Mobilizing Grassroots Youth Advocacy for Mental Health with Education Institutions: the Future of Global Social Justice, Community Building, and Youth Flourishing
Our Take on Mental Health Crisis: Grassroots Advocacy By the Youth For Youth Flourishing
It is the worst of times. One in seven young people under 20 is experiencing a mental disorder globally. 18-25-year-olds felt they were worse off across every aspect of well-being: happiness, health, meaning, character, relationships, and financial stability in the US alone. We are in a crisis.
It is the best of times. Youth is smashing mental health stigma. Gen Z is more open to talking about mental health and self-care than any other generation. Youth activism is on the rise. 70% of Gen-Zers today are involved in a social or political cause. 1.4 million global youth participated in a single climate strike. We are taking charge.
To us, activism means something beyond fighting for what we believe in and giving back to the communities that have nurtured us: to advocate is to venture out of our comfort zones, to make connections, and to exercise our agency–the keys to our own flourishing.
This session brought together 10 leading youth advocates in mental health, climate change, and youth empowerment. And we have a dream: to mobilize more grassroots youth for advocacy, thereby, with our own hands, advancing a sustainable globe, engaging our local communities, tackling mental health crises, and bringing flourishing to all youth.
From promoting mental well-being through artistic and musical expressions, to spearheading a month-long campaign against the grip of addictive social media, and from orchestrating dialogues to address climate-induced anxiety, to constructing mental health frameworks within higher education establishments – this session will exhibit our distinctive endeavors in championing youth mental health and advancing sustainable future from a multitude of approaches and perspectives. By recounting our personal trajectories towards becoming advocates, our intention is to demystify youth advocacy, creating a culture where every grassroots community action is recognized, celebrated, and valued as a vital part of youth advocacy.
The initial segment will feature young leaders sharing their personal stories, unique initiatives, and insights gleaned from their advocacy journeys, detailing not only their impactful work but also how they channel their unique passions and strengths to advocacy. In the subsequent panel discussion, we will delve into strategies for galvanizing grassroots youth to champion mental health causes and harnessing the power of educational institutions to facilitate our work, propelling the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal objectives and bringing flourishing to all. This is our take on mental health crises. This is by youth, for you.