The SHIFT project focused on improving healthcare experiences for young women in Scotland. As we launch the animation created as part of the project we are delighted to share this blog from Megan one of the young women involved in the workshops and the follow up training to become a young facilitator. Her reflections highlight the value of co-producing projects with young people, the need for change and her belief that young women’s voices can shape the future of healthcare in Scotland.
I’m Megan, a young woman who took part in the SHIFT project. This project meant a lot to me because I have had times in the past when health professionals let me down. There were moments when I felt like I wasn’t properly listened to, when my symptoms were brushed off, or when I left appointments feeling worse than when I arrived. Over the past few years, I’ve had to learn how to effectively communicate and advocate for myself. Yet it shouldn’t be this like. That’s why SHIFT matters to me, it’s about making sure young women in Scotland feel confident, supported and truly heard in healthcare settings.
Being involved in the SHIFT project has been a genuinely eye-opening experience. From the first interaction, it was clear that the team really wanted to hear our voices. Not just as people who have experience in healthcare settings but as young women with lived experiences and valid insights. We talked about everything from positive health interactions to negative ones, from how intimidating appointments can feel to the subtle ways women’s pain is often dismissed. What struck me most was how many of us had similar stories. Different backgrounds, different health issues but the same feeling of just not being taken seriously. That shared understanding created a sense of solidarity, and helped us work together to identify what would help us and other young women in these settings.
As part of SHIFT, an animation was created to demonstrate the thoughts and feelings that young women can have before, during and after a health appointment. The animation was created using the experiences captured in the focus groups to truly inform and reflect the young woman’s inner voice.
I couldn’t believe how much of what we had talked about had been captured. It really echoed similar emotions I’ve felt leading up to appointments. I hope that other young women see this video and realise they aren’t alone with these nerves. We’ve all been there and you shouldn’t have to feel like this about your healthcare.
What makes SHIFT especially important is that it doesn’t only focus on young women. It also supports health professionals, helping them understand the unique barriers that young women face in healthcare. SHIFT has helped me realise the issue isn’t that doctors don’t care; it’s that they haven’t been given training resources designed by young women to recognise certain biases or communication gaps. By creating space for dialogue and education on both sides, SHIFT promotes better equity for young women in these settings. It reminds us that good healthcare is relational: it depends on trust, respect and understanding between professionals and patients.
Being part of this project has made me feel hopeful. Hopeful that other young women will feel confident in healthcare settings and that professionals recognise how to better support us. It’s reminded me that change doesn’t have to start from the top down, it can start with a group of women sharing their stories, and realising that they deserve better. In the end, what I’ve taken away most is belief – belief that young women’s voices can shape the future of healthcare in Scotland, and that when we speak up, people will listen.
Author: Megan, one of the young women involved in the work.
December 2025
This blogpost was created by one of the SHIFT participants. Participants in SHIFT were supported by the collaborating partners at the University of Bristol, the Association for Young People’s Health and the Young Women’s Movement.