What is Nexus about?

My involvement (Dylan) with this project started back in 2021, when I had the opportunity to become a young co-producer for a series of events about youth mental health called A New Tomorrow 2021.

“Colleagues at Newcastle and Imperial Universities are seeking young people aged 16-24 to join their youth group to co-produce several online events in March looking at the impact of COVID-19 on young people’s health, wellbeing & experiences of education.”

Together, we co-produced three online events:

A New Tomorrow Episode 1 – Talking about mental health and getting support (11th March 2021)
A New Tomorrow Episode 2 – Getting a good routine and sleep (18th March 2021)
A New Tomorrow: Co-produced online symposium event – COVID-19’s impact on youth mental health (25th March 2021)

These events were a great success. I was able to talk with other young people and vent and debate about all of the things that had been affecting us over the last year, lifting a huge weight off my shoulders, whilst also knowing that this research and these co-produced events could help other young people with their struggles.

This experience led into the development of Nexus, a film aimed at raising awareness among medical staff and the wider public of the impact of lockdown on young people’s mental health. The film is based on research by Dr Lindsay H Dewa of Imperial College London, whose research focuses on preventing and detecting youth mental health deterioration.

During the pandemic, Dr Dewa was working on the importance of social connection among young people to support mental health. She examined the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the mental health and coping strategies of young people, and the film was co-produced with young people who have experience of mental health difficulties.
Inner Eye Productions approached Dr Dewa in December 2020 to make a film based on her research.

From concept and idea generation, to filming, editing, completing the film, young people have been at the heart of this exciting and important project. This co-production process is innovative, engaging and has ensured the young people’s voice is central to the film. They decided that the central character, whose disordered eating is a response to the lockdown, should be a young man, and to have a diverse cast.

Nexus was commissioned by West London NHS Trust and was part funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing. The film is a collaboration between West London NHS Trust, Imperial College London and Inner Eye Productions.

The film premiered on 7 December at the British Film Institute (BFI). The screening of the 20-minute film drama was followed by a Q&A with Director Chris Godwin, Inner Eye Productions, Dr Lindsay Dewa, West London NHS Trust’s Research Director, the actors – and four young people (including me) who were the co-producers. Chairing the discussion was Patrick Russel, of the BFI National Archive.

The BFI has decided to archive the film, due to its social significance, meaning people will be watching it in years to come to better understand the pandemic.

During the Q&A, co-producer Aliyyah talked about how she felt her experience as a young person during lockdown was represented in the film. I got to talk about how the impacts of digital exclusion which are central to the film, felt strongly by many during COVID-19, is highly relevant in the current cost of living crisis.

Since its premiere, the film had been rolled out across the UK (including London, Teesside and Birmingham) through a series of cinema screenings. It has also been featured as part of The Health Check programme on the BBC’s World Service, BBC Radio West Midlands and BBC Tees.

Nexus remains an example of how young people’s lived experience can shape research, creative work and conversations around mental health, with young people involved throughout the process from the initial research and idea generation through to the finished film and its wider impact.