The talk will discuss the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of young people based on The Mix’s helpline data and research. It will also demonstrate how The Mix has utilised this data to respond to the pandemic and the needs of service users so far.
Speaker 1: Bohdana Dock; Head of Data, Research and Evaluation at The Mix. Bohdana has been working in research roles and evaluation in the charity sector since 2011 in charities such as Charities Aid Foundation, Rethink Mental Illness or British Heart Foundation. Since 2018, she has been working at The Mix, the UK’s leading digital support service for young people providing services such as helpline, counselling or website that help young people to take on any challenges they face.
She is currently focusing on maximising the value of the Mix’s internal data set through its analysis and on partnering with academic organisations around data and research to gain better understanding of young people’s mental health and how to improve digital services for them. She has a strong interest in utilising data in development of innovative digital mental health services. She also leads on The Mix research and evaluation activities to better understand the challenges young people are facing, their experiences and priorities to inform The Mix strategy and improve services
Speaker 2: Michaela Brooks; Acting Helpline Team Leader at the Mix Michaela is the Acting Helpline Team Leader at the Mix, having been a part of the team since 2019. She is also in the 2nd Year of the Psychotherapy Programme at the Gestalt Centre. Having moved through Drama School and various other roles in the arts sector, Michaela turned to the mental health sector, following her love of spaces which allow for emotional expression and human connection.
As Acting Helpline Team Leader, Michaela provides leadership for a team of 10 Helpline staff members and cohort of 100+ volunteers. Overseeing the 1-1 support services provided by volunteers via the phoneline, webchat and email. She is also part of the Safeguarding Team for the Mix, responsible for handling complex cases and reviewing our organisational policies. Michaela has a strong interest in how data can reflect the common themes emerging for young people societally and how this can inform service developments and practices for our front line support.
