Pathways to Resilience and Inclusion among Children and Adolescents (Pathways)

Pathways investigates how resilience, mental health and local initiatives can strengthen belonging and participation and help prevent social exclusion among children and adolescents.

Pathways investigates which protective factors at the individual, relational, and contextual levels promote mental health, belonging, and participation among children and young people, as well as how local initiatives can foster resilience and prevent social exclusion. 

The project will focus on services such as schools/kindergartens and health and social services, as well as other relevant services within the district and the voluntary sector. The project will use existing quantitative data, conduct a systematic mapping of existing initiatives, and collect qualitative data from the field, using Søndre Nordstrand District as a case.

What and why

Many children and young people face increasing psychosocial challenges and experiences of social exclusion, particularly in municipalities and urban districts affected by socioeconomic disadvantage. Knowledge about which resources and initiatives effectively strengthen belonging, participation, and mental health remains fragmented. 

Pathway addresses this knowledge gap by identifying protective and resilience-promoting factors and examining how, and what types of, local initiatives can contribute to preventing social exclusion.

How – data sources and design

The project consists of three work packages: 

1. Quantitative analyses of existing data from UngRob (uni.oslomet.no) and PULS at Norwegian Institute of Public Health (fhi.no) to investigate associations between resources, mental health, and participation at individual and contextual levels.
2. A targeted evidence review and systematic mapping of existing local initiatives, classifying them according to target population, level of intervention, and underlying assumptions about how they are expected to achieve their intended outcomes.
3. Qualitative workshops and interviews with children and young people, parents/caregivers, and key stakeholders from schools, health and social services, municipal services, and the voluntary sector. Søndre Nordstrand District will serve as a case to explore the project's research questions within a relevant local context.

Expected outputs, relevance, and application

The project will identify key protective factors and initiatives that promote belonging and participation and develop practical recommendations for strengthening collaboration between schools, health and social services, municipal actors, and the voluntary sector. The findings will support the evidence-informed development and improvement of local initiatives aimed at promoting mental health and preventing social exclusion among children and young people.