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The FactsInternet has become the access medium of choice for MH information for youthOften the first point of entry into the MH care systemMulti-modal approach more effective than any one interventionHaas, A, Koestner, B., Rosenberg, J., Morre, D., Garlow, S., Sedway, J., Nicholas, L., Hendin, H., Mann, J., Nemeroff C. (2008) An Interactive web-based method of outreach to college students at risk for suicide. Journal of American Health. 57 (1) Edwards, N., Mill, J., & Kothari, A. (2004). Multiple intervention research programs in community health. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 36(4), 294-305.

Technology has changed everything, multi modal approaches are more effective which includes face to face intervention. All youth regardless of economic situation are online

Who, What We AreMental health engagement program for youth and emerging adultsUse a multi modal approach which includes face to face, web based, mobile, on the streetsInformed by best practice, current evidence and the youth who use, develop and evaluate our resourcesPermission Engagement Practices guide the work

Permission Engagement is a term weve coined to talk about the politics of what we do. Well break that down in a few moments.

Why We Engage Youth in the Development of ProgramsNo choice. Its noisy out there.

Its an Attention Economy.

If you are not relevant you dont exist.

If we want to make an impact we have no choice

Its noisy- youth are faced with millions of distractions and interruptions every day, online, at home, at school in their social circles. As service providers we are competing with those distractions, with the noise.

Attention economy-whoever has the attention winsyouth know that and they know lot of folks are vying for their attention-

Best way to get their attention is to remain relevant because if you dont, you quite simply dont exist.

How We Engage Youth in the Development of a Program

Reflect their Interests and Values

Incorporate Pillars of Youth Culture

Youre relevant when you can reflect their world view- incorporate pillars that they have fully embraced

Incorporate Pillarsof Youth Culture

These Pillars help shape who they are, what they do, how they do itFashionSportsMusicEntertainmentTechnologySocial Advocacy- youth care about civic engagement, equality rights, global climate. They are fearless activists which makes them especially powerful in the fight against stigmastigma associated with mental illness and reaching out for helpThey have the capacity to change the world- and as we saw last november, they have indeed with most arguing that it was the youth vote that brought obama to power

How We Do ItUse of peer-to-peer communicationsVolunteer Street TeamsPeer Driven Social Marketing CampaignsAdvisory Group brainstorming and development sessions to create toolsWebsites and other broadcasting channelsApproximately 5000 hours of volunteer contributions

We could develop a separate presentation around all these components What we are demonstrating here is that we are committed to placing youth at the centre of all things5000 hrs doesnt include the spontaneous submissions we receive and user generated content Of those volunteers 90% are between the ages of 16-24- And 66.6% of our survey respondents are between the ages of 15-29

Permission Engagement

Youth opt in and opt out at any timeMessages are relevant and anticipatedGive good informationBe quiet Listen Ask questions RepeatYouth create and customize the message/resourceThen sit back DONT TRY TO CONTROL ITYouth want information to be free

Permission Engagement calls for a philosophical shiftIts about creating a safety netIts about building trust before you need itAnd acknowledging that youth want to information to be free which is why old paradigms are problematic with this demographic

Old Paradigm

CEO, Board of Directors, Program ManagerEnd User

Old paradigm of program development, Top down approach We can all agree this approach is broken

New Paradigm

End UserShape policy, program planning, delivery, evaluation

New Paradigm inverts the funnel and calls on active youth engagement, to help shape and drive all things

Permission Engagement

YouthPillars of Youth Culture

What permission engagement does is1. Inverts the funnel, youth drive everything from policy to evaluation2. Use mechanisms, language, platforms and tools that reflect their world viewPermission Engagement is about our role as allies and about not trying to control the message so that they can fully integrate the information into their lives. Impact and transformation is what were after.

Flipping the Funnel

We dont stop there we flip it once again and then turn it into a megaphone, giving our youth the opportunity to spread ideas and information about our program and our messages. Giving them the opportunity to fully own it and share it freely.Flipping the funnel also means that it is no longer a vertical progression, top down, bottom up rather it is lateral and out. It is an equalizer.

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Here are mindyourmind volunteers, using their megaphones, within their own communities

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Here are our youth volunteers interviewing their favourite celebrities and bandsThese interviews present unique volunteering opportunities for young people who look to music as a way of balancing the day to day demands in their lives.

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Social networking- kids dont go online to isolate, they go to make new connections and build on old onesOur various broadcasting channels illustrate a multi prong approach The right service at that right time at the right place delivered in the right way

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We use games and entertainment to reach out to them stress management tools like squish em and safety planning tools like alice all jacked up partnering with other agencies

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We invite their participation in the development of promotional materials like these posters that are distributed locally and nationwideThey are provided with parameters around the project, then deliver the message, design the materials, and then distribute within their own networks

Strategic Partnerships and Service Integration

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In 2006 we began getting requests from other organizations to develop tools for them and we quickly realized that we found a niche in our market. It is now our bread and butter. Were not just hitting a local market. We worked with a group of the Dartmouth Hospital , with a Harvard Medical School Paediatrician to create a website for young girls on the issue of health promotion. That website just won a National Award in the States.

Satisfaction Survey74% indicated that the interactive activities taught them something new about themselves and how they cope

81% agree that the website can help them better manage their moods

81% indicated that they are likely to return to the site if they are having a hard time21

Satisfaction surveys tell us that youth like what we are doing

Satisfaction Survey 81% indicated that they are likely to tell a friend about this site

82% surveyed indicated that the site has helped them feel better able to help a friend

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World StatsVisits from over 176 Countries Top Pages ViewedCanada

67% of Canadian Visits are from Ontario

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