Giving Young Voices a Seat at the Table: A Ghanaian Mental Health Makeover

In many developing countries, teens face big mental health hurdles. But their thoughts on the matter often get sidelined. That's where co-design comes in. It's a way to shape solutions that fit the specific needs and setting of a community. But making it work in places with few resources and unique cultural factors? That's the challenge. In Northern Ghana, a group took on this task. They wanted to create a school-based mental health program with real input from teens. The project kicked off with two workshops. The first one was all about getting to know what teens thought about mental health. They used case studies and a special framework to guide the talks. The second workshop was about brainstorming. Teens got to pick their favorite ways to tackle mental health issues. To make sure everyone could join in, the workshops used clear structures, visual aids, and peer support. So, what did the teens have to say? They talked about stigma, privacy worries, and how friends and family play a big role. They also shared some specific cultural insights. For instance, boys deal with substance use norms, and girls face expectations that limit their access to support. When it came to solutions, teens picked teacher training, adding mental health to the curriculum, mentorship programs, teaching positive thinking and mindfulness, and using fun methods for mental health education. By the end, teens saw that mental health isn't just an individual issue, but something schools and communities can address. The project didn't stop at the workshops. An advisory board of teens was formed to keep their voices in the loop as the program developed. This whole process shows that when you adapt co-design methods to fit the local culture and context, you can create mental health solutions that truly work. It's a model that could be used in other places and for other health topics. Plus, it shows how important it is to include youth in shaping solutions that will affect them. This approach isn't just about making things work in low-resource settings. It's about giving teens a real say in their mental health. It's about creating solutions that are not only effective but also sustainable. And it's about showing that youth voices matter. This project in Ghana is a great example of how to do that.