Mobilizing Minds: Integrated knowledge translation and youth engagement in the development of mental health information resources

Abstract

High rates of highly persistent mental health problems can have significantly damaging effects on young adults’ lives, and young adults are less likely to seek treatment for such problems. This article describes a unique Canadian knowledge translation project called Mobilizing Minds: Pathways to Young Adult Mental Health, which aimed to impact not only the mental health literacy of young adults, but to engage young adults in the entire research process from inception to dissemination of results. Knowledge translation is a process that involves producing and assessing the quality of the knowledge to be translated and tailoring the knowledge to be user friendly for particular segments of the population. The article gives particular attention to the ways in which the Mobilizing Minds project was influenced by youth engagement. We discuss three aspects: 1) structures, processes and communication; 2) project products; and 3) challenges and responses. Lessons learned specific to intergenerational collaboration will be of interest to youth as consumers of mental health information and services, mental health practitioners, researchers, and decision-makers seeking to improve mental health at a systemic level.Keywords: knowledge translation, young adult, mental health, participatory research, youth engagement, youth-adult partnerships

Engaging Youth in a Mental Health System Improvement Initiative in Ontario: Developing the Be Safe Resource

“…Consistent with their work on other initiatives, mindyourmind helped build understanding of, and capacity for, youth engagement; facilitated relationship development between youth and adults; assisted Collaborative members to gain perspective about their partners' views and cultures; and provided support and guidance to youth members of the Collaborative (Garinger et al, 2016).…”

Conceptualizing Youth Participation in Children’s Health Research: Insights from a Youth-Driven Process for Developing a Youth Advisory Council

“…This partnership, as an alliance between adults and youth, helped us to move toward developing a reciprocal relationship from the beginning, as opposed to a more authoritative one [1]. Such an adult–youth co-learning partnership allowed for the adults to guide the youth, acting as “natural mentors” for the young people, but keeping them at the heart of the decision-making process [58] (p. 173). In other words, we conceptualized a youth-driven process as being directed by youth, with the support of HEAL staff and students, so that the development process itself provided opportunities for mentorship and youth leadership and research skills development [58].…”

Youth partnership in suicide prevention research: moving beyond the safety discourse

“…15 The significant benefits resulting from such partnerships with young people to collaboratively develop and deliver high-quality mental health research [16][17][18] have been widely documented. For the research itself, benefits include improved data collection methods and recruitment strategies, 19 more relevant research objectives enhancing study acceptability, [19][20][21] and facilitating the translation of research findings into practice, therefore, creating real-world impact. 16 For young people with lived or living experience, recent research highlights several benefits, including drawing on their own experience to help and support others, gaining a sense of achievement through the impact of their involvement, as well as personal growth and capacity building.…”