We aim to identify active ingredients of school-based mental wellbeing initiatives at high school and in vocational education by actively involving youth. Youth’s mental health is declining, and many interventions have been developed to tackle this decline. However, prior interventions have not yet been organised by three fundamental needs of youth: exploration, having social relationships, and feeling heard. Not all elements of an initiative may work the same way for all youth, therefore, we will investigate what works for whom and why through youth participation. Using a transdisciplinary approach, teachers, mentors, and other stakeholders will also participate to gather diverse perspectives. The project will analyze how key components of these interventions can empower youth and improve their mental well-being. Additionally, we will comprehensively study how innovative new elements related to developmental phase and context (including role models) can empower youth. By actively involving youth in the project, we aim to contribute to empowering young people since they have the fundamental need to be heard and contribute to society.
