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Food environments are important determinants of healthy diets among young people. This study explored young people's perspectives on their food environment, their recommendations to policymakers and views on youth engagement in policy processes. There is limited research on young people's perspectives on their involvement in developing food environment policies. Youth engagement in policymaking processes can lead to greater policy integrity and inclusivity. Four focus group discussions were conducted with 39 young people (12–21 years) from a town in North West England and a metropolitan area in the English Midlands. Participants were recruited through youth organizations. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Young people reported concerns about the density of fast food outlets in their local area, the unaffordability of healthier food, and fast food advertisement. These issues were not believed to be prioritized in local and national policymaking. Accordingly, policy recommendations were mainly for structural food environment policies, including restrictions on fast food outlet density and incentives for menu reformulation. Young people did not feel involved in local decisions about the food environment. They expressed a need for more meaningful engagement beyond consultation. Young people have repeatedly shown to have a deep understanding of the social, commercial and political factors that influence diet and health. It is essential that policymakers aiming to improve young people's diets take their unique views and concerns into account to create effective policies that resonate with young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a framework for understanding the structural factors that affect health, the social determinants of health (SDoH) have particular significance during the developmental stage of adolescence. When the global coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) began, public health measures (PHMs) implemented to curb its spread shifted adolescents' daily lives and routines, initiating changes to their mental health. The purpose of this study was to apply the SDoH to investigating the impacts of the pandemic-related PHMs on the mental health of adolescents in Canada. Using a youth engagement approach, interviews were conducted with 33 adolescents aged 14–19 years from two sites in Alberta, Canada. Participants shared their experiences of adjusting to the PHMs and how these shaped their mental health. Findings indicate that PHMs particularly affected the social determinants of education, access to health services, employment and income security, and social support amongst adolescents as online schooling, loss of connection with peers, income instability, and limited health services affected their mental health. Most commonly, adolescents expressed feeling greater anxiety, depression, or loneliness as the SDoH shifted with the PHMs. As we continue to understand the mental health impacts of the pandemic, the SDoH framework can be used to identify salient social determinants and evaluate these determinants post-pandemic. This study draws attention to the need for policies and programs that protect access to key SDoH at such a critical life stage as adolescence and promote their mental health resilience in shifting SDoH contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Engaging youth in mental health research and intervention design has the potential to improve their relevance and effectiveness. Frameworks like Roger Hart's ladder of participation, Shier's pathways to participation and Lundy's voice and influence model aim to balance power between youth and adults. Hart's Ladder, specifically, is underutilized in global mental health research, presenting new opportunities to examine power dynamics across various contexts. Drawing on Hart's ladder, our study examined youth engagement in mental health research across high‐ and middle‐income countries using Internet‐based technologies, evaluating youth involvement in decision‐making and presenting research stages that illustrate these engagements. Methods: We conducted a directed content analysis of youth engagement in the study using primary data from project documents, weekly AirTable updates and discussions and interviews with youth and the research consortium. Using Hart's Ladder as a framework, we describe youth engagement along rungs throughout different research stages: cross‐cutting research process, onboarding, formative research and quantitative and qualitative study designs. Results: Youth engagement in the MindKind study fluctuated between Rung 4 ('Assign, but informed') and Rung 7 ('Youth initiated and directed') on Hart's Ladder. Engagement was minimal in the early project stages as project structures and goals were defined, with some youth feeling that their experiences were underutilized and many decisions being adult‐led. Communication challenges and structural constraints, like tight timelines and limited budget, hindered youth engagement in highest ladder rungs. Despite these obstacles, youth engagement increased, particularly in developing recruitment strategies and in shaping data governance models and the qualitative study design. Youth helped refine research tools and protocols, resulting in moderate to substantial engagement in the later research stages. Conclusion: Our findings emphasize the value of youth–adult partnerships, which offer promise in amplifying voices and nurturing skills, leadership and inclusiveness of young people. Youth engagement in project decision‐making progressed from lower to higher rungs on Hart's Ladder over time; however, this was not linear. Effective youth engagement requires dynamic strategies, transparent communication and mutual respect, shaping outcomes that authentically reflect diverse perspectives and mental health experiences. Patient or Public Contribution: There was substantial patient and public involvement in this study. This paper reports findings on youth engagement conducted with 35 young people from India, South Africa and the United Kingdom, all of whom had lived experience of mental health challenges. Youth engagement in the MindKind study was coordinated and led by three professional youth advisors (PYAs) in these contexts, who were also young people with lived experience of mental health challenges. Each of the three study sites embedded a full‐time, community‐based PYA within their study team to inform all aspects of the research project, including the development of informational materials and the facilitation of Young People's Advisory Group (YPAG) sessions referenced in this paper. Each PYA also consulted with a site‐specific YPAG that met bi‐monthly throughout the project, shaping the formation of study materials and serving as a test group in both the quantitative and qualitative studies. Youth participants in this study also contributed extensively, engaging in data collection and manuscript writing. The following youth advisory panels members (J.B., L.B., D.O.J., M.V.) and all PYAs (E.B., S.R., R.S.) in the MindKind study contributed to the writing of this manuscript and are acknowledged as co‐authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth engagement refers to the collaboration between researchers and youth to produce research. Youth engagement in health research has been shown to inform effective interventions aimed at improving health outcomes. However, limited evidence has identified promising practices to meaningfully engage youth. This synthesis aims to describe youth engagement approaches, frameworks, and barriers, as well as provide both evidence-based and youth-generated recommendations for meaningful engagement. Main body: This review occurred in two stages: 1) a narrative review of existing literature on youth engagement and 2) a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) to review and supplement findings with their perspectives, experiences, and recommendations. The terms 'youth engagement' and 'health research' were searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO. Articles and non-peer reviewed research works related to youth engagement in health research were included, reviewed, and summarized. The YAC met with research team members and in separate youth-only forums to complement the narrative review with their perspectives. Types of youth engagement include participation as research participants, advisors, partners, and co-investigators. Barriers to youth engagement were organized into youth- (e.g., time commitments), researcher- (e.g., attitudes towards youth engagement), organizational- (e.g., inadequate infrastructure to support youth engagement), and system-level (e.g., systemic discrimination and exclusion from research). To enhance youth engagement, recommendations focus on preparing and supporting youth by offering flexible communication approaches, mentorship opportunities, diverse and inclusive recruitment, and ensuring youth understand the commitment and benefits involved. Conclusions: To harness the potential of youth engagement, researchers need to establish an inclusive and enabling environment that fosters collaboration, trust, and valuable contributions from youth. Future research endeavors should prioritize investigating the dynamics of power-sharing between researchers and youth, assessing the impact of youth engagement on young participants, and youth-specific evaluation frameworks. Plain English summary: Engaging and partnering with youth in research related to healthcare is important, but often not done well. As researchers, we recognize that youth perspectives are needed to make sure we are asking the right questions, using appropriate research methods, and interpreting the results correctly. We searched the literature to identify challenges researchers have faced engaging youth in health research, as well as strategies to partner with youth in a meaningful way. We worked closely with 11 youth from across Canada with experience in healthcare, who formed a Youth Advisory Council. The youth advisors reviewed the literature we found and discussed how it fit with their own experiences and perspectives through group meetings with the research team. Youth advisors divided into four groups to co-author parts of this paper, including identifying the importance, benefits, and challenges of engaging in research and providing reflections on their positive and negative previous experiences as youth advisors. This paper provides an overview of recommendations for researchers to engage with youth in a meaningful way, including how they communicate and meet with youth, recognize their contributions, and implement feedback to improve the experiences of youth partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media has emerged as a significant platform for political, economic, and social dialogue worldwide, acting as a vehicle for self-expression and a means to hold political leaders accountable. In Nigeria, platforms such as Facebook, X, WhatsApp, and Instagram have played a crucial role in the organisation and mobilisation of protests. This study explores the impact of social media on youth participation in the August 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria. Using the public sphere theory, the research adopted a quantitative survey approach, collecting data from 300 respondents across the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The results reveal that social media was instrumental in mobilising and engaging young people during the protests. Prominent themes discussed on social media included the high cost of living, reversal of the fuel subsidy removal, investigation of the fuel subsidy regime, reduction in electricity tariffs, high cost of governance, corruption, deficiencies in educational and healthcare systems, unemployment, insecurity, and widespread poverty. This study highlights social media's dual function as both a catalyst for mobilisation and a tool for organisational coordination. It is recommended that public training on the responsible use of social media be implemented to maximise its effectiveness in civic engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflects on the outcomes of a workshop at the Fair Trade International Symposium in June 2023 which explored some of the ways young people are engaging in Fair Trade. Campaigners recognize the importance of giving leadership responsibilities to young people with fresh ideas and social connections to help expand the Fair Trade movement. There are opportunities to engage young people through the connections between Fair Trade and the environmental and social issues that young people are passionate about today. The workshop showcased three such initiatives: a climate and food security debate; an ethical enterprise project; and Fairtrade Fortnight events at the University of Leeds. Through these initiatives young people learned about trade (in)justice and gained a deeper understanding of the root causes of sustainability issues, whilst gaining transferable skills and building competencies to work collaboratively and creatively. Engaging with Fair Trade can provide young people with experiential learning opportunities that forward the goals of the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) agenda and promote the relevance of the Fair Trade movement to a younger generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Voices on Vax campaign was a collaborative effort that engaged youth to create an interactive website and social media presence to increase COVID vaccine confidence and uptake among African American families in Baltimore, Maryland. Objectives: To describe lessons learned and offer recommendations for future health communication campaigns involving youth ambassadors and virtual platforms. Methods: We collected website analytics and limited data from pop-up surveys on the Voices on Vax website, as well as reflections from the youth ambassadors about their experiences. Lessons Learned: Challenges included difficulties engaging the priority population and methodological limitations of our campaign's impact evaluation. Successes included our focus on youth and adaptive engagement strategies. Conclusions: We recommend using techniques to maximize engagement by the priority population, conducting in-person outreach, incorporating mixed methods data collection, and providing a mix of structured training and creative freedom to youth ambassadors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Youth engagement refers to the collaboration between researchers and youth to produce research. Youth engagement in health research has been shown to inform effective interventions aimed at improving health outcomes. However, limited evidence has identified promising practices to meaningfully engage youth. This synthesis aims to describe youth engagement approaches, frameworks, and barriers, as well as provide both evidence-based and youth-generated recommendations for meaningful engagement. Main body This review occurred in two stages: 1) a narrative review of existing literature on youth engagement and 2) a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) to review and supplement findings with their perspectives, experiences, and recommendations. The terms ‘youth engagement’ and ‘health research’ were searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO. Articles and non-peer reviewed research works related to youth engagement in health research were included, reviewed, and summarized. The YAC met with research team members and in separate youth-only forums to complement the narrative review with their perspectives. Types of youth engagement include participation as research participants, advisors, partners, and co-investigators. Barriers to youth engagement were organized into youth- (e.g., time commitments), researcher- (e.g., attitudes towards youth engagement), organizational- (e.g., inadequate infrastructure to support youth engagement), and system-level (e.g., systemic discrimination and exclusion from research). To enhance youth engagement, recommendations focus on preparing and supporting youth by offering flexible communication approaches, mentorship opportunities, diverse and inclusive recruitment, and ensuring youth understand the commitment and benefits involved. Conclusions To harness the potential of youth engagement, researchers need to establish an inclusive and enabling environment that fosters collaboration, trust, and valuable contributions from youth. Future research endeavors should prioritize investigating the dynamics of power-sharing between researchers and youth, assessing the impact of youth engagement on young participants, and youth-specific evaluation frameworks.

Bring Change 2 Mind (BC2M) high school clubs may destigmatize mental illness among club members, but clubs (1) reach and impact on non-club members at the same school, (2) connection to student help-seeking attitudes, and (3) mechanisms by which they destigmatize mental illness, are unknown. This community-partnered evaluation involved pre/post surveys of predominantly Latino (72%) students at three urban public schools and focus groups and interviews with a sample of club members (n = 26/65, 40%) and all club staff (n = 7, 100%). Multivariate regressions tested relationships between variables. In 84% of the student body responded in the Fall (n = 1,040) and Spring (n = 1,031). Non-club member engagement in BC2M (reach) increased from 25% (Fall) to 44% (Spring) (p < .01). Engagement with BC2M clubs was associated with decreased stigma among members (p < .05) but not non-members (p = .19). Decreased stigma was associated with help-seeking attitudes (p < .01). Possible BC2M mechanisms identified by students and staff include the following: (1) fostering a positive campus climate, (2) normalizing mental health discussions, (3) increasing peer support and help-seeking, and (4) increasing awareness of positive coping behaviors. While BC2M clubs likely reduce stigma for members, effects did not reach non-members, challenging the potential of BC2M clubs as a schoolwide strategy to destigmatize mental health services. Future projects could investigate how to reach non-BC2M members, complement BC2M with other school climate interventions to increase impact, and measure BC2M impact alongside other outcomes relevant to schools, such as academic achievement.

Abstract Background Marketing has a significant impact on the normalisation of gambling for youth across the globe. This has included shaping positive attitudes towards gambling, as well as increasing the social and cultural acceptance of gambling – particularly aligned with valued activities such as sport. Because of this, public health experts argue that gambling marketing poses a significant risk to the health and wellbeing of youth. While young people are increasingly exposed to, and impacted by marketing for gambling products, they are rarely consulted about policy issues and options. This study aimed to explore young Australians’ perceptions of current policy responses to gambling advertising, whether they thought young people should be involved in discussions and decisions about gambling marketing regulations, and their perceptions of the duty of governments to protect young people from gambling industry marketing strategies. Methods Qualitative focus groups (n = 22) were held with n = 64, 12–17 year olds in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales. Participants were asked to reflect on current gambling policies, particularly relating to marketing, what they thought should be done about gambling marketing, and if and how young people should be included in public health responses to gambling. An interpretivist ‘Big Q’ approach to reflexive thematic analysis was used. Results Young people highlighted the need for more effective regulations around the content and frequency of gambling marketing. They also wanted to see more realistic representations of the negative impacts of gambling to counter persistent positive commercial marketing messages. Most thought that young people should be given an opportunity to have a say about responses to gambling due to their unique experiences. Participants identified mechanisms to increase young people’s engagement in decision making, such as direct lines of communication to different levels of government, involvement in research, and diversifying ways of engagement. Specific recommendations included more regulatory action such as bans on gambling advertising. Conclusions Creating formal structures that facilitate the inclusion of young people’s perspectives in decisions made about gambling can result in more innovative and effective strategies to prevent the harms from gambling industry products, promotions, and practices.

In living history museums, where young people work and volunteer as historically dressed interpreters, participate in field trips, and attend summer camps, young people can simultaneously represent the past, the present and the future. In these spaces, they also shape the past through their questions, their retellings, and their reimaginings based on what matters to them in the present. The paper examines interviews with teen, young adult, and adult heritage interpreters in light of active solidarity and explores how teens and young adults are working to diversify historical narratives, create community, and find joy in these spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an unmet need for mental health policies that are culturally competent, engaging, and equitable for Black youth. This paper describes a youth-adult partnership advisory council approach to identify, assess, and measure the effectiveness of innovative policy solutions to promote Black youth mental health in Georgia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racially and ethnically diverse populations from minoritized backgrounds are often exposed to research methodologies that amplify structural racism and negate their sociocultural reality. Although cross-cultural validation of measures is considered a requisite step to multigroup comparisons, researchers apply measures validated and standardized in the dominant White culture to under-researched populations (without assessing measurement equivalence first). Seeking to align with calls for more culturally sensitive measures, an argument is made to leverage youth participatory approaches in the cross-cultural validation of study instruments. Using an illustrative case study, this paper describes how 16 youth researchers (predominantly Hispanic) partnered with an academic team to examine the validity of the Prosocial Behavior Scale. A new tool, the Key Informant Validity Index, is introduced to determine if items maintain adequate levels of content validity when applied to populations that differ from the original norming and validation study samples. Youth researchers rated items on relevance, clarity and coverage, and use a guided protocol to conduct cognitive interviews with 32 youth participants. Recognizing the inherent challenges of reducing hierarchal power dynamics within youth-adult relationships and/or alleviating insider/outsider tensions across lines of cultural difference, an intentional focus is placed on naming key strategies that facilitated the collaboration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of technology has revolutionized many aspects of human life, including the operation and engagement methods of religious institutions. Historically, church services were confined to physical spaces, limiting congregational engagement to in-person attendance. Traditional worship, involving sermons, hymns, and communal activities, fostered a sense of community and spiritual enrichment. However, declining attendance in traditional settings necessitates the integration of modern digital tools to revitalize worship experiences and engage tech-savvy youth. This study explores the transformative impact of technology on church services, particularly its effectiveness in engaging younger congregants, through a quantitative survey of church leaders, technology experts, and congregants across various denominations. The research examines the adoption and impact of digital innovations such as live-streaming, social media outreach, mobile apps, and multimedia worship formats. Findings highlight enhanced accessibility, participation, and connection, making faith more relevant to younger generations. Challenges such as the potential dilution of spiritual experiences and the digital divide are also identified. Applying the Diffusion of Innovations theory, the study underscores the need for strategic, thoughtful integration of technology that balances modern conveniences with core religious values, bridging generational gaps and ensuring the continued vitality of religious communities in the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on the author's 2023 Western Society of Criminology Paul Tappan Award address on her seminal work with adolescent girls in Flint Michigan. Echoing the major theme from that address, the article focuses on the need for practitioners and academics to collaborate and more actively engage in targeting programs relevant to the needs of young women. The Flint study identified great discrepancies between providers and girls regarding program relevancy and effectiveness, underscoring the importance of including adolescent girls' voice in program development and evaluation, which is finally being addressed in contemporary programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport represents an important leisure context for promoting youth development. In particular, sport-based youth development (SBYD) initiatives have emerged to offer programming informed by theory rather than assumptions regarding the "power of sport". While the importance of theory is well established in SBYD research, critical perspectives remain relatively underutilized. The purpose of this study was to analyze the sport pedagogy of six urban SBYD initiatives that work with youth from underserved communities in Belgium. Through a multiple case study approach, data were generated from focus groups, interviews, and observations. The Youth Engagement Continuum (YEC) framework was utilized to analyze data through a deductive thematic analysis. Findings indicate that the SBYD initiatives focused primarily on youth development categories of the YEC, with less engagement with more politicized and actionable elements of youth engagement. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed to inform SBYD initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Introduction Engaging youth in mental health research and intervention design has the potential to improve their relevance and effectiveness. Frameworks like Roger Hart's ladder of participation, Shier's pathways to participation and Lundy's voice and influence model aim to balance power between youth and adults. Hart's Ladder, specifically, is underutilized in global mental health research, presenting new opportunities to examine power dynamics across various contexts. Drawing on Hart's ladder, our study examined youth engagement in mental health research across high‐ and middle‐income countries using Internet‐based technologies, evaluating youth involvement in decision‐making and presenting research stages that illustrate these engagements. Methods We conducted a directed content analysis of youth engagement in the study using primary data from project documents, weekly AirTable updates and discussions and interviews with youth and the research consortium. Using Hart's Ladder as a framework, we describe youth engagement along rungs throughout different research stages: cross‐cutting research process, onboarding, formative research and quantitative and qualitative study designs. Results Youth engagement in the MindKind study fluctuated between Rung 4 (‘Assign, but informed’) and Rung 7 (‘Youth initiated and directed’) on Hart's Ladder. Engagement was minimal in the early project stages as project structures and goals were defined, with some youth feeling that their experiences were underutilized and many decisions being adult‐led. Communication challenges and structural constraints, like tight timelines and limited budget, hindered youth engagement in highest ladder rungs. Despite these obstacles, youth engagement increased, particularly in developing recruitment strategies and in shaping data governance models and the qualitative study design. Youth helped refine research tools and protocols, resulting in moderate to substantial engagement in the later research stages. Conclusion Our findings emphasize the value of youth–adult partnerships, which offer promise in amplifying voices and nurturing skills, leadership and inclusiveness of young people. Youth engagement in project decision‐making progressed from lower to higher rungs on Hart's Ladder over time; however, this was not linear. Effective youth engagement requires dynamic strategies, transparent communication and mutual respect, shaping outcomes that authentically reflect diverse perspectives and mental health experiences. Patient or Public Contribution There was substantial patient and public involvement in this study. This paper reports findings on youth engagement conducted with 35 young people from India, South Africa and the United Kingdom, all of whom had lived experience of mental health challenges. Youth engagement in the MindKind study was coordinated and led by three professional youth advisors (PYAs) in these contexts, who were also young people with lived experience of mental health challenges. Each of the three study sites embedded a full‐time, community‐based PYA within their study team to inform all aspects of the research project, including the development of informational materials and the facilitation of Young People's Advisory Group (YPAG) sessions referenced in this paper. Each PYA also consulted with a site‐specific YPAG that met bi‐monthly throughout the project, shaping the formation of study materials and serving as a test group in both the quantitative and qualitative studies. Youth participants in this study also contributed extensively, engaging in data collection and manuscript writing. The following youth advisory panels members (J.B., L.B., D.O.J., M.V.) and all PYAs (E.B., S.R., R.S.) in the MindKind study contributed to the writing of this manuscript and are acknowledged as co‐authors.

Humanity may be thought of as a vernacular house of handmade rooms, some shackled, some finely crafted, some patched and repurposed and some clean and empty, waiting. Some spaces have high ceilings filled with music that echoes off stone walls or wooden planks; some are warm with familiar smells of bread baking, while others are underground, cold or hot and dirty. How can I feel love inside myself with all the chaos swirling around outside the body? Can I feel what I give and keep giving without measure? If catastrophe is everywhere, in all time what can art do to bring communities together?

Background: The underrepresentation of BIPOC youth in the fields of public health, medicine, and research may be a factor contributing to the disproportionate rates of health disparities in BIPOC communities. In 2004, the Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce, commissioned by the White House and led by the United States Health and Human Services, recommended efforts to increase the number of minority professionals in the aforementioned fields as necessary for addressing racial and ethnic health disparities. More recently, over 240 municipalities in the United States have declared “racism a public health crisis”. This national declaration links racism directly to public health disparities, thus calling for a public health response. The Flint Public Health Youth Academy (FPHYA) provides an effective model of youth engagement steeped in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). FPHYA was created based on a dissertation study designed to explore the motivators for engagement of African American and other minority students into careers in public health and its six recommendations. Methods: The FPHYA Model described in this article uses a case study of the Flint Water Crisis to assess and explore effective youth engagement models for public health. This model is rooted in the Continuum of Community Engagement and Youth Empowerment Theory and explores FPHYA’s contribution of youth voice in operationalizing racism as a public health crisis.

Purpose: There are various ways to integrate the lived experiences and perspectives of youth and young adults into Maternal Child Health (MCH) goals, initiatives, and programs. This article describes the history, evolution, and current strategy of a program that engages youth from across the state of Wisconsin. It serves as an example for others who may be interested in building capacity for youth leadership and engagement. Description: The Providers and Teens Communicating for Health (PATCH) Program started as a community-based pilot project and evolved into a robust statewide youth engagement infrastructure. Conclusion: Meaningful youth engagement requires capacity, adaptability, and expertise. Thus, in this case, it has proven advantageous to develop complementary and mutually beneficial partnerships to support adolescent health more effectively and efficiently in Wisconsin. Significance: Many state public health entities and partner organizations acknowledge the important role youth have in shaping and strengthening Maternal and Child Health (MCH) efforts, yet the structure and process for which they are involved varies. In Wisconsin, the Providers and Teens Communicating for Health (PATCH) Program serves as an external partner and statewide hub for youth engagement expertise, programming, and connection. This article describes PATCH's evolvement and current approach to ensure Wisconsin youth have input on the programs, policies, and decisions impacting them and their generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the experience and impact of intersectional stigma experienced by rural young people (15–25 years) who have a parent with mental health challenges. The StigmaBeat project employed a co-design approach to create short films to identify and challenge mental health stigma from the perspective of young people who have experienced this phenomenon. The aim of this paper is to describe the co-design methodological approach used in StigmaBeat, as an example of a novel participatory project. We describe one way that co-design can be employed by researchers in collaboration with marginalised young people to produce films aimed at reducing mental health stigma in the community. Through describing the processes undertaken in this project, the opportunities, challenges, and tensions of combining community development methods with research methods will be explored. Co-design with young people is a dynamic and engaging method of collaborative research practice capable of harnessing lived experience expertise to intervene in social issues and redesign or redevelop health services and policies. The participatory approach involved trusting and implementing the suggestions of young people in designing and developing the films and involved creating the physical and social environment to enable this, including embedding creativity, a critical element to the project's methodological success. Intensive time and resource investment are needed to engage a population that is often marginalised in relation to stigma discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the multiple and contradictory depictions of young people in youth policy and reflects on how youth engagement is constructed in Australian Federal and State policy. In this journal, researchers have been challenged to critically reflect on ‘figures of youth' (Threadgold, 2020) and we take up this challenge and consider how and why ‘figures of youth' are deployed in Australian youth policy. Drawing on an environmental scan of youth policy documents published between 2014-2021, we analyse the ways young people's voices are positioned to legitimate policy claims about what is required to help young people in Australia across multiple domains. Despite the apparent agreement among policy-makers that youth consultation is important in the policy development process, our scan points to a wide variety of interpretations of what ‘youth voice' might look like, how young people participate, and how their contributions are actually utilised. We argue that the persistence and frequent emergence of particular ‘figures of youth’ throughout Australian youth policy reflects the endurance of adult-centric interpretations of youth, and the partial and superficial procedures that claim to engage with young people, but which ultimately privilege the interests of other agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The underrepresentation of BIPOC youth in the fields of public health, medicine, and research may be a factor contributing to the disproportionate rates of health disparities in BIPOC communities. In 2004, the Sullivan Commission on Diversity in the Healthcare Workforce, commissioned by the White House and led by the United States Health and Human Services, recommended efforts to increase the number of minority professionals in the aforementioned fields as necessary for addressing racial and ethnic health disparities. More recently, over 240 municipalities in the United States have declared "racism a public health crisis". This national declaration links racism directly to public health disparities, thus calling for a public health response. The Flint Public Health Youth Academy (FPHYA) provides an effective model of youth engagement steeped in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). FPHYA was created based on a dissertation study designed to explore the motivators for engagement of African American and other minority students into careers in public health and its six recommendations. Methods: The FPHYA Model described in this article uses a case study of the Flint Water Crisis to assess and explore effective youth engagement models for public health. This model is rooted in the Continuum of Community Engagement and Youth Empowerment Theory and explores FPHYA's contribution of youth voice in operationalizing racism as a public health crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people's skills and attitudes must be observed, studied and evaluated in order to create appropriate models that would serve an educational purpose. In this paper, we propose a decision-making model with the aim to detect certain attitudinal and behavioral patterns of actively engaged young people. The data used in this research resulted from a questionnaire drawn up by a group of researchers from six European countries with the aim to investigate the youth's awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals and their engagement as active agents of development and change at regional level. For the purpose of this study, we selected the regional results obtained from administering this questionnaire in Dolj County (Romania) and La Rioja (Spain). We developed a neutrosophic model that determines the Mindchanger profile of the respondents based on a minimal set of questions, which is dependent on the inclusion or exclusion of the nationality-specific traits. The resulting decisions were then compared with the respondents' self-evaluations, yielding high precisions (more than 0.83) for all the investigated evaluation scenarios. Our results were significantly better than the ones provided by several machine learning models applied on the same set of data. A direct impact of our model is that it can be applied to questionnaires which include linguistic responses that express, among others, unclear or vague thoughts. Additionally, it offers the possibility to identify the minimal set of questions that impact the respondent's answer choice to a target question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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EDIFY (Eating Disorders: Delineating Illness and Recovery Trajectories to Inform Personalised Prevention and Early Intervention in Young People) is an ambitious research project aiming to revolutionise how eating disorders are perceived, prevented and treated. Six integrated workstreams will address key questions, including: What are young people's experiences of eating disorders and recovery? What are the unique and shared risk factors in different groups? What helps or hinders recovery? How do the brain and behaviour change from early- to later-stage illness? How can we intervene earlier, quicker and in a more personalised way? This 4-year project, involving over 1000 participants, integrates arts, design and humanities with advanced neurobiological, psychosocial and bioinformatics approaches. Young people with lived experience of eating disorders are at the heart of EDIFY, serving as advisors and co-producers throughout. Ultimately, this work will expand public and professional perceptions of eating disorders, uplift under-represented voices and stimulate much-needed advances in policy and practice.

Background: Youth engagement in research, wherein youth are involved in the research beyond mere participation as human subjects, is growing and becoming more popular as an approach to research. However, systematic and deliberate theory‐building has been limited. We conducted a systematic review to identify and synthesize theories, models and frameworks that have been applied in the engagement of youth in health research, including mental health. Methods: Six academic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL) and the grey literature were searched for relevant studies. Citation tracking was conducted through ancestry and descendancy searches. The final search was completed on 7 February 2023. Findings were summarized in a narrative synthesis informed by principles of hermeneutic analysis and interpretation. Reporting of results is in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses) 2020 Statement. Results: Of the 1156 records identified, 16 papers were included, from which we extracted named theories (n = 6), implicit theories (n = 5) and models and frameworks (n = 20) used for youth engagement in health research. We identified theories that were explicitly stated and surfaced theories that were more implicitly suggested. Models and frameworks were organized into four categories based on their principal features: power‐focused (n = 8), process‐focused (n = 7), impact‐focused (n = 3) and equity‐focused (n = 2). Few frameworks (n = 5) were empirically tested in health‐related research. Conclusions: The state of theoretical development in youth engagement in research is still evolving. In this systematic review, we identified theories, models and frameworks used for youth engagement in health research. Findings from this systematic review offer a range of resources to those who seek to develop and strengthen youth engagement in their own research. Patient or Public Contribution: Youth engaged as patients in the research were not involved in planning or conducting the systematic review. However, youth researchers in their early to mid‐20s led the planning, implementation and interpretation of the review. As part of subsequent work, we formed a youth advisory board to develop a youth‐led knowledge mobilization intended for an audience of youth with lived experience of being engaged as patients in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participation of young people in agriculture is crucial in generating job opportunities and fostering the growth of agri-food systems in developing countries, particularly in Africa. This study aims to provide an in-depth review of existing studies on young people's perceptions and factors influencing their participation in agribusiness. Additionally, the study aims to investigate the impact of the skill training intervention on youth engagement in agribusiness. The study also identifies and analyzes the constraints that hindered their engagement. The PRISMA guideline was followed to analyze 57 studies across Sub-Saharan Africa. Studies published from 2012 to 2022 were retrieved from various digital libraries, such as Google Scholar, Emerald Insight, Taylor & Francis Online, Wiley Online Library, and Science Direct. The review findings highlight that many young people in Africa view agriculture as a profitable industry and a means of subsistence. However, it was also observed that there are divergent opinions regarding agribusiness among young individuals. Factors such as access to finance, education, skills training, perceived social support, and prior experience in farming emerged as critical determinants influencing their decision to engage in agribusiness. Moreover, the study reveals that skill training programs positively impact youth participation in agribusiness. These interventions enhance their skills, increasing productivity, income, and employment opportunities. Nevertheless, access to finance and other essential resources, such as land and extension support, were identified as significant barriers to the involvement of young people in agribusiness. In order to promote the advancement of agri-food systems in Africa through youth participation, youth policies must prioritize access to various resources, including but not limited to capital, education, skills training, land, extension support, social support, mentoring, and private-sector involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is a global hotspot for irrigation-induced groundwater withdrawal, leading to widespread lowering of water levels, in turn resulting in disproportionate access to irrigation supplies among farming communities. Efforts to mitigate the situation, however, have fallen short, largely due to technocentric vision (e.g. microirrigation adoption) of the regulatory authorities (RAs), which does little to integrate the vast groundwater-dependent socioecologies with the decision making system. In view of that, we invite the RAs to deliberate upon a cap-and-trade mechanism that proposes to mobilize the farmers at every aspect of planning and execution, while to tackling multiple challenges simultaneously: (a) restrict groundwater pumping to a pre-defined safe level (cap), (b) creating a shared space/quotas for all to pump (allocation); and (c) making provisions for trade of allocations. The latter further augments farmers' access to groundwater (and irrigation). Using a systematic bibliometric analysis of relevant world literature and contextual appraisal of groundwater-irrigation landscape in India, we develop a conceptual framework of cap-and-trade in three parts. In the first Pre-implementation stage, we emphasize a reality check study to assess ground conditions, if favorable for a cap-and-trade approach (existing social, economic, institutional circumstances). Next, in the Implementation stage, (1) we recommend an integrated hydrogeological-hydrometeorological modeling to determine flexible capping arrangements, with the possibility of delineating certain priority regions (coastal ecosystems); (2) for allocations, a reasonable fraction of the cap over a defined period; we envision a thoroughly participatory arrangement, centering on four action areas: identifying, informing, consulting, and involving the farmers, alongside all stakeholders engaged in the groundwater-irrigation decision making; (3) for trade, we urge the RAs to create win-win situations for both the sellers and buyers; develop the transaction protocols on certain foundational principles (e.g. simplicity, transparency and consistency); strengthening of local institutions, and development of targeted financial support schemes. We consider the third part of the narrative, Post-implementation stage, as a real game changer, comprising of a monitoring, auditing (performance benchmarking) component coupled with multitiered outreach-mentoring drives that demonstrate to the farmers the benefits of becoming part of the cap-and-trade program. Overall, a main motivation to present this research is to shatter the age-old socio-cognitive beliefs/taboos around groundwater pumping (My land, My Water), breaking the hegemony of the water sellers (rich/wealthy large landholder clans), to potentially, create a social norm whereby the farmers realize the value of restricting groundwater pumping and sharing for mutual prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EDIFY (Eating Disorders: Delineating Illness and Recovery Trajectories to Inform Personalised Prevention and Early Intervention in Young People) is an ambitious research project aiming to revolutionise how eating disorders are perceived, prevented and treated. Six integrated workstreams will address key questions, including: What are young people's experiences of eating disorders and recovery? What are the unique and shared risk factors in different groups? What helps or hinders recovery? How do the brain and behaviour change from early- to later-stage illness? How can we intervene earlier, quicker and in a more personalised way? This 4-year project, involving over 1000 participants, integrates arts, design and humanities with advanced neurobiological, psychosocial and bioinformatics approaches. Young people with lived experience of eating disorders are at the heart of EDIFY, serving as advisors and co-producers throughout. Ultimately, this work will expand public and professional perceptions of eating disorders, uplift under-represented voices and stimulate much-needed advances in policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engagement in youth programs is a potential means to promote health and well-being across populations of young people. Safer spaces in these youth programs are likely critical in fostering positive health outcomes, but current research on the links between safer spaces and health is limited. In this exploratory study, we examined links between program safety in youth development programs and minoritized status, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychosomatic health complaints. Participants (N  = 282; Mean age = 16.97 years; SD = 2.97) self-identified across various minority status groups, including LGBTQ (30%) and a range of perceived income levels. We tested a statistical model in which safer spaces, LGBTQ status and perceived income predicted HRQoL and health complaints in youth development program participants. LGBTQ status and lower perceived income were related to lower HRQoL and more health complaints, and safer space in youth development programs was related to better HRQoL. We also found an interaction effect, such that safer spaces in youth programs appeared to be especially beneficial for HRQoL for youth with higher incomes. Findings reinforce past research on LGBTQ status and income as factors for youth wellness and mental health. Findings also suggest that perceived safer spaces in youth development programs support better HRQoL and lower health complaints, across populations of participating youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background As a subfield of prevention science, substance use prevention researchers and professionals are increasingly focused on translating research into practice, developing the workforce of prevention specialists, and creating a robust prevention infrastructure. One critical need for professional development among the substance use prevention workforce is training and technical assistance around how to include young people in developing, implementing, and evaluating substance use prevention programs. Main body Amplifying youth voices can increase the quality and responsiveness of youth prevention research and practice, as well as hasten and improve the translation of prevention interventions into practice while also benefiting youth themselves. Yet, youth engagement is multi-layered and nuanced. Training prevention professionals who work with youth in youth development and youth/adult partnerships is critical to support meaningful youth engagement efforts. We assert that the substance use prevention workforce needs at least three specific competencies to engage youth meaningfully in prevention: 1) understand adolescent development and the core elements of youth-adult partnerships; 2) apply this knowledge to program design and practice; and 3) implement relational practices to share power with young people. Conclusion Incorporating the insights of young people can improve substance use prevention. The substance use prevention workforce should be supported in developing competencies to meaningfully engage youth. These competencies require training, and resources must be devoted to support appropriate training.

Abstract Introduction Recognition of the importance of youth engagement in youth mental health and/or addiction (MHA) service design and delivery is increasing. Youth Advisory Councils embedded in MHA organizations represent one strategy that allows youth to be involved in MHA at the individual, organization and systemic levels. This level of involvement can facilitate positive outcomes for both the youth and the organization. As these councils become more common, it is important that organizations are prepared to partner with the participating youth. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach to understand the motivations and expectations of youth with lived experience with MHA concerns who were beginning to work on a Youth Advisory Council in an MHA setting in the Greater Toronto Area. Methods Semistructured interviews were conducted with each youth, ages 16–26, on the advisory council (N = 8) to understand their motivations, expectations and goals coming into the work. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Results Analysis resulted in five overarching themes: providing opportunities for youth learning and growth, platforming youth, empowering youth, embracing youth leadership and promoting youth‐driven change. The findings illustrate that these youth came into the Youth Advisory Council motivated to create positive change in the mental health system, take on leadership roles and had high expectations for organizational support. Our analyses provide insight for organizations planning and implementing Youth Advisory Councils in the MHA sector with the goal of best supporting youth in driving positive change across the system. Conclusion Youth want to be provided authentic opportunities for their engagement to make a difference. MHA organizations must embrace youth leadership and move towards listening to youth experience and acting on youth recommendations to enhance service design and implementation to improve access and to better meet the needs of youth utilizing these services. Patient or Public Contributions This study incorporated service users, including youth ages 16–26 with lived experience of MHA concerns who served on the Youth Advisory Council at the Family Navigation Project, Sunnybrook. Youth Advisory Council members contributed to two relevant research activities: (1) youth reviewed the draft interview guide before data collection, and their feedback was prioritized in the final version and (2) youth contributed to knowledge translation through contributing to academic conference presentations.

Abstract Background Pediatric trials are possible through voluntary participation of children, youth (age ≤ 18 years), and their families. Despite important arguments for trialists to provide trial progress or results, and evidence that participants desire it, this information remains rarely shared with youth and their families. Little guidance exists on how trialists can best communicate trial results back to participants and their families. Guided by Liabo et al.’s framework, we describe how we developed a pediatric-specific, “plain language summary” clinical trial results template called CommuniKIDS with an adult patient partner, family partner (parent), youth advisors, and parent advisors, taking into account their unique knowledge needs and preferences. Main text Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) was integrated in the development of the CommuniKIDS template. In collaboration with Clinical Trials Ontario, we used a generic trial results template as a starting point. The core project leadership team included a patient partner and a family partner from project inception to completion. Five youth (ages 13–18 years) and eight parent advisors were consulted at each point of the development process through three virtual workshops conducted separately; youth workshops were led by a youth facilitator. During these workshops, advisors agreed on the importance and value of sharing trial results, and expressed their preferences on content, format, and timing of sharing trial results. PPI-led improvements included the addition of three new sections to the CommuniKIDS template: “at a glance,” “side effects,” and “next steps.” We reflect on our PPI strategy in the context of five “values” and six “practicalities” identified as good PPI principles, and summarize lessons learned when collaborating with youth and families from this project. Conclusion Involvement of a patient partner, a family partner, youth advisors, and parent advisors in the development of CommuniKIDS was critical to create a clinical trial results template that is useful and relevant to its end-users. To our knowledge, CommuniKIDS is the first to meaningfully engage youth and parents as advisors and partners in developing a plain language summary results template for pediatric trial participants and their families. Our experience of co-developing CommuniKIDS demonstrates that meaningful PPI can be achieved in trial results communication and knowledge translation practices. This report provides resources for those seeking to involve youth and families in their initiatives and in meaningfully sharing trial results.

More young people are living in the world than ever before, 90% of whom reside in low and middle income countries (LMICs). To address their needs, it is critical to have sustainable youth engagement when determining policy and to advance effective implementation of youth-focused interventions. Youth Community Advisory Boards (CABs) are a sustainable mechanism to achieve this goal. This paper describes engagement with youth CAB members across four locations in Tanzania. To set youth CAB meeting agendas and priorities, we asked youth CAB members to write (using free text) the top five challenges faced by young people in their communities (highest to lower priority). The Google Forms survey link was presented at the May 2023 youth CAB meeting and disseminated through WhatsApp. The survey was completed by smartphone, tablet, or paper provided to the youth liaison for data entry. Results were translated from Swahili to English and coded using excel. Findings were then presented back to the youth CABs at the September 2023 meeting. At that meeting, youth CAB members were then asked to write (free text) potential solutions to the most commonly described challenges. The surveys had response rates of 90% (84/93) for challenges and 78% (71/93) for solutions. The number one reported challenge was unemployment and financial instability (45%). Gender based violence (13%), sexual reproductive health issues (8%), and alcohol and drug use (8%) were in the top four both by priority and frequency of report. Other important challenges included physical and mental health, malnutrition, relationships, education, and societal and environmental norms, among others. Solutions included job creation, improved education, expanded legal systems, youth-friendly health care services, and increased social support through peer networks and community support. The National Accelerated Action and Investment Agenda for Adolescent Health and Wellbeing (NAIA-AHW) 2021/22-2024/25 includes most, but not all, of these top challenges and solutions. Ensuring young people have a seat at the policy table is critical to effective youth-empowerment in health and other related programs. Including a youth CAB member to represent this collective in youth-related government activities is a sustainable model to achieve this goal.

Abstract Background Youth engagement in research, wherein youth are involved in the research beyond mere participation as human subjects, is growing and becoming more popular as an approach to research. However, systematic and deliberate theory‐building has been limited. We conducted a systematic review to identify and synthesize theories, models and frameworks that have been applied in the engagement of youth in health research, including mental health. Methods Six academic databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL) and the grey literature were searched for relevant studies. Citation tracking was conducted through ancestry and descendancy searches. The final search was completed on 7 February 2023. Findings were summarized in a narrative synthesis informed by principles of hermeneutic analysis and interpretation. Reporting of results is in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses) 2020 Statement. Results Of the 1156 records identified, 16 papers were included, from which we extracted named theories (n = 6), implicit theories (n = 5) and models and frameworks (n = 20) used for youth engagement in health research. We identified theories that were explicitly stated and surfaced theories that were more implicitly suggested. Models and frameworks were organized into four categories based on their principal features: power‐focused (n = 8), process‐focused (n = 7), impact‐focused (n = 3) and equity‐focused (n = 2). Few frameworks (n = 5) were empirically tested in health‐related research. Conclusions The state of theoretical development in youth engagement in research is still evolving. In this systematic review, we identified theories, models and frameworks used for youth engagement in health research. Findings from this systematic review offer a range of resources to those who seek to develop and strengthen youth engagement in their own research. Patient or Public Contribution Youth engaged as patients in the research were not involved in planning or conducting the systematic review. However, youth researchers in their early to mid‐20s led the planning, implementation and interpretation of the review. As part of subsequent work, we formed a youth advisory board to develop a youth‐led knowledge mobilization intended for an audience of youth with lived experience of being engaged as patients in research.

The relevance of youth engagement in climate change adaptation lacks critical investigations in previous studies from Sub-Saharan Africa. To bridge the knowledge gap, this study used a mixed research design to collect and analyse data from youth respondents (n = 105) aged between 15 and 35 within an agro-pastoral community in Naitolia village in Monduli district, Arusha region of Tanzania, East Africa. Direct field observations, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and questionnaire surveys were used to collect primary data. Internet searches, library exploration, and desk reviews of published and unpublished information aided researchers in collecting ideal secondary data. Qualitative data deployed thematic content analysis, while quantitative data used descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.Approximately 95.2% of respondents were aware of the negative impacts of climate change on rural livelihoods in the study area. Some 87.6% of local youth actively engaged in climate change adaptation implicit and indigenously-led interventions that enhance adaptive capacities and livelihood resilience. Almost 88.6% of respondents confirmed a stronger relevance of youth engagement to climate change adaptation. The explicit and one-size-fits-all strategic interventions on adaptation were found inconsistent, competing, mismatched, misaligned and unpopular, benefiting only 16.2% of respondents. Respondents confirmed tokenism, reluctance, dissatisfaction, anxiety, misinformation, mistrust, low self-esteem, resentment, dissent, dislike and mismatched youth engagement in explicit interventions. Lastly, not all predictors had positive significance on the relevance of youth engagement to climate change adaptation. Only crop farming, mixed livelihoods activities, and the primary level of education significantly predicted the relevance of youth to climate change adaptation. The study recommends an inevitable paradigm shift to acknowledge, support, and mainstream indigenously led and modern adaptation potentials to enhance youth engagement and livelihood resilience.

Youth engagement in agribusiness is increasingly recognized as an important strategy to create employment opportunities, particularly for young people themselves and for the development of agri-/food systems in Africa. The non-participation among youth in the agri-/food business sector may be because of their various perceptions. The objective of this study is to review studies on the perception, interest and participation of youth in agribusiness in the various countries in Africa. The youth in Africa mostly have a negative perception with regard to agriculture. This influences their intention and participation in Agriculture. There is a lack of access to land; finance; technology; and education and skills in agribusiness. There are however mixed findings on access to finance and its influence on the engagement of the youth in agriculture. More studies should look at the influence of access to finance and other resources on youth engagement in agriculture. Further studies should look at the perception, intention and participation of the youth in agribusiness.

Background: As a subfield of prevention science, substance use prevention researchers and professionals are increasingly focused on translating research into practice, developing the workforce of prevention specialists, and creating a robust prevention infrastructure. One critical need for professional development among the substance use prevention workforce is training and technical assistance around how to include young people in developing, implementing, and evaluating substance use prevention programs. Main body: Amplifying youth voices can increase the quality and responsiveness of youth prevention research and practice, as well as hasten and improve the translation of prevention interventions into practice while also benefiting youth themselves. Yet, youth engagement is multi-layered and nuanced. Training prevention professionals who work with youth in youth development and youth/adult partnerships is critical to support meaningful youth engagement efforts. We assert that the substance use prevention workforce needs at least three specific competencies to engage youth meaningfully in prevention: 1) understand adolescent development and the core elements of youth-adult partnerships; 2) apply this knowledge to program design and practice; and 3) implement relational practices to share power with young people. Conclusion: Incorporating the insights of young people can improve substance use prevention. The substance use prevention workforce should be supported in developing competencies to meaningfully engage youth. These competencies require training, and resources must be devoted to support appropriate training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Lived experience adaptation of mental health interventions can help ensure that the intervention is appropriate for the target population. This paper describes a youth‐led adaptation of a self‐stigma reduction intervention for young adults with bipolar spectrum disorders, that is, Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy. Methods: Standard guidelines for youth engagement were followed. A youth lived experience adaptation lead and a five‐member youth lived experience advisory panel reviewed the intervention and made a number of adaptations to increase its relevance for young people with bipolar disorders. A brief evaluation of the engagement process was conducted. Results: The primary adaptations made to the intervention fell into five areas: (1) wording revisions for recovery‐oriented language accessible to youth with a wide variety of language and literacy levels; (2) updating and tailoring to the diagnostic category, with the addition of new quotes describing the lived experience of stigma; (3) integration of a new, engaging graphic design; (4) development of a goal‐setting module, as recommended by the research team; and (5) identification of the role of a peer co‐facilitator. An evaluation of the engagement process showed that the engagement was extremely meaningful for the youth engaged. Conclusions: Using a youth lived experience adaptation process, young people can make relevant, important changes to a psychosocial intervention. The resulting early intervention materials are research‐ready and are hypothesized to meet the needs of young people with BD in a youth‐friendly manner. Research on the acceptability, efficacy, and effectiveness of the newly adapted intervention will be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth and children's lived experiences are rarely considered in studies seeking to improve or evaluate their mental health care. We conducted a scoping review to identify approaches to child, adolescent, and youth engagement in mental health studies as well as study‐reported barriers, constraints, and facilitators to engagement. Method: We systematically searched six electronic databases for literature. We included studies of mental health care service design, development, or evaluation that involved engagement of children, adolescents, and/or youth with mental disorders or who intentionally self‐harm. Studies could be of any design as long as patient engagement was used at any point during its design and/or conduct. Engagement could include co‐designing health services/interventions and/or participating as a co‐researcher. We assessed the reporting of patient engagement using the Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public 2 Long‐Form (GRIPP2‐LF) checklist and used the Experience Based Co‐design (EBCD) framework to guide data extraction and analysis. Results: Sixteen articles were included in the review. Most studies used engagement to develop or adapt a mental health service (75%) and utilized a participatory or co‐design approach (69%). Participants were namely adolescents and youth (aged 10–24 years) with some studies including young adults (up to 29 years old). Most studies followed less than 50% of the EBCD framework, and the commonly reported study barriers were related to aspects addressed in EBCD: time restrictions, recruitment, and generalizability. Frequently reported study facilitators included study methodology, youth engagement, and having a diverse participant sample. Conclusions: Findings from this review suggest that the EBCD framework is not commonly used to guide patient engagement in studies of mental health care services. Future initiatives should consider following the framework to ensure meaningful evaluation and improvements to youth and children's mental health care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although U.S. adolescent birth rates in general have declined in recent decades, they continue to be a primary public health concern due to notable disparities among adolescent birth rates. In response, pregnancy prevention program development has increasingly focused on understanding how to better serve the needs of adolescents in underserved populations. To inform future program development and implementation efforts, this qualitative study explored which attributes of programs facilitated and hindered youth engagement. We collected data from educators (N = 43) and a subset of youth program participants (N = 249) from programs implemented by 14 organizations in different community-based settings. We used three data collection methods: (1) post-session surveys completed by educators, (2) post-program implementation interviews with educators, and (3) individual and focus group interviews with youth participants. Qualitative analyses revealed that educators who skillfully facilitated interactive activities and safe and inclusive learning environments promoted engagement. Feeling uncomfortable and awkward during program activities, learning in mixed-gender settings, and COVID-19 disruptions hindered engagement. Additionally, we found that youth participants had conflicting views on learning about sexual relationships at churches. Participants and educators had conflicting views on the benefit of youth attending programs with previously acquainted friends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]