Category: News

Isle of Wight Youth Trust (IOWYT) has been chosen as the overall winner of a top national award for its outstanding work supporting the mental health of children and young people on the Isle of Wight.

Following a rigorous selection and assessment process, IOWYT beat off competition from a record number of award entries to win the title of overall winner of the 2025 GSK IMPACT Awards. The charity was awarded the prize at a ceremony held in central London last night, Thursday 15 May.

Now in their 28th year, the GSK IMPACT Awards recognise the outstanding work of small and medium-sized charities working to improve people’s health and wellbeing in the UK. As overall winners, IOWYT will receive £50,000 in unrestricted funding as well as expert support and leadership development provided by leading health and care charity The King’s Fund.

There are over 25,000 children and young people aged under 19 living on the Isle of Wight. Parts of the Island face high levels of deprivation, and there are significant mental health challenges for resident young people. According to NHS England, 1 in 5 children and young people in England had a probable mental disorder in 2023. IOWYT’s survey of young people of the same year found that 30% of those with a mental health condition had self-harmed and 1 in 3 had considered suicide.

IOWYT was established in 1984 and initially offered counselling services to young people aged 13 and over. Today, the charity supports children from age five upwards and has expanded its reach. One of the issues for young Islanders is that lack of transport can make accessing services difficult. The charity has worked hard to make its support accessible and now works beyond its premises in Newport to provide outreach in partner venues, including several youth centres, the Island’s homeless hostel, and secondary schools across the Isle of Wight. The charity also offers online counselling for young people who struggle to access transport.

The GSK IMPACT Awards judges were impressed by IOWYT’s ‘outstanding’ dynamism and the way it goes beyond traditional therapy, offering early intervention to prevent more serious mental health issues and easing pressure on the NHS.

The judges highlighted a new service launched in 2024, The Hub, which acts as a ‘one-stop shop’, providing holistic and integrated support for young Islanders. The Hub offers drop-in services such as weekly ‘Snack and Chats’, where young people can meet others and get practical help on housing and employment issues, all from a high street shop in Newport. These services come as part of a wider package of therapeutic care for children and young people, including play therapy, art therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and self-guided therapy.

In 2023/2024, IOWYT supported 1,315 children and young people through 5,315 one-to-one, group or therapy sessions. They also delivered services in 40 of the Island’s 51 schools as part of a partnership between IOWYT, the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Barnardo’s. The charity’s strong partnerships ensure young people receive the right support when they need it most, and also include social care teams, children in care, care leavers and the Youth Justice Service.

 Commenting on the win, Jo Dare, Chief Executive of IOWYT, said: ‘We are delighted and honoured to have been named overall winner among such incredible charities in the health and care sector. Small charities like ours are vital in supporting the NHS and the communities we work in. Our work highlights the importance of place-based care. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our youth taskforce, who play a crucial role in shaping our services and ensuring we meet the needs of Island children and young people. The funding, training and development provided by the GSK IMPACT Awards Leadership Network will help us boost our profile, share our knowledge, and most importantly, advocate louder for Island children and young people.’

Richard Quigley, MP for Isle of Wight West, said: This is absolutely brilliant. It’s not just a reward for all the hard work the Isle of Wight Youth Trust does but also recognition of the additional issues we have on the Island. Winning this award lifts all of us up. Well done Isle of Wight Youth Trust, and thank you to GSK and The King’s Fund for your support.

Sir Jonathan Symonds, Chair, GSK, said: ‘We are incredibly proud to recognise the Isle of Wight Youth Trust as the overall winner of the 2025 GSK IMPACT Awards. Their unwavering commitment to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people and promoting mental health equality on the Isle of Wight is truly inspiring. By providing accessible and comprehensive care, they are making a profound difference to the lives of many children and young people, ensuring they have the support they need to thrive.’

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive of The King’s Fund, said: ‘Isle of Wight Youth Trust leads in transforming services for young people on the Island towards a community and preventive approach. They really take the time to get to know the children and young people they support, and it means their services are perfectly pitched to meet young Islanders’ needs. The Isle of Wight Youth Trust has set a gold standard for how children and young people’s mental health services should be delivered. Their dynamism and drive have a huge impact on the children and young people they serve, and I hope their model inspires similar initiatives across the country.’