For Young Barnsley, By Young Barnsley

Barnsley Young Commissioners empower young people to shape the future of health and mental health services across Barnsley. By sharing their voices, experiences, and ideas, young commissioners influence how local services are designed, delivered, and improved to better support young people in our communities.

We are looking for young people from across Barnsley who have lived experience of using health services, or who are passionate about improving mental health and wellbeing for others.

As a Barnsley Young Commissioner, you will:

• Work alongside professionals to improve local services

• Challenge mental health stigma within your community

• Strengthen awareness and access to support across Barnsley

• Represent the views of young people across the borough

• Help create positive, meaningful change where it matters most

This is your opportunity to make Barnsley a healthier, more supportive place for young people — now and in the future.

Whether you want to share your experience or drive change, your voice can help shape better services for Barnsley’s young people, make a real difference to our Talkin Tarn, and help strengthen our Gateway to Barnsley as a welcoming space for young voices, support, and wellbeing.

Join Barnsley Young Commissioners and be part of making a real difference in your town.

Chilypep Barnsley Station Adopters ‘Talkin Tarn; Gateway to Barnsley’

Join us as we celebrate the incredible journey of the Barnsley Station Adopters Project, where young people worked alongside a talented local artist to reimagine and enhance one of Barnsley’s key public spaces. In this film, you’ll hear directly from the young people who helped shape the project, sharing their ideas, experiences and reflections on creating something meaningful for their community. You’ll also hear from the artist who collaborated with them, bringing their creativity and vision to life through public artwork.

The project has provided opportunities for young people to develop new skills, build confidence, connect with their local environment and leave a lasting legacy at Barnsley Railway Station.

This is a story about creativity, collaboration, community pride and the power of young people’s voices to make a difference.

✨ Hear their stories.

🎨 Discover the artwork.

🚉 See how young people are helping shape the future of Barnsley.

#BarnsleyStationAdopters #Barnsley #YouthVoice #PublicArt #CommunityProject #Railway200 #CreativeYouth #BarnsleyYouth #StationAdopters #CommunityArt

In January 2026, Chilypep teamed up with Barnsley Civic to launch a bold new artwork called Gateway to Barnsley; Talking Tarn, now brightening up the bridge leading to Barnsley Station.

Created by Barnsley artist Robyn Makings, the piece was designed with young people, not just for them. Two Chilypep groups, the BRV (Belonging, Resilience and Vocabulary) group and the Young Commissioners, helped shape everything. The aim? To get people talking, help young people find support when they need it, and celebrate real voices from across Barnsley and South Yorkshire.

So how did it all start?

About 18 months earlier, Chilypep were invited to adopt Barnsley Station through Northern’s Station Adoption Scheme. That can mean anything from planting flowers to creating art, and straight away, the young people had an idea. They didn’t just want to decorate the space, they wanted to say something that mattered.

They decided to create an artwork that would highlight mental health support and show young people as they really are. They also wanted to team up again with Barnsley Civic, after some great creative projects together in the past.

Choosing the artist was easy. Robyn Makings’ illustrations really stood out, full of personality and relatable characters. When the young people saw her work, they instantly loved it.

Then came the big question: where should it go?

The team didn’t think small, they suggested covering the two longest walkways to the station so as many people as possible would see it. And they stuck with that idea until it became reality.

The project came together in five stages:

Phase 1 – November 2024

Workshops kicked off with Robyn, where young people shared ideas about how the characters should look—outfits, hairstyles, accessories, everything. They even acted out scenes of people helping each other, like handing over flyers, which Robyn used as inspiration. At the same time, Chilypep worked with them to decide which support services should be featured.

Phase 2 – Winter 2024/25

Robyn created the first designs, and they were already looking pretty close to the final version.

Phase 3 – February 2025

The groups came back to give feedback, tweaking details and adding ideas, like including well-known Barnsley buildings hidden in the background behind the phrase “How’s Tha Been?”.

Phase 4 – Final touches

Robyn finished the artwork and designed extra posters to use around the station. The murals were printed onto high-tack vinyl, with production organised by Barnsley Civic.

Phase 5 – Installation

There were a few delays (including a roof leak that caused some setbacks), but in January 2026, the murals were finally installed, and they looked amazing.

To celebrate, young people from Chilypep held a launch event on Thursday 15 January 2026. They dressed up as pigeons (yes, really—an “outsider” mascot!), danced, and handed out flyers to people passing through the station.

Now, Gateway to Barnsley; Talking Tarn is there every day for everyone to see, a colourful, honest piece of work made by young people, for young people.

The project was brought to life by Chilypep, Barnsley Civic, and Robyn Makings, with support from Northern, Community Rail Network, South Yorkshire Children & Young People’s Alliance, SYMCA, NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, and Barnsley Council’s Great Childhood Ambition Fund.

Young people help design Barnsley mural signposting to support services – BBC News

Barnsley Young Commissioners Make Powerful Impact Through LGBTQ+ Hate Crime Awareness Poster and Booklet – October 2025

Download our Hate is a Crime Recourses here:

FINAL Hate Crime Posters

Final Hate Crime Leaflet

Blue version Hate Crime leaflet

The Barnsley Young Commissioners have made an outstanding contribution to tackling hate crime through the creation of a powerful and insightful LGBTQ+ Hate Crime Awareness Booklet. This work marks a significant milestone in amplifying the voices of young people and ensuring their lived experiences are at the center of local awareness and prevention efforts.

Throughout the project, the Young Commissioners demonstrated exceptional dedication, creativity, and commitment. The finished booklet is not only informative but deeply impactful, presenting honest reflections and real-life insights that highlight the realities faced by LGBTQ+ young people in Barnsley. By bravely sharing their stories and perspectives, the group has created a valuable resource that supports professionals, families, peers, and the wider community to better understand and challenge hate crime.

The booklet was showcased at Barnsley BMBC LGBTQ+ Hate Crime awareness event, where feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. Participants praised the resource for improving understanding and inspiring meaningful action to combat hate crime locally. Its influence has already extended beyond the event, with both Barnsley College and Barnsley Football Club requesting copies to display within their buildings, demonstrating the reach and importance of the work.

The booklet will continue to be shared widely across Barnsley, strengthening its role as an educational and awareness-raising tool. The maturity, compassion, and sensitivity shown by the Young Commissioners in addressing such a complex issue has ensured that the final resource genuinely reflects the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ young people.

Rachael Ferrington, Hate Crime Coordinator for South Yorkshire Police, praised the group’s work, stating:

“I would like to say a massive thank you to all of you that contributed to creating the hate crime resources! For me, this resource is incredibly valuable in highlighting the most important information relating to hate crime. I often attend events to raise awareness of hate crime and so I will most definitely be taking along the resources you created because your work deserves to be shared as far and wide as possible. Both the booklet and poster are incredible pieces of work, and you should be very proud of what you have produced.”

This project highlights the power of young people’s voices in shaping positive change. The influence of the Barnsley Young Commissioners is already being felt across the borough, encouraging others to speak up, challenge discrimination, and take action against hate crime.

Young Commissioner’s “You’re Welcome” Assessments at Barnsley Hospital – April 2024 and August 2025

Barnsley Hospital has been committed to ensuring that all patients feel supported, safe, and welcome, especially young people navigating healthcare services. In this spirit, the Young Commissioner’s “You’re Welcome” assessments have played a vital role in shaping patient experiences and making Young People feel Welcome.

The You’re Welcome criteria was first published in 2007 and later updated in 2011. The 2023 version of the criteria has been adapted to better suit the current digital and post-pandemic world.

The purpose of the criteria is to assist those who manage services in making their services as accessible as possible for young people. This is crucial in reducing health inequalities. It is important to note that the needs of young people can differ from those of both younger children and older adults. Therefore, understanding our perspective and life stage is essential in providing the appropriate services.

Children’s Services Assessment – April 2024

In April 2024, the Young Health Commissioner carried out a comprehensive “You’re Welcome” assessment of the Children’s Assessment Unit and A&E Department at Barnsley Hospital. The assessment focused on how young patients feel when attending the hospital, highlighting areas where improvements could enhance their experience. The goal was to ensure that young people and feel respected, informed, and supported throughout their visit.

Adults Emergency Department – August 2025

Building on this success, in August 2025, the Young Commissioners returned to assess the Adults Emergency Department, with a special focus on young people aged 17–25. This assessment aimed to make the department more welcoming, youth-friendly, and responsive to the needs of young adults. Recommendations focused on communication, environment, and support to help young people feel at ease during potentially stressful visits.

Making Young People Feel Welcome

Both assessments underline Barnsley Hospital’s commitment to putting young patients at the heart of care. Feedback from these assessments informs ongoing improvements, from staff training to the hospital environment, ensuring that young people feel listened to, respected, and valued whenever they visit.

Barnsley Hospital, The Governors and Patient Experience Team continues to work closely with young people, listening to their experiences and acting on their feedback to create a truly welcoming healthcare environment.

“I just want to say a massive thank you for allowing us the opportunity to meet your fantastic young people. It has generated loads of ideas on how we can start to make changes, and it was inspiring to hear the views from them all. I hope this is the start of a great journey to improve the future of BHNFT for the young people and look forward to seeing them all again.” 

Dawn Gibbon, Head of Safeguarding, Barnsley Hospital

In collaboration with the Government, the Deliver You campaign is powered by the #iWill Movement, My Life My Say and Savanta – a partnership driven by a commitment to equipping and enabling young people to shape and lead change – May 2025

Our young commissioners attended and actively participated in the consultation that is helping to shape this work, tackling the top priorities from the National Youth Survey and co-creating bold, practical solutions to the issues that matter most to them. These events aren’t just conversations; they are about turning ideas into action. The insights and solutions generated by young people are now directly helping to shape a new ten-year National Youth Strategy. The Government is listening to young people’s voices and involving them in leading change, ensuring that youth-focused services are responsive, inclusive, and tailored to the needs of every community.

Through Deliver You Hack, thousands of young people aged 10–21 (and up to 25 for those with SEND) have had a real say in shaping a once-in-a-generation strategy. The young commissioner’s contributions are helping to shift power back to young people and their communities.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the Deliver You Hack our Young Commissioners participated in, featuring them in the film: https://youtu.be/UX1bLP-QWk8?si=o7aIIul7r1l5Wdik

Find out more here: NYS – Deliver You – iwill