Youth Peer Champions Trained to Strengthen Community Mental Health

A youth led mental health support system using peer support and mobile access in rural communities project has successfully trained a new group of university students and youth leaders as Mental Health Peer Champions. During the workshop, at JOOUST, participants acquired key skills in mental health literacy, psychological first aid, confidentiality, and safe referral practices.
The champions will now begin community outreach, offering first-line psychosocial support and connecting individuals with higher-level needs to local health facilities. They were also introduced to Sauti Salama’s new SMS/USSD platform, which provides anonymous access to mental health information, wellness tips, and referral contacts.
This training marks an important step in expanding youth-led mental health support across local communities.
The Project led by JOOUST university students, under the mentorship of Dr. Shehu Shagari Awandu is supported by funding from the British Council’s Going Global Partnerships programme. Going Global Partnerships supports universities, colleges and wider education stakeholders around the world to work together towards stronger, equitable, inclusive, more internationally connected higher education, science and TVET.