The Youth–in–Mind project dubbed Y-MIND sponsored by the National Institute for Health and Care (NIHR) on the 11th of August 2023 held a meeting with Senior Advisory Members (SAG) and Young People Advisory Members (YPAG) at the Navrongo Health Research Centre to reorient the two groups on their specific roles in the efforts to implement comprehensive models to reduce the severity of anxiety and depression among youth in Ghana and Zimbabwe.
The one-day meeting was which was facilitated by collaborators from Basic Needs Ghana and project coordinators from the Navrongo Health Research Centre focused on co-production model of implementation research, incorporating the invaluable perspectives of individuals with lived experiences of mental illness.
As part of this initiative, two advisory groups have been established, each with specific roles and objectives: the Young People’s Advisory Group and the Family/Community Advisory Group also known as the Senior Advisory Group.
The Young People’s Advisory Group: Giving Youth a Voice
This advisory group, consisting of 5 to 15 members, plays a crucial role in ensuring the research is truly informed by the lived experiences of young individuals. The members are primarily drawn from project sites but also include young personalities of national and international repute in Ghana. This diverse group includes youth aged 15 to 24 who have personal experience with mental disorders or serve as caregivers to individuals with mental health challenges.
The Young People’s Advisory Group provides essential input across various aspects of the research process. They contribute to the design of the research, assist with field activities, monitoring, data collection, and analyses, and play an active role in disseminating the research findings. It is worth noting that this involvement is purely on a consultative basis, with regular meetings scheduled at least semi-annually and as needed. The group also ensures the ethical handling of data collection instruments, reviews documents before they are piloted or rolled out, and participates in project lesson learning review and reflection meetings.
As a way of equipping the Young People’s Advisory Group, a mentorship program has been established to support the development of these young individuals, along with capacity-building activities.
The Family/Community Advisory Group: Enlisting the Power of Communities
The second advisory group, known as the Family/Community Advisory Group, consists of 9 to 15 members and plays an equally vital role in the research project. These members, primarily selected from project sites, include individuals aged 18 to 54 with lived experiences as caregivers for individuals with mental disorders. This group also includes healthcare service providers, community members, and representatives of District Health Management Teams and Village Health Committees.
The Family/Community Advisory Group contributes to the research’s design, field activities, monitoring, data collection, analyses, and dissemination of findings. This involvement, like the Young People’s Advisory Group, is on a consultative basis, with regular meetings scheduled at least semi-annually and as needed. The group ensures that the project Theory of Change is developed and clarified effectively, reviews data collection instruments and data analysis frameworks, and participates in project lesson learning review and reflection meetings.
Through the establishment of these advisory groups, the NIHR Global Health Research Group is taking a groundbreaking step towards involving those with direct experience in the fight against common mental disorders in Ghana and Zimbabwe. By giving a voice to young individuals and families in the research process, this initiative aims to create more effective interventions that truly understand and address the challenges faced by these communities, promoting better mental health outcomes for the future.