For young people, by young people supported by Society Links (Tower Hamlets) and Thames Life (Barking & Dagenham)
What is Be Body Positive?
ELFT has been working with partners, Barnardo’s, ELBA, NELFT and Infused Media, to create a website packed with engaging and accessible resources to support young people with disordered eating. Designed as an early intervention, Be Body Positive promotes building a positive relationship with food and your bodies.
Why is early intervention important?
The eating disorder charity, Beat, says disordered eating – a term used to describe eating difficulties that don’t require a clinical diagnosis – is “becoming more common” and can often be the first signs of someone developing an eating disorder. With eating disorder diagnoses on the rise in the UK, the need to intervene before diagnosis has become a matter of urgency for the NHS.
How can Be Body Positive help?
Be Body Positive seeks to address this issue by providing extra support to young people, parents/carers and health professionals.
Sarah Wilson, Director of CAMHS and Chair of the project board said:
“In a digital world where negative and harmful views of body image can be difficult to avoid, Be Body Positive aims to carve out a nourishing and safe space. We hope young people will come to the site and learn how to feel at ease in their bodies.”
Who created Be Body Positive?
ELFT and NELFT clinicians have worked with experts from Barnardo’s and Infused Media to develop the content, ranging from videos and quizzes to stories and coping strategies. Working with East London Business Alliance, and supported by Society Links (Tower Hamlets) and Thames Life (Barking & Dagenham), local young people have played an integral role in the project, from brainstorming the name of the site, to the design.
Jon Daly, Strategic Programme Lead for Mental Health at Barnardo’s is offering third sector expertise to the project:
“We believe that with the right support, young people can transform their lives. We are thrilled to be working with these partners on a project that will offer practical and emotional support to young people with disordered eating.”
Ian Parkes, CEO of East London Business Alliance said:
“There has been a big increase in the reports of young people struggling with wellbeing and mental health. The earlier we can get reassurance and support to them, the better the outcome. Young people are digital natives, and this new initiative will get support to them in a familiar format. Where young people or their families are digitally excluded – we will try to address that as well”.
The NHSX Digital Health Partnerships Award funds this project.
When will Be Body Positive launch?
We are currently in the process of evaluating the website with groups of young people, parents/carers and clinicians. We aim to launch by the end of February 2023. Stay tuned!
Email us at hello@bebodypositive.org.uk
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @bebodypositive_nhs
We will be visiting community organisations, like youth network & groups and schools, to demo Be Body Positive and talk about the need for early intervention in disordered eating. If you are interested in organising a visit with your group (in London and surrounding areas), please email us: bebodypositive@elba-1.org.uk