Getting Youth Voices on the Agenda
Agenda Gap is a dynamic research and intervention initiative. The core aim of Agenda Gap is to empower youth with the knowledge and skills needed to advocate for policies that foster mental health and equity for youth and their communities.
Getting Youth Voices on the Agenda
Agenda Gap is a dynamic research and intervention initiative. The core aim of Agenda Gap is to empower youth with the knowledge and skills needed to advocate for policies that foster mental health and equity for youth and their communities.
Agenda Gap Reach
15
groups to date
167
youth participants
44
facilitators trained
61+
adult allies engaged
See the Program in Action
At Agenda Gap, we take an equity-oriented approach to mental health promotion—empowering youth to take action that supports positive mental health for themselves and their communities. In this video, we introduce our approach, highlight key mental health promotion concepts, and share how we’re helping young people create meaningful, lasting change.
Our Reach
*Data current as of October 2025.
Youth Engagement Report
Developed with Agenda Gap youth in Alberta, this report shares best practices and evidence-based strategies to strengthen youth engagement in policy processes. Its findings informed PolicyWise’s youth engagement strategy and were shared with the BC Provincial Health Office.
Youth Engagement Report
Developed with Agenda Gap youth in Alberta, this report shares best practices and evidence-based strategies to strengthen youth engagement in policy processes. Its findings informed PolicyWise’s youth engagement strategy and were shared with the BC Ministry of Health.
Featured Example: Mississauga Youth Lead Their Peers to Career Success
Mississauga Youth Lead Their Peers to Employment Success Mississauga Youth Lead Their Peers to Career Success
The second Mississauga Agenda Gap group identified that a lack of employment opportunities and limited job-readiness skills were negatively impacting wellbeing and community belonging.
Here’s how they took action:
- Partnered with YMCA’s Youth for Entrepreneurship program to explore employment barriers and opportunities.
- Developed and presented calls to action for local stakeholders.
- Hosted an Employment Success Strategies Workshop featuring expert speakers and practical job-readiness tools.
Click through the carousel to learn more and to see highlights from their advocacy efforts.
Featured Example: Mississauga Youth Equip Peers for Employment Success
The second Mississauga Agenda Gap group identified that a lack of employment opportunities and limited job-readiness skills were negatively impacting wellbeing and community belonging.
Here’s how they took action:
- Partnered with YMCA’s Youth for Entrepreneurship program to explore employment barriers and opportunities.
- Developed and presented calls to action for local stakeholders.
- Hosted an Employment Success Strategies Workshop featuring expert speakers and practical job-readiness tools.
Click through the carousel to learn more and to see highlights from their advocacy efforts.
Click to view group accomplishments:
Alberta
2022
Identifying best practices for meaningfully engaging youth in policy processes.
British Columbia
2023
Informing the Renewal of the School District’s Enhancement Agreement for Indigenous Students – 2025-2030.
2024
Improving youth access to community information about basic needs.
2024
Enhancing political representation by extending the voting age.
2020
Creating safe spaces for intergenerational dialogue about mental health.
2024
Relieving academic stress using community-based approaches to peer support, green space access and mental health literacy.
2021
Strengthening school-based anti-racism policies.
2023
Improving school district substance use response policies
2024
Strengthening youth-teacher relationships by integrating collaboration and trauma-informed approaches.
Nova Scotia
2024
Fostering school engagement through trauma-informed staff training.
2023
Ensuring transparency and consistency in school accommodation policies.
2024
Improving service access experiences for youth.
Ontario
2022
Creating supportive spaces in schools by promoting a positive understanding of mental health.
2023
Fostering community pathways for youth employment (including job-ready skills).
2024
Expanding youth peer support to address isolation and peer pressure.
Agenda Gap Publications
Advancing socioecological mental health promotion intervention: A mixed methods exploration of Phase 1 Agenda Gap findings
The aim of this paper is to contribute empirical evidence to guide innovation in youth mental health promotion, detailing the early outcomes of Agenda Gap, an intervention centering youth-led policy advocacy to influence positive mental health for individuals, families, communities and society.
Frontiers in Public Health
2023/02
Tags: YouthMethods: Mixed-methodsIdentifying mechanisms of youth mental health promotion: A realist evaluation of the Agenda Gap programme.
This study presents a realist evaluation of Agenda Gap, drawing on realist qualitative interviews with youth participants (n = 18) and adult collaborators (n = 4). The analysis used the middle-range theories of ‘Third Space’ and ‘Third Place’ to conceptualize how causal mechanisms were produced from the non-familial youth-adult relationships that are foundational to the programme.
PLoS Mental Health
2024/06
Tags: Evaluation, YouthMethods: Qualitative