Key Features of Youth Mental Health-Friendly Neighborhood
The goal of this project is to co-identify key neighborhood features that contribute to youth mental health through a participatory, community-based approach.
About the Project
Our community-engaged, youth-led research explores how neighbourhood environments affect youth mental health. Emerging evidence shows that access to green spaces, safe public areas, and opportunities for social connection plays a critical role in mental wellbeing. Yet, youth perspectives are rarely included in urban planning decisions.
Through participatory and creative art-based methods, this project empowers young people to share their experiences and co-create practical recommendations for city planners, policymakers, and community leaders.
Goal: Inform inclusive, youth-friendly neighbourhood designs that support mental health and community wellbeing across Saskatchewan.
Our community-engaged, youth-led research explores how neighbourhood environments affect youth mental health. Emerging evidence shows that access to green spaces, safe public areas, and opportunities for social connection plays a critical role in mental wellbeing. Yet, youth perspectives are rarely included in urban planning decisions.
Through participatory and creative art-based methods, this project empowers young people to share their experiences and co-create practical recommendations for city planners, policymakers, and community leaders.
Goal: Inform inclusive, youth-friendly neighbourhood designs that support mental health and community wellbeing across Saskatchewan.
Why It Matters
It matters to us because...
Youth mental health is an urgent concern in Saskatchewan and across Canada. Rising rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide disproportionately affect Indigenous youth and those from marginalized or low-income communities.
Many youth report feeling unsafe, isolated, or disconnected in their own neighbourhoods. By centering youth voices, this project identifies the neighbourhood features that truly support mental health, belonging, and resilience.
The project is structured into four phases, ensuring meaningful engagement and actionable outcomes:
How We Work
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Engaged youth, community organizations (e.g., North Central and Heritage Community Associations, Regina Street Team), Indigenous Elder, two community artists including an Indigenous artist, city officials, and health system partners.
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Co-created research design to ensure youth experiences and community voices guide the project.
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Community artists are co-designing five-day art workshops with youth, trainees (undergraduate students), an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper-in-Residence, and a registered social worker.
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Established an Advisory Council of youth, parents, Knowledge Keeper-in-Residence, community artists, trainees, researchers, policymakers, and community members.
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Hosting skills- and capacity-building workshops to equip the team with skills to work in supportive, safe ways. Please see our workshop series here.
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Youth Art Workshops: Photovoice, digital storytelling, reflective journaling, and land-based activities let youth express how neighbourhoods affect their mental health, safety, and sense of belonging.
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Collaborative Prioritization: Using the Delphi method, youth identify and rank the most important neighbourhood features that support mental health.
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Policy Roundtable: Youth, Knowledge Keeper-in-Residence, community artists, community members, researchers, and city planners co-develop actionable recommendations for mental health-friendly neighbourhoods
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We aim to translate findings into meaningful change through:
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Community Engagement: Public workshops, town halls, storytelling circles, and art exhibitions featuring youth-created work.
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Multi-Platform Dissemination: Website updates, social media, YouTube videos, peer-reviewed publications, infographics, and a documentary film capturing the project journey.
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Policy & Practice Impact: Policy roundtables, presentations to City Council, integration of youth mental health into urban planning guidelines, participatory urban planning modules for students, and a sustainable Youth Advisory Council.
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