Co-production of an online research and resource platform for improving the health of young people—The hype project

Abstract

Mental health conditions tend to go unrecognised and untreated in adolescence, and therefore it is crucial to improve the health and social outcomes for these individuals through age and culturally appropriate interventions. This paper aims firstly to describe the development and implementation of the HYPE project platform (a research and resource platform co-designed and co-produced with young people). The second aim is to describe the characteristics of participants who engaged with the platform and an embedded pilot online survey. Participatory action research approach was used to address objectives of the HYPE project. Data were analysed to: (1) help improve access to health and social services, (2) guide provision of information of online resources and (3) deliver complementary community-based events/activities to promote mental health and to ultimately prevent mental health issues. Pilot and main phases of the HYPE project demonstrated the capacity and feasibility for such a platform to reach local, national, and international populations. Analyses demonstrated that the platform was particularly relevant for young females with pre-existing health difficulties. Some of the barriers to involving young people in research and help-seeking are discussed.