Healthy Minds Healthy Futures: improving mental health and wellbeing of young people in Myanmar

The Healthy Minds Healthy Futures project is testing new ways to support young people’s mental health in Myanmar. To do this we are working with young people in urban and rural areas. Together, we’re designing and evaluating a model of community services and supports. The model is designed to support mental health and reduce mental health-related stigma.

Mental health problems were the second biggest health issue for adolescents in Myanmar before the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, account for 10% of all health problems for young people aged 15 to 24 in the country.

Among teenagers aged 13 to 17 in Myanmar:

• 1 in 4 have had symptoms of depression
• 1 in 10 have thought about taking their own life, with suicide among the leading causes of death.

Mental health support for adolescents in Myanmar was seen as a national priority in the 2016 to 2020 strategic plan for young people. It was also highlighted in a 2019 national research prioritisation workshop co-hosted by Burnet.

The COVID-19 pandemic and political tension in Myanmar have likely impacted mental health, and interrupted mental health services and other supports that help young people.

We will design and evaluate a new model for mental health care. The model includes 4 strategies:

• training young leaders
• working with parents and caregivers 
• improving adolescent-responsive support services 
• engaging key community members.

Training young leaders

This part of the model supports young people to become leaders in their own communities. Through training, they learn important communication and peer support skills. These skills can help them advocate for their mental health and support other young people in need. Youth leaders and peer educators will learn how to support their friends. They learn how to teach each other about mental health. They also learn how to run activities in the community that help everyone feel connected and happier.

Parent and caregiver involvement

This component includes workshops and training for parents and caregivers, whose support is important for young people’s mental health. These sessions help families better understand mental health, improve how they talk to and support their teens, and learn ways to help with social and emotional struggles.

Adolescent-responsive health services

This part of the model works with community and primary-level providers. The aim is to improve the quality of community-led mental health care. It makes it easier for young people to access support. This includes:

• improving young people’s access to non-judgmental and respectful services
• training health workers and emergency workers so they can offer better care for those dealing with mental health challenges.

Community involvement

This strategy helps create a supportive environment. Community members, leaders and educators take part in collaborative activities that teach them about mental health. These efforts help reduce stigma and shame around mental health struggles. They build compassion and understanding in the community.

Aung Aung is a 20-year-old student from the outskirts of Magway city. He faced significant psychological distress due to economic hardship and disruptions in healthcare. Many adolescents in Aung Aung’s community struggled with the pressures of family, friendships and work.

At a peer education session, Aung Aung learned about the Healthy Mind Healthy Futures project. Hoping to make a difference, he signed up for the project. He enrolled in a ‘Training of Trainers’ (TOT) course called ‘I Support My Friend’. After completing the TOT, he led peer education sessions. He helped train other youth volunteers in his community.

“Before joining HMHF, I struggled with overthinking and emotional challenges in my personal and work life. The project helped me gain control of my emotions, view problems positively, and build new friendships and networks. My self-confidence has significantly improved, both personally and socially,” said Aung Aung.

Along with other volunteers, Aung Aung co-founded a self-help group called With You. The group organised psychosocial activities such as knowledge-sharing sessions, mobile libraries, fitness clubs and friendly sports tournaments. The group also created physical and virtual safe spaces. These group activities helped young people to connect and share their struggles.

In one instance, Aung Aung encountered a friend contemplating suicide. Aung Aung was able to apply what he learned from his training. He provided psychological first aid and connected his friend with an adult for further support. Through cases like these, the With You group gained trust and support from adults in the community.

This project directly benefits the communities it works with in many ways:

• It fills important gaps where support is missing, by focusing on the needs of young people.
• Young people can become strong voices in their communities, and make a difference they can be proud of.
• Parents and caregivers learn how to better understand and support their teens. This can make families closer and improve how they talk to each other, making home a more caring and supportive place.
• It teaches whole communities about mental health, helping more people understand the issues better while reducing shame or negative feelings about asking for help.
• By working together, communities are stronger, kinder, and better prepared to support everyone’s mental health.

This project aims to create a healthier, more supportive environment for young people’s mental health. The project can help us understand how innovative youth-led model could be implemented in other communities.