Much is known about racist violence and institutional responses to it, yet far less is understood about its impact on young people's health and wellbeing. To address this gap, People's Health Trust is launching a community research project across Great Britain to explore how experiences of antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of racist hate and violence affect young people and what action they believe is needed.
The Trust will partner with grassroots organisations working directly with young people in England, Scotland and Wales to investigate how young people’s experiences of racist hate and violence – including verbal, online and physical abuse, and feeling unsafe in public spaces – affect their physical and mental health.
The project builds on the Trust's previous ‘Standing Together’ research, which found that the racist riots of summer 2024 had significant impacts on people's mental health, wellbeing and sense of safety. The experiences of and impact on young people emerged as a key area requiring further investigation.
The project is being led by People’s Health Trust and is supported with additional grants from three other foundations: Kurt and Magda Stern Foundation, William Grant Foundation, and Joseph Levy Foundation, demonstrating a shared commitment to understand and address the impacts of racist hate and violence on young people.
Building on previous research
People’s Health Trust’s 2025 research and report highlighted the serious and lasting health effects of racist hate, including stress, anxiety, fear, isolation and trauma, with young people revealed to be particularly affected.
The report found that, following the riots, racist hate and violence had significant impacts on young people's health, wellbeing and daily lives. For example, grassroots organisations reported that young people were often affected in schools, where pupils were exposed to racist language, bullying and fear, with many becoming worried about travelling to and from school or taking part in normal activities.
The new research will deepen understanding of these impacts and help to identify what action young people feel is needed, strengthen the work of trusted grassroots organisations working at the front line of health inequality, and provide evidence to inform local services and national policy. The project will take an intersectional approach, considering how experiences of racist hate and violence may be shaped by gender, class, ethnicity and other factors.
The research period will begin in early autumn and is expected to conclude in early 2027.
People’s Health Trust chief executive, John Hume, said:
"Racist hate and violence have serious and lasting consequences to health, wellbeing and sense of belonging. Yet the short and longer-term experiences of young people are too often overlooked. By listening directly to young people and working alongside grassroots organisations, this research will help build a clearer picture of the challenges young people face in communities across Great Britain and what action they say is needed to improve health and reduce inequalities. We're profoundly grateful to Kurt and Magda Stern Foundation, William Grant Foundation and Joseph Levy Foundation for supporting this critical work."
Kurt and Magda Stern Foundation’s founder and Chair of Trustees, Tamsin Hoare, said:
"People's Health Trust's Standing Together research made an important contribution to understanding the health impacts of racist hate and violence, while also highlighting how much more we need to learn about the experiences of young people. We are pleased to support this next stage of the work, which will ensure that young people's voices are heard directly, and help build the evidence needed to inform effective action."
Willian Grant Foundation’s Chief Executive, Nick Addington, said:
“Our vision is for a Scotland where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Young people in Scotland, as elsewhere across Great Britain, can be exposed to the damaging impacts of racist hate and violence, affecting their sense of safety, belonging and wellbeing. We're pleased to be supporting People's Health Trust to involve grassroots organisations and young people in Scotland as part of this important research. By listening directly to young people's experiences, the project will generate valuable evidence to help inform action and contribute to communities where all young people can flourish.”
Joseph Levy Foundation’s Executive Director, Denise Ramsey, said:
"Every young person should be able to grow up feeling safe, valued and able to reach their potential. Racist hate and violence undermine health, wellbeing and a sense of belonging, with lasting consequences for young people and their communities. By listening to the lived experience of young people and working alongside grassroots organisations, this research will strengthen understanding and help shape more effective policies, services and support."