Young Voices from East London: How Nature and Neighborhood Shape Teen Happiness

You're a teenager living in East London. Your happiness isn't just about what's happening at school or home, but also about where you live. A recent study used a cool method called Photovoice to understand what makes East London teens happy or sad. They took pictures and shared stories about their neighborhoods. It turned out that nature plays a big role. Teens who connected with nature felt happier, linking it to good memories and fun activities. But they also worried about urban development hurting nature.The city was seen as both amazing and full of pollution. Fancy areas felt like paradise, but there weren't many of them, highlighting differences in money and development. This study shows that teens' voices matter. It helps us understand their mental health better and makes them part of the solution. Everyone, from health professionals to city planners, should listen up and act to support East London teens.