www.excellenceforchildandyouth.ca | @CYMH_ONwww.excellenceforchildandyouth.ca | @CYMH_ON

Walking the Talk: Youth Engagement in Mental Health

Presented by: Zac Johnstone & Muna Mohamed

Presented by

Zac JohnstoneYouth Advisor

Muna MohamedYouth Advisor

Acknowledgements

• Before we begin, we would like to acknowledge that we are on un-ceded and un-surrendered. Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), Ojibway/Chippewa, Huron-Wendat, Anishinabek territory

• Thank you for inviting us!• Discussion based and interactive!

About us

We bring people and knowledge together to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of mental health services for children, youth and their families and caregivers.

SERVICE AREA SUPPORT

strengthen skills and knowledge in key areas that lead to improved outcomes

SYSTEM SUPPORT

provide consistent evidence-informed approaches that enhance service planning and delivery

IMPACT AND INNOVATION

inspire excellence and innovation through continuous learning, evolution and innovation

What we’re here for

• Build understanding of Youth Engagement principles in mental health contexts

• Showcase Theory of Change and Centre of Excellence Suite of Youth Engagement Support Services

• Turning to Action – Looking at opening and opportunities for youth engagement

• Youth have a right to be involved in decisions that affect them

• Youth aren’t always getting the help they need• Youth turn to their peers for support• Peers are important partners in stigma reduction• Adolescence is a critical time in development• Youth engagement leads to better health outcomes

for young people, adults, agencies and communities

(CMHA, 2009; YouthNet, 2008; UNCRC, n.d.)

Why youth engagement?

Definition

“Empowering all young people as valuable partners in addressing and making decisions about issues that

affect them personally and/or that they believe to beimportant.”

- The New Mentality

Continuum of engagement

What does engagement look like?

Types of youth engagement

Tokenism Manipulation Decoration

Youth engagement: The benefits

Clinical

•Develops recovery skills

•Strengthens clinical relationships

• Increases active attention in sessions

• Increases quality of session participations

•Reduces depressive symptoms & suicide risk

•Protects against stigma

Personal

• Improves self-confidence

•Builds leadership skills

•Strengthen sense of responsibility

• Improves academics

• Increases physical activity

•Reduces substance use

• Increases critical thinking and sound decision-making

Organizational

•Fosters greater staff commitment

•Strengthens inclusivity and ability to work across diversity

• Increases community outreach and visibility of services

•Build reputation of being committed to youth

•Decreases operational costs

Community

•Strengthens youth-adult relationships

•Develops healthy, capable, active citizens

•Strengthens youth sense of social responsibility

• Increases adult confidence in youth capacity

• Increases adult awareness of youth priorities and needs

Guiding principles

1. Value youth as community assets2. Commit to participatory leadership3. Build authentic relationships4. Strive for health equity5. Meet youth where they’re at6. Use a whole community approach7. Put safety first

Theory of change

Agency readiness

• Get buy in

• Identify resources

• Prepare staff

• Set realistic expectations

• Recruit young people

• Build a team

• Engage communities

• Create youth friendly spaces

• Co-create plans

• Communicate

• Monitor and co-evaluate

Positive youth development

1.Positive spaces

2.Positive relationships

3.Positive opportunities

Openings

1.Treatment

2.Advocacy

3.Research and evaluation

4.Governance and policy

Suite of services

• Youth engagement primer• YE facilitated sessions• YE toolkit: Walking the Talk• Youth consultations• The Dare to Dream program• On-going implementation and content support

through Knowledge Broker and Youth Advisor

Q&A

Dare to Dream – Shameless pitch

• For youth, by youth (18 and under)• Up to $5,000 for mental health initiative in your

school and/or community.

centre@cheo.on.ca613-737-2297

excellenceforchildandyouth.ca

@CYMH_ON

Contact us / Thank you