Grant: POR Awards - Transition to Leadership Stream - Phase 2

This study is designed to support youth wellbeing at the population level. This will be accomplished through the evaluation of community-wide efforts and the support of broad social change to promote equity. Two main studies are proposed that engage partners from across Canada: 1) a process evaluation of the Icelandic Prevention Model, and 2) a needs assessment to identify partnership opportunities between the Icelandic Prevention Model and Integrated Youth Services networks. This research will support the following goals: 1.Examine how the Icelandic Prevention Model is implemented in Canada to better understand how and why it works 2.Develop a method to track how the Icelandic Prevention Model is implemented so that we can ensure that it is being applied correctly 3.Collect important information from partners working to implement the Icelandic Prevention Model and Integrated Youth Services networks so that they can collaborate and learn from each other. Through this work, I will partner with young people who have experienced disadvantages that have negatively affected their health. They will be involved in the research design, collecting data and in developing recommendations for policy and practice. Experienced young people who understand how to work in partnerships designed to support youth wellbeing will be involved in leadership roles. Other young people from diverse backgrounds will also be involved in helping to guide the study. This will support their skill development in research as well as advocacy. Through this project, I will work with many organizational partners who collaborate with young people to enhance youth mental health and substance use supports. This includes the Students Commission of Canada, Planet Youth Lanark County, Planet Youth Calgary, Planet Youth NB, the Knowledge Institute for Child and Youth Mental Health, Frayme, Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario, the Alberta IYS, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Ottawa Methods Centre.