Prevention United’s Youth Ambassadors Group has empowered us to advocate for systemic changes that help mitigate mental ill health. Young people often go unheard in issues that directly impact them on a systemic level such as cost of living, racism, and other forms of discrimination.
It is evident that this lack of representation has contributed to the decline in youth wellbeing, a factor further exacerbated by the fact that young people are the demographic with the least amount of fiscal, autonomous, or temporal agency to cope with such issues. In this regard, Prevention United has allowed us to spotlight issues that are most pertinent to young people, and collaborate in order to produce tangible metrics and recommendations that would mitigate the impacts of these issues on our mental well-being.
Additionally, Prevention United’s youth-focused and preventative-based strategy has truly elevated youth voices in a unique way. As youth advocates and young people who are actively involved in activism at all levels, we believe that beyond the lack of resources and opportunities, our biggest strength is our capability to make an impact on our communities. Throughout our monthly sessions, Prevention United has demonstrated that there are so many different ways to advocate for mental wellbeing – through further opportunities to speak in Parliament and forums, advocate in campaigns and collaborate across organisations.
Above all, the Youth Ambassador Group is a safe and representative space for young people who are extremely passionate about mental health. The group has also been a wonderfully educational experience, enabling us to learn about the diversity of our communities but also of the alternative approaches that can be taken when combating mental ill health.
Prevention United has not only platformed our lived experiences but provided us with resources and a supportive space to advocate for systemic changes within our communities. Being a vital advocate within this group has been an extremely productive and uplifting opportunity, and we want to express our deepest thanks to everyone who made it possible.
