The Research Department of Caritas Freetown has officially launched its Youth Community Advisory Board (CAB) as part of a project titled “Social and Biological Mechanisms Driving the Impact of War on Child Mental Health.”
The inaugural consultative meeting was held at the Caritas Freetown Development Office, located at 19 Savage Street, Brookfields, Freetown. It brought together youth practitioners drawn from various institutions across the Western Area Municipality.
The meeting served as an introductory platform to orientate participants on the project’s objectives, scope, and implementation approach, while also fostering collaboration among key youth stakeholders.
A total of 12 CAB members, nominated by their respective institutions, were selected to provide strategic input and meaningful contributions to the planning and implementation of the project.
The session was officially opened by the Caritas Freetown Programs Manager, who welcomed participants and presented an overview of the Youth Readiness Intervention (YRI) and the GCC Elevate Project. This was followed by a detailed presentation from the Caritas Team Lead, who outlined the YRI Elevate framework and emphasized the roles of both government and non-governmental partner organizations in the project’s implementation.
During the discussions, CAB members expressed strong commitment to advancing youth empowerment initiatives and provide candid opinions to support the adaptation of substance-use prevention mechanisms aimed at addressing prevailing mental health challenges among young people in Sierra Leone.
Participants were also oriented on the project’s study design, research protocols, and collaborative implementation strategies to ensure ethical and effective engagement throughout the project lifecycle.
The Youth Community Advisory Board pledged to provide thoughtful, informed, and impactful contributions toward the successful implementation of the GCC Project and the realization of its overall vision to improve child and youth mental health outcomes.
