Submission ID 118307
| Issue/Objective | Persistent inequities in youth mental health disproportionately affect marginalized communities, notably Black, Indigenous, 2S/LGBTQIA+, and racialized youth. Active living programs represent a promising yet underexplored strategy for enhancing youth resilience and inclusive community leadership. This doctoral research, situated within the CLARITY (Community-Led Action for Resiliency Important Throughout Youth) initiative, investigates how community-driven active living interventions cultivate youth empowerment and amplify youth voices within policies and practices that affect their well-being. The study aligns explicitly with the conference sub-theme "Youth, Gender, and Inclusive Leadership in Global Health" by positioning marginalized youth as critical agents of change in addressing intersecting global crises through resilience-building. |
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| Methodology/Approach | Employing a mixed-methods approach, this research integrates analyses of existing CLARITY project data and Systematic Equity Action-Analysis (SEAA). Next, narrative inquiry via semi-structured interviews will capture youth-led narratives, focusing explicitly on their lived experiences and perspectives regarding connection, leadership, and resilience. Data collection will commence in late 2025, continuing until saturation to authentically represent diverse youth voices. Linking these narratives with Social Return on Investment (SROI) and SEAA methodologies provides a rigorous evaluation of the broader community impacts and equity implications of active living programs. |
| Results | Preliminary analyses indicate community-based active living initiatives substantially improve marginalized youth's sense of belonging, empowerment, and leadership capabilities. Emerging themes underscore enhanced community cohesion, intergenerational solidarity, and improved social climates as direct outcomes. Youth engagement in these programs has demonstrated benefits extending beyond individual participants, influencing familial relationships and broader community interactions. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | This research highlights active living programs as a vital mechanism for cultivating inclusive leadership and resilience among marginalized youth, addressing global health disparities and strengthening community capacity. Findings support integrating youth-centric, culturally responsive active living programs into broader health promotion and educational policies, highlighting their scalability and adaptability within diverse socio-economic contexts. The study advocates for innovative, collaborative approaches emphasizing youth empowerment and leadership, thereby responding effectively to evolving global health challenges and promoting sustainable community resilience. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Shaheer Khan University of British Columbia Shaheer Khan University of British Columbia Katrina Plamondon University of British Columbia |
