Several core concepts underpin citiesRISE’s work:
- A strong emphasis on inner development, recognizing the importance of core capacities such as gratitude, kindness, and hope.
- A commitment to youth engagement, where young people are not just beneficiaries but active co-creators and leaders in shaping our mental health initiatives.
- An emphasis on holistic approaches, particularly through the whole-school model, which integrates mental health promotion into the broader educational and social environment.
These interconnected elements reflect citiesRISE’s broader vision for sustainable, systemic change in youth mental health, grounded in innovation, collaboration, and context-driven implementation. Below is our growing portfolio of ongoing research initiatives that are actively contributing to the development of a robust evidence base and the articulation of the signature science behind citiesRISE’s approach.
YIPEE
YiPEE We are studying the effectiveness, feasibility, and adaptability of a school-based intervention across Chennai, Nairobi, Stockholm, and Cape Town. Central to the philosophy of YiPEE is intergenerational partnership where young people play different roles (as co-designers, interpreters, implementers and participants, researchers, and more).
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Gathering Spaces
Gathering Spaces Originally developed by young people collaborating with mental health professionals in informal settlements in Nairobi, the Gathering Spaces model creates community-based spaces that support young people’s inner development, foster belonging, and create connections to mental health services. We are adapting and testing the model with LGBTQ+ and immigrant youth in Seattle, and youth in informal settlements in Chennai.
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Whole School Approach
Whole School Approach In Chennai, we are testing and scaling school-based interventions for students ages 5-15 focused on cultivating gratitude, kindness, and hopefulness as key strengths for navigating past, present, and future life challenges. These interventions take a whole school approach, intervening not just directly with students, but also with teachers and forming Hope Advisory Boards to change the overall school environment.
weRISE
weRISE We are conducting a randomized controlled trial in schools and communities in India and Kenya testing the impacts of a peer-delivered, arts-based intervention cultivating gratitude, kindness, and hopefulness on mental health outcomes including anxiety, depression, and wellbeing.
Exploring Our Common Humanity in Diverse Contexts
Exploring Our Common Humanity in Diverse Contexts In partnership with Templeton World Charity Foundation, we are scoping the human flourishing research landscapes in Africa and South Asia. This project’s goal is to lay the groundwork for collaborative research hubs that advance human flourishing research grounded in local contexts.
Channels and Actors
Channels and Actors In partnership with Wellcome and Hopelab, we conducted youth-driven research across India, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and the U.S. to develop a new model for how young people engage with mental health science, information, and support. We leveraged approaches and frameworks from the consumer marketing field to map young people’s longitudinal journeys and identify pathways for young people to access what they want and need faster.