tool that uses signs and symbols to help people communicate. It gives a voice to those who may struggle with speech, allowing them to connect with the world around them.

#MakatonAwarenessDay #Inclusion #Communication #Makaton

Explore how digital participation can amplify disabled children and young people’s voices in decision-making at the next #MakingParticipationWork Community of Practice!
🗓️ 17 July, 10:00–13:00, online
Register now: buff.ly/Wp2mX7g

NIHR Be part of research flyer with a man on.

Find out more and register here: bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk

As the end of the school year approaches, many young people and families will be thinking about what’s next - a new school, college, first job.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be talking more about preparation for adulthood, sharing real-life stories and helpful guidance.

How to create playful cities where our children can flourish Play makes children healthier, happier, and ready for life — but cities often overlook their needs. A workshop by the ‘Inclusive…

💭 How can cities help children thrive? Start with play.

Our latest blog reflects on a recent event with the Inclusive Playscape team, exploring how to design streets, parks & public spaces with and for children. As playful cities = healthier, happier cities.

👉 medium.com/policy-leeds...

Happy Autistic Pride Day! Today, we celebrate Autistic identities, strengths, and community. Let's champion a world of acceptance, understanding, and pride.

#AutisticPrideDay #NeurodiversityCelebration #BeYourself #Pride #nhs #research

A colorful poster inviting children aged 7–11 with ADHD and their parents or caregivers to join a public involvement group. At the top are logos of supporting organizations including NIHR, NHS, COMIC, and the ADHD Foundation. Below is a scenic image of ancient ruins surrounded by greenery, and a circular inset photo of nature activity boxes filled with pine cones and natural items. The main heading reads “JOIN OUR PUBLIC GROUP INVOLVEMENT.” The poster explains the group’s purpose: to support a research study on nature activity boxes for children with ADHD. A schedule lists meeting dates from July 2025 to July 2026. The location is York Explore Library and Archive, with an image of the library included. Contact details for Ellen Kingsley are provided at the bottom (email: e.kingsley@nhs.net, phone number: 07870992859). The background features green foliage along the bottom edge.

We're looking for families to join a public involvement group for the CONIFAS2 study. These will be fun workshops at the York library. Contact Ellen at e.kingsley@nhs.net or 07870992859 to find out more!

Event invite to Youth Employment seminar - Monday 23rd June, 10:30am-12pm, Room 4.35 in Edinburgh Futures Institute. Speakers: Hannah King, Kevin Ralston, Emma Davidson.

Our Co-Director Emma Davidson is speaking at a social policy seminar on youth employment!

📆Monday 23rd June
🕑10.30am-12pm
📍EFI, room 4.35

Book and find out more here: edin.ac/43BiyN1

@edfuturesinstitute.bsky.social @uoe-sps.bsky.social @haylesben.bsky.social #AcademicSky

Why don’t you join us in and challenge your own friends or team to complete Walking Month!

We are focusing on the importance of walking on our mental health and the value of spending time in nature. Walking outdoors can reduce stress, improve mood, and foster a sense of well-being. It provides a break from daily routines and an opportunity to connect with the natural world.

A cartoon of two people walking in nature, with the title 'Walking Month' and the COMIC logo

A picture of a pair of legs wearing trainers and a party popper celebration with the words 'Week 1 and 414,868 steps'

a picture of a person walking in the woods at sunrise with the words 'week 2 and 554,588 steps' and an emoji wearing a party hat

May is Walking Month so the COMIC team are taking part in a team step challenge! In the first 2 weeks we have walked 969,456 steps as a team - that's approximately 484.7 miles!

😤 We refuse to be left behind in the mental health conversation.

This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we're raising awareness of the realities of living with a mental illness.

Help us turn awareness into action 👉 rethink.org/mhaw

We really enjoyed having a stall yesterday at AWARE’s world autism acceptance day event! We love hearing updates from other teams and making new connections. Click the link to learn more about our neurodiversity studies!

www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/research/com...

Read more about the programme here! www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/research/lat...

We hope to inspire a new generation of mental health researchers and give a voice to young people to influence how and what we focus our research on.

In this session we asked 'what does a mental health researcher look like?' one young person replied 'We do!'
We can't wait to see what Year 2 think!

Research Ready Schools!
We are kicking off another half term with Year 2, here is a flash back to our visit to Year 4. The Research Ready Schools Programme introduces children to the importance of mental health and research to support it.

Today is Social Prescribing Day! At COMIC, we have used social prescribing for a few interventions, notably our Safety Nets study, aimed to help young people on CAMHS waiting lists. Click the link for more info! www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/research/com...