Overview
Mental health and substance use are key health concerns for youth in British Columbia. Involving youth in research for these topics improves the development of interventions and solutions. However, youth may not want to engage in mental health and substance use research due to concerns about confidentiality, stigma and other barriers. Researchers may also perceive barriers in finding and working with youth researchers.
For this project, the team identified barriers for youth engagement in mental health and substance use research and recommended solutions for these issues. This was achieved by connecting to youth and researchers through small-group discussion and a World Café, using techniques to help facilitate conversation.
This project was co-led by Dr. Skye Barbic (Head Scientist at Foundry and Associate Professor at University of British Columbia) and Mr. Dan Nixon (Engagement Specialist at Foundry).
Funders
This project was funded by Michael Smith Health Research BC (previously known as the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research) through a Convening and Collaborating grant.