Global Youth Purpose &
Belonging Initiative
A scalable digital model for strengthening youth mental health, identity development, and social participation across countries
Participants Reached
Countries Engaged
Youth Reflections
Organic Discovery
Young people worldwide face unprecedented developmental challenges
Rising anxiety, depression, and stress
Reduced social connectedness and belonging
Difficulty articulating purpose, identity, and direction
Limited access to supportive adults and mentoring
Fragmented pathways to work, education, and development
The Voice Up Approach
A digitally delivered, developmentally informed model centered on five core elements
Purpose & Belonging Assessments
Brief, accessible self-reflection tools measuring purpose readiness, belonging, stress, identity clarity, and wellbeing
Narrative Reflection Prompts
Youth share personal experiences, aspirations, and needs in their own words, generating meaningful insight
8-Week Purpose Roadmaps
Evidence-based developmental plans aligned with the young person's reflections, goals, and strengths
Mentor-Supported Engagement
Remote mentorship that reinforces belonging, motivation, and progress
Global Data Dashboard
Aggregated youth insights allow countries to monitor trends in purpose, belonging, and wellbeing
WHO Strategies
- WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2030
- WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health
- WHO Digital Health Transformation Agenda
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Anticipated Outcomes
Improved youth purpose clarity, belonging, and emotional wellbeing
Increased engagement with supportive adults and opportunities
A validated digital model adaptable across cultures and resource settings
Real-time data to inform youth mental health policy
WHO-aligned guidance supporting Member States in preventive strategies
Reduction in stigma through developmental gateway approach
Proposed Implementation Timeline
18-24 Month Pilot Program
Adaptation & Onboarding
Translation, partner onboarding, cultural adaptation
Implementation Pilot
Multi-country implementation pilot
Monitoring & Evaluation
Monitoring, evaluation, refinement
Global Reporting
Reporting, dissemination, scale-up roadmap
Partnership Opportunity
Voice Up offers WHO a unique opportunity to co-design, implement, and evaluate a multi-country youth mental health initiative that addresses purpose, belonging, and identity development at scale.
"A low-cost, digital, non-clinical pathway to strengthen youth mental health globally"