Did neighbourhood amenities affect youth mental health during the pandemic?

Pop-up public space in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Credits: Alexander Wray.

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Target audience

Local public health professionals, Youth social workers, Community organizers, and Park planners

The problem

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted youth milestones such as school graduation ceremonies, transitions to higher education, and entrance into the labour force. Given the school closures and public health protective measures that occurred in London, Ontario, Canada, many youth limited their daily activities to parks and restaurants in their local neighbourhoods. These disruptions and changes to youth behaviour from the pandemic may have impacted their mental health and stress levels.

What we did and why

We undertook a survey of youth, aged 13 to 19 years old, in London, Ontario, Canada from June to September 2020. Survey questions were developed in consultation with youth themselves, rendering questions that sought to understand impacts from the pandemic based on their own perspectives. Questions covered demographics, health behaviours, and their experiences during the pandemic. We also gathered information about their neighbourhood context to understand how the local environment affects their mental wellbeing.

Our study’s contribution

Our study:

  • Finds some youth had better mental health as compared to before the pandemic
  • Adds knowledge about the differences in mental wellbeing outcomes from the pandemic between suburban and urban dwelling youth
  • Counters assumptions made about the protective benefits of parks, instead identifying private amenities as more impactful among youth
  • Suggests there are inequitable differences in impacts from the pandemic between girls and boys

Impacts for city policy and practice

Practitioners should consider the following:

  • Examining how youth engage with the public realm, and in turn, what is missing from the public realm to engage youth
  • Providing more tailored social and cultural programming to youth at a local level
  • Consider how digital platforms showcase food-oriented amenities that are available in local neighbourhoods, and modify interactions with the public realm

Our findings suggest local policymakers and practitioners could play a role in addressing youth mental health and stress levels through the following actions: 

  • Directly incorporating youth perspectives in the planning and programming of the public realm. 
  • Emulating in public spaces the socialization opportunities, which often include food, drinks and leisure together, that are provided by private ‘third places’ outside of home and school. 
  • Providing more tailored social and cultural programming to youth at a local level, as is done for younger children and older adult populations. 
  • Consider how digital platforms showcase food-oriented amenities that are available in local neighbourhoods, and modify interactions with the public realm to reflect near ubiquitous access to smartphones among youth.”

Further information

QuaranTEENing Project page

Full research article:

Neighbourhood influences on youth mental health and stress levels during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic by Alexander Wray, Gina Martin, Kendra Nelson Ferguson, Stephanie E. Coen, Jamie A. Seabrook & Jason Gilliland

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