YiPEE: Youth co-Production for sustainable Engagement and Empowerment in health

Objective

The YiPEE project aims to develop, implement and evaluate a multi-component intervention targeting to improve mental health and decrease non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among young people. The intervention focuses on improving inner well-being, social connections, and the environment, using ideas and actions led by youth.

Background

Traditional mental health programs for young people often don't have lasting effects because they focus too much on clinical treatment and see youth as passive recipients. citiesRISE (cR), a global initiative started in 2017, addresses these gaps by working with youth, communities, and experts in many cities and countries to create more effective and scalable mental health solutions.

Strategy

YiPEE combines a school-based program with activities that promote positive changes in how young people feel inside, their relationships, and their surroundings. Young people are involved in shaping and leading the program, working with schools, communities, and other partners.

Evaluation

We will use a mix of research methods to evaluate how well the program works in four locations: Chennai (India), Nairobi (Kenya), Cape Town (South Africa), and Stockholm (Sweden). This includes using realist evaluation to study how, in which conditions and for whom the intervention works (or not). In Chennai, a randomized controlled trial will be conducted to evaluate effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the program in improving mental health and reducing unhealthy behaviors. Case studies in the three other sites will analyze contextualized implementation of the program.

Role of Tampere University

TAU is leading Work Package 3, which focuses on developing implementation strategies for multicomponent YiPEE intervention to improve young people's mental health. Additionally, TAU participates in planning and conducting theory-based workshops to co-design and contextualize multicomponent interventions and implementation strategies. TAU also supports implementation and contributes to the development of evaluation tools and data analysis.

Partners or cooperators

YiPEE is a global project with partners from around the world, including academic and other research organizations and non-governmental organizations working with youth. Each partner brings their own scientific and practical expertise to help build knowledge. The project is rooted in local communities, where young people, researchers, and professionals work together to create change.