AIM is evolving, and we’re bringing youth voices along with us.
Perhaps you’re familiar with this feeling within the context of your individual mental health or personal development journey: After you’ve been doing “the work” for long enough, there comes a time when new insights require taking inventory. What is working? How else could you approach your goals? Realigning yourself with the “how” behind your “why” is an integral part of growing as a human, and as an organization…
Since 2014, AIM has been dedicated to bridging the gap between research and access to care for youth struggling with mental health challenges. What sets AIM apart is our dual investment in youth voice and actionable science. Our strategy is innovative because it places youth at the center of both research and implementation.
Now, we are thrilled to announce that we are exploring this mission in new, imaginative ways.
Over the past ten years, our “how” has prioritized investing in cutting-edge research and bringing youth tools through our signature programming.
AIM targets gaps in care (think everything from long waitlists and lack of cultural competency to pervasive stigma) by funding early-stage clinical research that focuses on scalable, evidence-based solutions for the future of youth mental health. With guidance from our Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), we prioritize bringing these insights to schools and community settings where youth gather.
And we understand that research alone doesn’t change systems.
That’s why we center youth voices through the AIM Ideas Lab, a Youth Participatory Action Research program where high school students explore mental health issues, collect peer data, and provide actionable insights. These youth researchers design surveys, develop insights, and advocate for enhanced support systems, shaping AIM’s research priorities with perspectives from those most affected.
We see young people as more than beneficiaries, we view them as co-creators engaging them as participants, researchers, decision-makers, and solution-builders. Which is exactly why we are inviting them into our work at AIM like never before.
Moving forward our AIM Youth Mental Health Ambassador (AYA) program will go beyond advocating for change within the Ideas Lab Program, bringing their solutions into practical, sustainable actions.
The AIM Youth Mental Health Ambassador (AYA) program recognizes high school students committed to transforming youth mental health through advocacy, storytelling, and research. Whether they are starting a school club, writing about mental health, or leading change rooted in the findings of the AIM Ideas Lab, Ambassadors are part of a growing network of youth leaders shaping solutions that center the experiences of youth.
The Ambassadors also receive coaching and community partnership support to implement their research-informed solutions. They are directly hearing and learning from our funded researchers and the SAB.
By implementing AIM Ideas Lab recommendations, advocating for mental health resources, and collaborating with AIM-funded researchers and the SAB, Ambassadors ensure that youth voices drive meaningful improvements in mental health solutions.
Our youth bring a critical perspective to the research-to-practice pipeline—shaping mental health solutions that are inclusive, relevant, grounded in lived experience, and designed for immediate impact. Their lived experiences inform the design and delivery of interventions, because youth interventions without youth input aren’t just inane, they’re undervaluing our most precious voices.
Part of this engagement will play out alongside our Clinical Science Fellows, whose AIM-funded implementation projects bring effective mental health interventions into real-world settings. Our implementation funding will help projects transition from research to direct service, reducing waitlists and improving access for youth. Now, we are bringing youth input in to guide the fellow selection process, aligning research with their needs.
Three Ambassadors have joined the SAB discussion meeting and submitted votes alongside the Board to weigh in on what research AIM is considering to support. This year also kick-started further mentorship for youth within the research space. AIM-funded fellows will also each take on one Ambassador as a mentee for their research project.
Ultimately, AIM is building a feedback loop among youth, researchers, and our Scientific Advisory Board so that care is evidence-based and truly youth-informed.
Because it’s not enough for young people to get care, they deserve a voice in creating it.
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About the Author
Meadowlark Monaghan (she/hers) is a consultant using her knowledge gained as a mental health professional to act as a liaison between brands, creators, + online communities with the field of psychology and mental health. She also co-hosts the personal development podcast, Thoughts May Vary. Her work has been seen with Madhappy, Local Optimist, The Mayfair Group, Lonely Ghost, AIM Youth Mental Health, NAMI San Diego and more.
