Professionals are struggling to understand why mental health problems amongst young people are increasing so rapidly, and dealing with the challenges this poses to services. But while there is considerable debate about how to tackle the ‘crisis’ in youth mental health, young people themselves are seldom included in these conversations. The Mirror Project has attempted to remedy this gap in our knowledge, capturing young people’s own views on issues related to their mental health and use of mental health services. In this keynote address, I will draw on this extensive body of New Zealand research to present unique insights into the causes of mental health distress for young people today. I will also describe the challenges that young people face in their encounters with mental health services, and highlight new priorities for this generation of service users. This presentation will put forward an agenda for transforming the support we offer to young people, setting out the essential elements required of a youth-informed mental health service.

Key Learning
It is vital to transform youth mental health services so they are a better fit this generation. To do this, we need to listen to youth voices and draw on young people’s expertise in the planning and design of youth mental health services.