How is Apart of Me helping bereaved young people?
Our critical interventions help young people feel less alone in their darkest moments.
Apart of Me Game
4.6 ⭐ App Store Rating.
Independent evaluation confirms the game helps young people navigate grief.
Jump to Section: Apart of Me Game Impact
Guides Community
In a Co-op study, young people shared that the Guides Programme helped them develop habits of self-compassion and more.
Jump to Section: Guides Impact
Co-design by young people
“It made me feel like I could actually do something, like I was a good person.”
- Jamie, 18
Jump to Section: Co-Design Impact
Apart of Me Game Impact & Evaluation
We use multiple data points to evaluate the impact of our game, including user research, independent evaluations, and in-app metrics. Here is what we found:
An independent evaluation in 2019 showed that Apart of Me helps young people make sense of how and what they are feeling and provides empathetic support as and when they need it.
The full report is available for download here , or you can view a presentation of the results on Slideshare.
The study highlighted that the app’s elements create a safe, supportive space for exploring grief. Key benefits include:
The app’s flexible format allows young people to access support on their own terms, making it particularly valuable for those who struggle with conventional methods or lack other resources.
Overall, Apart of Me has been highly successful in engaging and supporting young people recently bereaved. Teenagers, a particularly hard-to-reach audience, are often challenging to engage with sensitive issues and have high standards for apps. The positive response to Apart of Me is a significant achievement in this context.
Reassures young people that they’re not alone in their bereavement
Helps them to navigate, understand and manage their emotions
Provides an immediately accessible source of support that actively helps if they feel anxious or need to calm down
The Rockpool, the Cave and emotional support elements (the check-in and the fireflies) are standing out as being the key elements for support
The most powerful insights come from the young people. Here’s what they shared:
Global Reach & App Rating
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Over 168,579 across 50+ countries
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4.6 stars on the UK App Store
User Pathways
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56% Supporting those who have lost a loved one
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7% Supporting those with a terminally ill loved one
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37% Other forms of loss/grief
Engagement & Retention
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Return Rate: 33% (10x higher than the mental health app average - 3.3% after 30 days)
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Average Session Duration: 19 minutes, 53 seconds (compared to the typical 2 minutes on a mental health app before deleting it after two weeks, according to the American Psychology Association)
App Performance
A Transformative Approach, Endorsed by Experts
“Apart of Me represents a significant advancement in digital mental health support. Having met rigorous NHS standards, this groundbreaking app fills a critical need in supporting bereaved youth. At a roundtable with the Mayor of London, young users shared powerful testimonials about how the app helped them navigate complex grief emotions when traditional support was hard to access. Their consistent feedback - that they wish they had found Apart of Me immediately after their loss - speaks volumes about its crucial role in the grief journey.”
- Dr. Richard Graham, Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist, Former Clinical Director of Good Thinking: London’s Digital Mental Well-being Service
Apart of Me Recognition
Bafta Games Beyond Entertainment - Shortlisted
Unity Rare Impact Award 2021 - Winner
Tech 4 Good Awards - Finalist
Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award - Winner
Mayor of London’s Bereavement Services Challenge - Winner
Best Youth Focused Emotional Support App - GHP Tech awards
Pfizer Healthcare Hub Awards - Finalist
Top 10 Tech Projects - The Guardian
Top 100 Changemakers - The Big Issue
NHS App of the Month March 2023
The Guides Programme
A peer mentoring programme, for young people by young people
Guides are young people who have lost a loved one, played our game, and then applied to join this programme where they learn skills to help others through their grief.
Explore Henry’s journey, "From Game to Guide," here.
New Phase: Backed by three years of Lottery funding, our Guides Programme is now in schools, supporting hard-to-reach bereaved young people.
Powerful Impact
In a Co-op study of the Guides programme, young people reported that the programme helped them:
Develop habits of self-compassion
Feel more connected
Become better equipped to cope with grief and challenging emotions
Learn transferable skills to support others
Engage in meaningful collective action
Testimonials from Participants and Supporters
Co-Design by Young People
Since 2015, we have supported approximately 500 bereaved young people in transforming their grief into compassion through our therapeutic co-design workshops.
“It was exciting when people came to the workshops. It made me feel like I could actually do something, like I was a good person.”
- Jamie, 18, co-design participant for the Apart of Me game
“I’ve been growing through the process of loss. The creative community of Apart of Me helped so much with this, the idea that I’m part of something bigger than myself.”
- Elliot, 21
Research & Reports
Our research article on complicated grief, published in Frontiers, has already reached an impressive 19.5k views, highlighting our work's growing interest and recognition.
You can also read our In This Together report.
In an epidemic of loneliness, how can we design communities that help young people feel less alone in their grief?
This groundbreaking report examines the vital role of community in supporting bereaved young people. It presents five key principles for fostering meaningful connections in an age of isolation. Drawing on expert insights and real-life experiences, the report offers a blueprint for transforming the way we support young people through loss.
Join Us in Making a Difference
Your support helps Apart of Me continue to provide vital, compassionate care to young people navigating grief. Every donation goes directly towards expanding our services, creating new resources, and reaching more young people in need of support. Together, we can ensure that no young person has to face grief alone.
