Youth leadership in the global mental health sector: Insights from the #MHForAll Webinar
In this webinar, our expert panellists explored the leadership strategies employed by youth-led organisations in Nigeria, Vietnam, the Caribbean, and Indonesia. They discussed the intersectionality of mental health and the importance of amplifying youth voices in driving mental health change globally.
Panellists:
Shadille Estepan - Born This Way Foundation (Chair)
Hauwa Ojeifo - She Writes Woman
Ashley Lashley - The Ashley Lashley Foundation
Viet Trinh - Lighthouse Social Enterprise
Chelsea Jordan - Let’s Unpack It
Margianta Juhanda Dinata - Emancipate Indonesia
Replay the session:
Session notes:
Nigeria: A Movement for Mental Health
In Nigeria, a collective movement emerged, giving voice to long-neglected mental health issues. Led by the youth, this movement aimed to critically examine every aspect of the Nigerian Bill from a human rights perspective. It shared the firsthand accounts of individuals with lived experiences, shedding light on the harmful practices they endured, such as shackling, and emphasizing the need to put an end to such practices. Hauwa Ojeifo of She Writes Women, explained that leveraging the power of social media and storytelling, helped the movement successfully raised awareness and garnered support for its cause. Moreover, it actively sought inclusion in decision-making processes, ensuring adequate representation for youth and those facing mental health challenges.
Vietnam: Lighthouse International's Leadership Strategy
Lighthouse International, an organisation advocating for the mental health of LGBTQIA+ young people and those impacted by HIV in Vietnam, took a youth-led approach to prioritise mental health at every level. The organization worked to include hard-to-reach populations in improving health equity for LGBTQIA+ communities. Lighthouse International prevented tokenism and promoted intersectionality by creating community advisory boards for every project, which included young people with lived experience. Engaging and embedding youth leaders in all layers of the project, including programme design and consultancy, contributed to the success of their initiatives.
Caribbean: A Child and Youth Centred Approach
Ashley, a UNICEF Youth Advocate and Founder of an organisation prioritising youth wellbeing and child and youth-led climate change in the Caribbean, recognised the importance of meaningful youth engagement in advocating for mental health. Research conducted by the Ashley Lashley Foundation revealed that many Caribbean students lived with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and she established a network to address this issue. Young people across the globe can make important contributions to these conversations but require support and funding to propel their ideas and movements. The organisation connected Caribbean youth to their counterparts worldwide, to support with capacity building and recognising the impact of climate change on mental health and physical health.
Barbados: Let's Unpack It's Motto
Let's Unpack It, a youth-led mental health organisation based in Barbados, aimed to bridge the gap between youth and decision-makers in the Caribbean, making mental health a priority for governments. The organisation created a safe space for young people to speak up and united youth from diverse backgrounds to recognise the interconnectedness of mental health with other issues. The goal is to inspire others to take action and ensure universal access to health and wellbeing, including mental health. Chelsea from Let’s Unpack It highlights three key learnings from her advocacy work: The youth want to be heard, the youth want to be included and meaningfully engaged, and the youth want access to proper resources and all that is required to achieve this is a “platform and a listening ear.”
Indonesia: Addressing Intersectionality in Mental Health Advocacy
In Jakarta, Emancipate Indonesia, a youth-led organization focusing on modern-day slavery among young workers, operates with a deep understanding of the intersectionality between mental health and the challenges faced by marginalized communities. The movement passionately advocates for the rights of gig workers, recognizing that their working conditions could significantly affect their mental well-being. Emancipate Indonesia's Margianta explained that care workers cannot support others well when they're “overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated.” Consequently, the movement has placed great emphasis on the importance of prioritising one's mental health to effectively support others in need.
The achievements in mental health advocacy in various parts of the world highlight the power of youth-led movements in driving change. These movements prioritised inclusivity, intersectionality, and amplification of youth voices to achieve their goals. From Nigeria to Indonesia, young leaders took charge of their advocacy, emphasising the importance of mental health in all aspects of life. As these youth leaders continue to inspire change, they remind us that meaningful progress in mental health requires the active involvement of individuals with lived experiences and a commitment to ensure that no decisions were made without considering their perspectives - “nothing about us without us.”
