AGE OF WONDER

BiB Age of Wonder is a seven-year project capturing the journey through adolescence and adulthood for all teenagers in Bradford. We are working in partnership with secondary schools and young people across the district to create a detailed picture of every aspect of what it’s like to grow up in Bradford.

The story so far…

Born in Bradford (BiB) is one of the largest and most exciting health research studies in the world; since 2007, we have been tracking the health and wellbeing of over 13,000 Bradford children from birth and finding out why some people become ill and others do not. BiB findings have so far highlighted the harm of air pollution, how the urban environment affects our health, the impact of our diet and exercise and the early causes of diabetes and heart disease, amongst others. We have also developed new treatments and policies to protect the health of our children and have raised a multi-million pound investment in the city.

The original BiB cohort are now in their teenage/early adulthood years. As our young people navigate adolescence and move into adulthood they are experiencing many changes to their bodies, their minds, their emotions and their social lives. BiB: Age of Wonder is capturing this journey through adolescence and adulthood for the BiB cohort and their peers.

What is involved?

We are committed to working long-term with secondary schools, sixth forms, colleges, and local communities to embed this research programme in a meaningful and lasting way. Our goal is to empower young people and help drive sustained, positive change. To achieve this—and to accurately reflect the real experiences of young people—we are gathering insights from a wide range of sources, including:

• Collecting a range of information from young people in years 9-10 (year 8 is optional) using surveys completed in school. These modules are completed each year, and cover topics such as physical health, mental wellbeing and social media. All modules have been coproduced with young people and schools to ensure we are asking the questions most important to them. They are updated every year.
• Inviting young people between 16-18 years to sign up to the BiB Online Hub at 6^th forms, colleges and in the community to maintain and continue data collection. The BiB Online Hub serves as a research portal and a space for young people to access opportunities to upskill and thrive as they transition out of school settings.
• Working closely with over 100 young people from across Bradford who share their stories and experiences of growing up in Bradford throughout their teenage years and into early adulthood. Each year, this group of young people share their hopes, dreams, and fears for the future, and take part in interviews and group discussions on the topics that matter to them. These stories help us to understand how Bradford can be an amazing place for young people to thrive, fulfil their potential, and learn about different career pathways. If you are aged 16-17 and you would like to be part of this project, please contact teenagestories@bthft.nhs.uk
• All of the research is covered by the very highest levels of confidentiality and data security, and we are asking parents to consent to their children taking part in the study. For more information, please see our information sheets.

Benefits for schools and colleges

By taking part, schools and colleges will be part of the largest study of adolescence in the world! They will also receive detailed feedback in the form of a Data Dashboard on the health and wellbeing of their student population based on the questionnaire data. This will help embed research into the curriculum and provide opportunities to inspire and upskill students in areas of STEM, digital technology and the Arts.

As a thank you for taking part and the administrative time taken to implement this work, £1000 remuneration is awarded for every year of participation with BiB: Age of Wonder.

Data Dashboard

BiB: AoW schools are given access to a unique platform to explore in-depth data about their school called the Data Dashboard. This platform allows senior leaders to compare their school’s cohort, both at the regional and national level, on a range of important metrics (e.g. mental health, online safety). We hope this data will contribute to informed change within our BiB: AoW schools and in our city via routine reporting (e.g. OFSTED), priority setting or to access programs and interventions!

Benefits for young people

Taking part in Age of Wonder means joining the largest study of young people in the world. It places Bradford’s young people at the heart of national and international public health research—shaping the future, not just being studied by it.

Age of Wonder is all about amplifying young people’s voices. Every part of the project is co-produced with young people themselves, ensuring they lead the way—deciding what matters, highlighting the issues important to them, and helping to drive real, lasting change.

Beyond research, Age of Wonder offers young people hands-on opportunities to gain valuable skills and experience—including work shadowing, skills workshops, becoming project ambassadors, joining advisory panels, creating social media content, and participating in citizen science activities.

The BiB Online Hub is a new platform for 16-18 year olds to take ownership and get involved in BiB research. Points and rewards are offered with each activity, with up to £20 worth of vouchers for engaging in the research on the hub. The BiB Online Hub will share future opportunities and events such as careers fairs and skills workshops to help build their CV before going to university or employment.

18 year olds can sign up and consent on the BiB Online Hub

So, what’s next?

We are contacting all secondary schools, sixth forms, colleges and community organisations working with young people across the district to give them information about the project and invite them to participate. Several institutions have already signed up and are already benefiting from the data.