My Legacy as a Digital Health Ambassador

By Maisha

Being a Digital Health Ambassador (DHA) has been a meaningful and empowering experience for me. It has allowed me to use my lived experience to contribute to important conversations, influence change, and help ensure young people’s voices are heard at different levels.

2019 - Being Heard in Leadership Spaces

In 2019, I had the opportunity to join a discussion with the Labour candidate at the time for London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, as a PYL board member. During this discussion, I shared my journey, and the advocacy work I do, particularly around Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).

He was truly impressed by my journey and the work I do and shared his vision for London and the VAWG sector. He spoke about how he would work with my voice and the voices of other young people to ensure we are heard when decisions are being made. This experience showed me how powerful it is when young people are included in leadership and decision-making spaces.

2022 - Shaping Mental Health Campaigns

In 2022, I had the great honour of directly shaping and influencing a London-wide NHS mental health campaign focused on improving the mental wellbeing of young people aged 18–25. The campaign was called #LondonYouGood?

Being part of this work allowed me to contribute to how mental health support is communicated to young people across London. It helped me understand how important youth insight is when creating services and campaigns that are meant to support us.

2025 - Authoring Our Own Stories

In 2025, another important highlight was contributing to Authoring Our Own Stories. This allowed me to be part of conversations about being a Black woman and how services, society, and communities can better support our mental health journeys.

Instead of expecting us to navigate mental health alone because of our identities or the adultification Black women and girls experience, this work focused on understanding, support, and shared responsibility. Being able to contribute to this felt personal and empowering.

Amplifying Voices and Creating Impact

Throughout my time as a DHA, I was also involved in focus groups, contributing to mental health conversations, and amplifying the voices of other young people. I valued being part of senior conversations where real change could be shaped around mental health.

Writing blog posts for Anti-Bullying Week and Mental Health Awareness Month was another highlight. Seeing a friend read and connect with something I had written was incredibly moving and reminded me of the power of shared stories and peer-led advocacy.

Reflections and What I Would Have Liked to Explore More

During my time as a Digital Health Ambassador, I learned how important it is to centre lived experience, create safe spaces, and ensure young people are involved in meaningful ways. I really enjoyed being able to contribute creatively through writing, discussions, and campaigns.

If I had more time, I would have liked to explore more around the intersections of identity, mental health, and systemic barriers, and how we can create long-term support for young people beyond awareness campaigns.

My Legacy as a DHA

My legacy as a Digital Health Ambassador is about using my voice to support others, influence conversations, and help shape change. It is about ensuring young people especially those whose voices are often overlooked are heard, valued, and included.

Most importantly, it is about leaving space for others to continue these conversations and build on the work that has been started.