Second Kenya Child and Adolescent Mental Health Summit Issues a Call to Action to Invest in Young Minds

Grassroot Soccer (GRS) was proud to serve as an official sponsor of the Second Kenya Child and Adolescent Mental Health Summit, held last month in Mombasa, Kenya. 

The Summit – which was co-convened by the Mombasa County Department of Health, Nairobi County Department of Health, and the National Directorate of Mental Health, and supported by GRS along with LVCT Health and SOS Children’s Villages-Kenya – centered on the theme, “Investing in Young Minds: Inclusive, Accessible, and Youth-Led Solutions.” The event brought together more than 500 participants – including government officials, civil society leaders, youth representatives, and mental health experts – to critically examine the state of adolescent mental health in Kenya and across the continent.

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Summit – which GRS helped found, and which catalyzed the development of the Kenya School Mental Health guidelines – this year’s Summit focused on amplifying youth voices, knowledge-sharing and learning, fostering partnerships to scale impact, and accelerating the implementation of innovative models, such as MindSKILLZ.

MindSKILLZ: a promising innovation in Kenya and beyond

MindSKILLZ – an innovative, sport-based adolescent mental health program developed by GRS and contextualized in Kenya in partnership with LVCT Health, the Departments of Health for Nairobi and Mombasa, and youth champions – featured prominently at the Summit.

MindSKILLZ is designed to improve the mental health of all young people including those who are currently suffering with depression and anxiety, as well as preventing others from experiencing poor mental health in the future. Employing a positive, strengths-based approach, MindSKILLZ uses soccer language, metaphors, and activities to engage young people and draw connections to mental health. In addition, MindSKILLZ reduces stigma and harmful misconceptions about mental health, which are significant barriers for young people who need support or care.

MindSKILLZ fills a critical care gap in mental health by training non-specialists (Coaches) to work with young people and improve their mental health awareness, knowledge, coping skills, and resilience. At the Summit, MindSKILLZ Coaches led an engaging participatory demonstration for the audience, showcasing the unique way the program makes learning about mental health fun, engaging, and accessible for young people. 

In Kenya, with support from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), GRS has partnered with LCVT Health and the Departments of Health in Nairobi and Mombasa Counties to implement MindSKILLZ since early 2023. To date, MindSKILLZ has reached more than 11,000 adolescents in Mombasa and Nairobi counties. GRS and LVCT Health recently launched a 5-year strategy to scale up nationally, with the ambitious goal of reaching 2 million adolescents by 2030 with MindSKILLZ programming.

A pilot study in Kenya assessing MindSKILLZ showed improvements across the spectrum of adolescent mental health and well-being, most notably a near 50% reduction in the number of participants with clinical depression symptoms and poor mental well-being. The study also showed that MindSKILLZ participants in Kenya:

• Improved their resilience and coping skills
• Enhanced their mental health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
• Demonstrated improvements in school engagement and academic performance

Building on the momentum of the Summit, GRS remains committed to our ongoing collaboration with LVCT Health and the Kenya Government Ministries and County Departments – along with the many other adolescent health stakeholders present at the Summit – to continue responding to the needs of young people in Kenya and help them to lay the foundation for lifelong mental health.

Read more about the Summit here.