On 21 April, the YOUTH_DMH network held a stakeholder event and Management Committee (MC) meeting in Brussels, bringing together researchers and stakeholders from across research, practice, policy, NGOs, and lived experience to share perspectives and discuss the future of youth digital mental health.
The stakeholder event provided a platform for exchange across sectors, with contributions from organisations including the Joint Research Centre, Mental Health Europe, EFPA, EuroHealthNet, The Bytes Project, SpunOut, Kooth Digital Health, and GAMIAN-Europe. Discussions focused on key challenges and opportunities in the field, highlighting the importance of collaboration, co-creation, and the integration of different perspectives. The event also included a panel discussion, which explored key priorities for digital mental health for young people in Europe, as well as the gaps between policy, practice, and young people’s needs, and potential actions at the European level.
In the afternoon, these insights were further explored through workshops within the Working Groups. The sessions focused on the design of digital mental health technologies for help-seeking, as well as on the use of digital technologies for the contextual assessment of mental health difficulties among young people.
The following hybrid Management Committee meeting reviewed the progress of the Action and addressed key organisational matters. The Action continues its work across all five Working Groups, with ongoing activities supporting collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Follow-up initiatives, including a series of webinars and continued stakeholder engagement, are planned to maintain momentum and support the next phase of the Action. In addition, activities aimed at supporting early-career researchers such as a training school and a “meet-a-mentor” initiative—are currently being developed.
Overall, the event reinforced the value of cross-sector dialogue and collaboration in advancing youth digital mental health research and practice.
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