This August, we awarded $200,000 in grants to organizations to engage youth and caregivers with lived expertise. Discover how these organizations plan to mobilize diverse lived expertise as a form of evidence to inform active research in the youth mental health and substance use (YMHSU) sector. Explore the LTL Casebook
Frayme supports the implementation of research knowledge into practice. Research that builds on the experiences of those accessing services is an important contribution to building systems of support that work well for youth and their families. Through these knowledge mobilization grants, Frayme will support YMHSU researchers to engage with individuals with lived expertise (such as youth and caregivers) and scale the learnings to inform future research about the benefits and processes of integrating lived expertise into the research.
Tackling the wicked and growing problem of mental-ill health facing TAY in our local community and beyond. Utilizing the fast-paced approach of Social Innovation, tempered by the methodical and calculated decision-making of research, MINDS develops and tests prototypes co-designed, co-developed, and co-researched with TAY, community partners, academics, and clinicians.
MINDS of London-Middlesex
Current prototypes in beta stages of development will be assessed and evaluated to determine impact on youth wellbeing.
How will you incorporate youth lived experience in your project?
MINDS prototypes are those that have been conceived of and pitched by youth in our local community; we work on the initiatives that youth have deemed important and viable, and all prototype working groups must have youth representation and leadership in order to evolve and move forward.
A provincially networked organization with a mandate to develop, help implement and evaluate evidence-based approaches to substance use and addiction. Seeks to improve the integration of best practices and care for substance use through collaborative development of evidence-based policies, guidelines, and standards.
Telling Stories Together:
Translating Research Into Action with YPWUD
Expanding on disseminating findings from a long-term, ongoing qualitative and community-based participatory action research program examining YPWUD's experiences with systems of care and supervision.
How will you incorporate youth lived experience in your project?
Danya Fast and YHAC will collaborate in planning, executing, and disseminating a podcast, video episodes, peer-reviewed publications, and a community report.
A not for profit that connects exceptional talent and technology in pursuit of life-changing research for every child, youth, and family in our community and beyond. Our goal is to inspire the best life for every child and youth. We inspire trust in our research excellence by being curious, nimble, passionate, and equitable.
HEalthy Lifestyles Project for Youth Experiencing Mental Distress
The HELP project will provide youth with positive lifestyle changes that they can make at home or with friends.
How will you incorporate youth lived experience in your project?
Youth and parents with lived experience are partners for the project team who will co-develop the recruitment and dissemination strategies to study participants and project results.
A publicly-funded post-secondary institution with a mandate to achieve focused outcomes that support and encourage engagement, economic, social, and cultural prosperity, and are valuable to all Albertans.
Integrating the voices of youth in clinical training approaches
This research will engage youth with lived expertise to provide insights into counselling approaches for working with children exposed to intimate partner violence (CEIPV).
How will you incorporate youth lived experience in your project?
Youth experts will work with the research team to provide feedback and input on clinical simulations and a competency framework to improve training for clinical counselors.
It is important to Frayme that youth, caregivers, advocates and those with lived or living experience are meaningfully engaged in the grantmaking process. For the Learning Through Living Grant Adjudication, we relied on the expertise of 6 youth, caregivers, and advocates Groundbreakers, along with 2 subject matter experts from the broader Frayme network. After coming together to learn more about the grant itself and key concepts to be discussed in the review process, adjudicators independently reviewed grant applications over a two-week period. We discussed the outcomes of this review process through two group discussions, with adjudicators having the chance to make a final vote on their top choices for the grant recipients. This final vote, along with important knowledge equity factors considered by Frayme (including geographical location and diversity of research focus) determined the successful recipients of the Learning Through Living Grant.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to learn about the value of exploratory and experimental research methods and how youth voices can be meaningfully integrated.” — Monica Taing, Youth Groundbreaker, Frayme
“Words cannot adequately convey my appreciation and respect for how well Frayme engages community, supports the value of lived experience and the standards and process by which Frayme works. It was a true pleasure working with Frayme and others in the Grant reviews.” — Anita Simon, Child and Youth Mental Health Lead, ICN
“It was really empowering to be able to make such important decisions in grant reviewing and I felt my voice as a youth with lived expertise was valued.” — Mikaela Basile, Youth Groundbreaker
“Frayme including people with lived experience perspectives in their LTL grant adjudication was beautiful. As a person with lived experience with mental health and addictions, it made me feel like I was being included in the conversation about what research is important and needed for people who share similar lived experiences.” — Katelyn Greer, Youth Groundbreaker
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