Nurturing Networks of Resilience: Youth Mental Health

The Nurturing Networks of Resilience: Youth Mental Health Project, funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF), aims to evaluate the prevalence of mental health challenges among a sample of South African youth and develop multi-system interventions involving youth, parents, and teachers based on the findings.

In this project, we are collaborating with Professor Andre Sourander at the University of Turku, Finland, who is coordinating a global study on youth mental health. Participating countries include Argentina, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, China, Finland, Ghana, Iceland, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Uganda. The in-depth survey questionnaire used to collect data was developed by Prof Sourander. Our findings will contribute to this larger multi-country study.

The project’s expected impact includes enhancing interventions and support mechanisms for youth facing mental health challenges. Benefits to the target community include increased awareness, improved access to mental health services, and strengthened resilience among young individuals.