Narrative Change and Impact
Narrative Change and Impact White Paper
Youth Mental Health & Well-Being Content & Conversations
The YR Media Narrative Change and Impact Project white paper shares best practices for collaborating with emerging content creators to tell their own mental health and well-being stories and to track the impact once stories are published.
The activities highlighted in the report address the need for safe spaces online where young people can use media creation to engage in supportive conversations with their peers and communities about mental health and well-being.
Young people are drawn to avenues for self-expression where they own and shape their stories, rather than having adults look in from the outside and dictate to them who they are or what they need. YR Media has found that personal narrative storytelling has a major positive impact on young people’s lives and can help them develop a sense of self, agency, and awareness.
The report draws evidence from a range of sources, including:
an external audit;
interviews and focus groups with young creators and audiences;
analysis of young people’s media-making processes and products;
reflections from experts working at the intersection of media and mental health.
Qualitative and quantitative data outlined in the report illuminate the effects of digital journalism and storytelling on both the creators and consumers of these stories. The Narrative Change and Impact Project white paper presents key learnings including an overview of mental health and well-being content youth creators produced and a series of case studies; performance metrics and methods for optimizing engagement via social media; and best practices and recommendations to the field.
About Teach YR
Teach YR brings learning resources, experiences and YR Media’s rigorous research to young creatives and educators beyond our brick-and-mortar headquarters and hubs.