Youth vision for more inclusive and meaningful youth participation in mental health policymaking
Voices Unveiled: Youth Perspectives on Mental Health Policy making
We are pleased to showcase artworks on youth mental health policymaking created by five young people in Canada, Kenya, and Bangladesh. Youth well-being and mental health are widely recognized as policy priorities, and youth participation is gaining momentum in Canada and globally. Yet, our previous studies on how children and youth participate in the arena of mental health policymaking identified a lack of diversity among child and youth participants, and that youth often feel frustrated in a tokenized participation process.
As creative arts have the capacity to raise mental health awareness and foster dialogue around difficult issues, we launched a call for youth artwork submission in October 2023. Through this opportunity, young people expressed their vision on more inclusive and meaningful youth participation in mental health policymaking using different mediums. All submitted artworks present the potential of youth’s collective voices and lived experience to push forward youth mental health agenda and promote mental health and well-being. We hope that this collection of submitted artworks inspires you to advocate for political space where voices of young people from a variety of backgrounds are elevated at the decision-making table.
Sakiko Yamaguchi
Postdoctoral researcher, McGill university
Kiakhur Ijaz
Frayme Groundbreaker
Joshua Bell
Frayme Groundbreaker
GALLERY
click to see the full version
Aditi Dhungana
(Canada)
The Uprise
Zirui Li
(Canada)
Embrace Diversity
Jane Waithaka
(Kenya)
A student
John Mark Ochieng
(Kenya)
Youth Vigor
Zaina Alam (Piya)
(Bangladesh)
It's OK to ask for help
Aditi Dhungana
(Canada)
The Uprise
Zirui Li
(Canada)
Embrace Diversity
Jane Waithaka
(Kenya)
A student
John Mark Ochieng
(Kenya)
Youth Vigor
Zaina Alam (Piya)
(Bangladesh)
It's OK to ask for help
A word from the ARTISTS
Aditi Dhungana
(Canada)
1°
The Uprise
How can we make change, if nobody hears, if nobody sees… It’s time for desperately needed change and it starts with us, the youth.
Zirui Li
(Canada)
2°
Embrace Diversity: Community Youth Advisory Board for Mental Health Policies
Every voice matters in empowering youth for mental health awareness across all communities.
Aditi Dhungana
(Canada)
3°
A student
My message is that we should emphasize the importance of inclusivity, compassion and the need to break down stigma surrounding mental health.
John Mark Ochieng
(Kenya)
Youth Vigor
Mental health issues take hold of many young people. Involving the youth in mental health policymaking will yield relevant and much useful result. With the vigour of youth, this involvement will bring strength, and health, and efficiency.
Zaina Alam (Piya)
(Bangladesh)
It's OK to ask for help
In youth mental health policymaking, recognizing the importance of asking for help is essential and we must take necessary and proactive steps to make the current youth generation more comfortable with asking for help.
A word from the ARTISTS
Aditi Dhungana
(Canada)
1°
The Uprise
How can we make change, if nobody hears, if nobody sees… It’s time for desperately needed change and it starts with us, the youth.
Jane Waithaka
(Kenya)
3°
A student
My message is that we should emphasize the importance of inclusivity, compassion and the need to break down stigma surrounding mental health.
John Mark Ochieng
(Kenya)
Youth Vigor
Mental health issues take hold of many young people. Involving the youth in mental health policymaking will yield relevant and much useful result. With the vigour of youth, this involvement will bring strength, and health, and efficiency.
Zirui Li
(Canada)
2°
Embrace Diversity: Community Youth Advisory Board for Mental Health Policies
Every voice matters in empowering youth for mental health awareness across all communities.
Zaina Alam (Piya)
(Bangladesh)
It's OK to ask for help
In youth mental health policymaking, recognizing the importance of asking for help is essential and we must take necessary and proactive steps to make the current youth generation more comfortable with asking for help.
Acknowledgment
We also appreciate support from Frayme, Sonia Lussier,
Rafael Rodrigues, and contributions from Dr. Srividya Iyer,
who conceived and shaped this initiative, and Dr. Mónica Ruiz-Casares
who led the original project of youth participation in mental health policymaking.
Contact
For any inquiries, assistance, or collaborations, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. You can reach us via email at sakiko.yamaguchi@mail.mcgill.ca
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