Guest Article: The Power of Youth Co-Creation – What Industry Can Learn

Young people often tell us that mental health resources don’t feel like they were made with them in mind. The language can be too formal, the messaging too performative, and the solutions too disconnected from their lived realities, making support feel more like a product than a conversation. But when given the opportunity, young people bring invaluable lived expertise, creative problem-solving, and a deep understanding of what their peers truly need. Too often, decision-makers overlook their voices, missing the chance to build solutions that genuinely resonate.

At Headstream, an innovation program by SecondMuse, we’re committed to changing that. As an innovation program advancing youth mental health, we work to ensure that technology and innovation truly support young people’s well-being and success. At the center of this mission is our Youth Collective: a group of young leaders who don’t just provide feedback but actively co-create with organizations, innovators, and industry leaders to drive meaningful change. We’ve seen firsthand how embedding youth expertise radically expands innovation. From product design to policy frameworks, youth co-creation leads to more effective, inclusive, and future-ready solutions. By working alongside young people as equal collaborators, our partners gain a deeper understanding of their audiences, build long-term trust, and create offerings that not only resonate but remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape.

The Power of Youth Co-Creation- What Industry Can Learn

Co-creation is a design strategy that ensures young people actively shape the solutions for them. While human-centered design seeks to understand users’ needs, co-creation goes a step further by making young people equal collaborators in the design process. We use the Headstream Equity Centered Youth Co-Creation framework as a core methodology to hold ourselves accountable in how we develop and implement programming, ensuring that every initiative is built with—not just for—young people. This approach has led to more effective, successful, and resonant solutions while also fostering deeper trust, long-term engagement, and a sense of ownership among the youth we serve. In the mental health and tech space, where solutions must be both accessible and culturally relevant, co-creation ensures that products and policies truly meet the needs of young people, rather than being designed at a distance.

What You Can Learn from Youth Co-Creation

Whether you’re developing digital products, shaping policies, or designing programs that serve young people, integrating youth co-creation can transform your work. Here’s what you can take away from our approach:

1. Youth Insights Lead to More Effective Solutions

One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is assuming they understand what young people need without directly engaging them. Our co-creation work has uncovered critical barriers that decision-makers didn’t even realize existed, leading to major shifts in product roadmaps, program strategies, and engagement efforts. When youth test ideas, provide feedback, and co-design solutions, organizations avoid costly missteps and create offerings that truly resonate.

“We previously had a really difficult time finding young people in our target demographic that were younger than 18, but Headstream has allowed us to connect with fabulous young people across the country who’ve given us really great insights and POVs about how to meet young people where they are, in terms of addressing their mental health challenges. We’ve gotten great feedback from young people on how to restructure our account creation process and what info they’d feel comfortable providing, in addition to thinking through the best payment options for D2C products targeting young people.” – Alex “Goldy” Goldman, Founding Product Manager, Flourish Labs

2. Diversity Fuels Innovation

The young people we work with bring perspectives that are often overlooked in traditional innovation spaces. By centering youth from systematically excluded backgrounds, we unlock insights that lead to more inclusive, accessible, and equitable solutions. Organizations that prioritize diverse voices not only reach broader audiences but also build trust and long-term engagement.

“The advice I would give is just be open and be actively pursuing this. I think [there are] a lot of things that the youth offer that we’re overlooking. And so that was one of the big takeaways, too, and why I was able to build so much trust, I believe from our experience because again, I was listening, I wasn’t overlooking them. I wasn’t taking what they were saying for granted. And so when they feel seen and they feel heard, I think it just builds trust, but also it really is gonna give you some great insight. I think the biggest thing is [to] just engage with the kids and like, really listen, you know, once you do that, you’ll be surprised like how this is going to impact the work because these are the people who we are serving. It’s just like if you’re in business and you’re doing interviews with your customers, it’s kind of a similar process except really leaning in with the youth and trust in them because… these are our future entrepreneurs, employees, [and] work overall… So I think it’s very important to engage and listen and make sure that they’re heard.” – Roy Scott, Founder of Healthy Hip Hop

3. Co-Creation Builds Community and Brand Loyalty

Organizations that actively involve young people in their work don’t just create better solutions—they cultivate lasting relationships. When youth see their ideas taken seriously, they become deeply invested, transforming from passive users into active advocates. Brands, nonprofits, and institutions that embrace co-creation foster authentic, long-term connections with the next generation of users, employees, and leaders.

“.. we are not experts on being teenagers in 2024. That’s not a thing. We know nothing about it. So we need them to feel comfortable opening up to us and, you know, we can give our perspective and thoughts on things and let them know a bit more about us. But yeah, I think building a foundation, just like personal relationships, is super helpful, like the rapport. And also just like making yourself vulnerable too, like, it’s such a tough topic sometimes.” – Alex “Goldy” Goldman, Founding Product Manager, Flourish Labs

4. Youth Engagement Sparks Systemic Change

Beyond individual projects, youth co-creation has the potential to reshape entire industries. We’ve seen organizations move from a single co-creation session to embedding youth perspectives into their core decision-making processes. By integrating youth engagement at every level, companies and institutions can create the foundation to drive systemic change.

“For every health program I’ve designed or implemented, one of the most important factors for success was co-design with patients. As a result of Neolth’s work with youth, the company has achieved engagement 25 greater than the industry standard and recognition from groups like the World Economic Forum.” – Dr. Katherine Grill, CEO, Neolth

Moving Forward: Shifting Mindsets Around Youth Engagement

Youth co-creation is a strategic imperative. The organizations that will thrive in the coming decades are those that recognize the expertise, creativity, and leadership young people bring. At Headstream, we’re proving how to do this effectively and equitably.

Our challenge to industry leaders is simple: move from passive engagement to active co-creation. Invite young people into your boardrooms, design sprints, and policy discussions—not just as participants, but as decision-makers. We’ve seen firsthand what’s possible when youth have real agency in shaping the world around them.

Sabrina Abdalla is a program manager at SecondMuse, educator, and community builder dedicated to fostering youth co-created innovation and entrepreneurship. At Headstream, she leads youth co-creation initiatives, working closely with young people to shape digital well-being solutions and advising entrepreneurs on integrating youth perspectives into their products. Through her platform, Cirri, she continues to design programs and workshops that center on cultural storytelling, equity, and community empowerment. With a strong background in education, creative technology, and social impact, Sabrina is committed to building spaces where young leaders and innovators can drive meaningful change.

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