The COVID-19 pandemic caused major disruptions to young people's lives and has been associated with changes in their mental health symptoms, including increases in behavioural and attentional difficulties during peak restrictions. Researchers from the University of Oxford (UK) and the National Center for Child Health and Development (Japan), with support from the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley (ARC OxTV), worked with young people from both countries to co-design an infographic with recommendations for supporting young people's mental health in public health emergency situations and beyond.
Youth-led research approach
During this project, 28 young people (12-21-years-old) from the UK and Japan participated as co-researchers. These young people were at the heart of the project at every stage, playing a leading role in co-designing the research, interviewing other young people and adults, analysing the findings, and developing recommendations for policy makers.
Five key recommendations
Young people from the UK and Japan developed five key overarching recommendations:
- Give agency and control to young people
- Provide reliable information to minimise confusion and uncertainty
- Provide places and opportunities to connect
- Allow for personalised and flexible approaches to schooling and education
- Identify and address inequalities in support needs
Mayuko, one of the Japanese co-researchers (17 years old), said:
"Sharing our experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic with each other and hearing others' stories made me realize that others faced different challenges mentally and physically during the pandemic. I believe that youth mental health is, at its core, a youth issue, and I believe it's critical to listen to and incorporate youth voices into solutions---whether at the local, school, or policy level. This project has given us a unique platform to advocate for change and amplify our voices in policymaking. I'm deeply grateful to the organizers, adults, and institutions behind this program for creating such an impactful opportunity."
Elodie, one of the UK co-researchers (14 years old), said:
"The impacts that the pandemic had on all of us were apparent and the shift in lifestyles were also indicated across both countries. Both countries recognised the lack of control and contribution young people had in decision making as well as how young people felt silenced during the pandemic; our voices were not listened to enough. The feeling of isolation across both countries during lockdown was also apparent and the need for more socialisation was highlighted. We both agreed that there was limited support for those who were vulnerable during the pandemic. Both countries had the shared thought that there was a need for truthful and impartial information, especially regarding mental health. We both underlined the impact of education on the mental health of pupils and the fact that every child learns differently and therefore education is required to be customised to meet their needs."
Expert perspectives
Dr Simona Skripkauskaite, Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and UK lead of the study said:
"These recommendations represent common needs identified by young people in both the UK and Japan that extend beyond borders. Our co-researchers worked tirelessly to reflect on their own experiences and capture the experiences and perspectives of other young people, parents and carers, policy makers, and school staff. The recommendations come directly from this work and will enable us to better support young people's mental health in any country in future public health emergency situations. It is really striking how the young people are not asking for much for themselves; they want to be respected and have opportunities to create social connections. Beyond that, they want to ensure that those who are most vulnerable are appropriately supported in schools and by mental health services."
Project partners
The co-researchers were supported by Leaders Unlocked social enterprise in the UK and Free the Children and Everybeing NPOs in Japan.
Rose Dowling, Chief Executive of Leaders Unlocked said:
"This innovative project provided a unique opportunity for young people from the UK and Japan to exchange experiences of the pandemic and collaborate to develop solutions. It was clear that participants from both countries felt that young people had been let down during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was striking that their ideas for change had so much in common. The recommendations that have been developed by the young people are powerful and important, and we hope that policy makers will take them into account when planning for future emergencies."
Further information
This research was funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), CBGM Child Foundation, Deloitte Tohmatsu Well-being Foundation, the Westminster Foundation, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust.
- The infographic and associated report are accessible here: https://cospaceoxford.org/findings/british-and-japanese-young-peoples-recommendations-for-public-health-emergencies/
- This project was part of an international collaboration between research teams from the Co-SPACE and CORONA x CODOMO studies, involving more than 12,500 families in the UK and 30,000 families in Japan. The research tracked young people and families' mental health throughout the COVID-19 crisis.
- For further information, please contact the UK lead researcher Dr Simona Skripkauskaite at simona.skripkauskaite@psy.ox.ac.uk or the CORONAxCODOMO team in Japan at co_kodomo@ncchd.go.jp.