The Youth Development Instrument (YDI) Ambassador Project: A youth participatory action research initiative

With the goal to amplify youth participation in every stage of the research process, this project aims to create a Youth Ambassador program, which includes a youth participatory action research study (YPAR), a summer research institute and wellness retreat, and employment opportunities for youth as research assistants and knowledge translation ambassadors. Youth will use data from the Youth Development Instrument (YDI), a self-report survey for adolescents ages 15 to 18 that measures individual and contextual youth well-being and resilience indicators are measured in five dimensions: social and emotional development, social well-being, learning environment and engagement, physical and mental well-being, and navigating the world. Since 2020, the YDI has collected data from 11,500 students across 22 school districts in British Columbia, with another estimated 15,000 in 30 school districts and 25 independent schools to participate in the 2022-2023 school year. This project will yield youth-identified research priorities for health and well-being that they themselves can bring to youth-focused organizations, such as schools, community organizations, health-care services, parent advisory committees. This project is of great relevance given that Canadian youth report some of the lowest levels of well-being worldwide. Youth ages 15 to 24 experience disproportionate levels of mental distress compared to other population age groups in Canada and adverse mental health trends have worsened since the onset of COVID-19. Our Principal Knowledge User, Frayme, is an international organization that provides youth health and social supports to youth connecting them with more than 400 service providers across 12 countries. Frayme will help disseminate YPAR findings and knowledge translation materials to its 370 network partners to ensure YPAR findings that provide youth perspectives on their own well-being inform agencies and policy designed to support them.