Author: Maria Souza

October 27th, 2025

YoPA has recently published a peer-reviewed article in Health Promotion International titled “Co-creating a systems map with adolescents: combining participatory research and systems thinking in YoPA Denmark”.

Led by the PhD student in YoPA Denmark, Line Madsen, and co-authored by some of YoPA’s senior researchers, this study presents the co-created systems map that illustrates the complex interplay of factors influencing physical activity behaviours of local youth, and describes the process of its development.

Key highlights

• Adolescents worked alongside researchers to map out the factors – from social networks and school routines to neighbourhood design and digital habits – that affect their movement and non-movement.
• The study demonstrates how systems mapping can illuminate leverage points for intervention that might otherwise remain hidden when using traditional linear models.
• The findings reinforce that promoting physical activity among young people is not just a matter of motivating individuals, but of reshaping the context in which they live, learn and move.
• Importantly for our equity-oriented community: the research underscores how factors such as access to safe public spaces, educational settings, and participatory processes influence outcomes – reinforcing the call for structural as well as behavioural solutions.

Read the article

You can access the full article here.
(If you don’t have access through your institution, please contact us and we’ll try to facilitate.)

October 10th, 2025

From August 26th to 29th, during the European Health Psychology Society (EHPS) Conference, held in Groningen, in The Netherlands, YoPA took part in an inspiring roundtable session titled “Youth-centred co-creation in European projects – challenges and successes.”
The session brought together researchers from three European initiatives that place youth at the heart of research, empowering them as co-creators of knowledge and action for health and wellbeing.

Representatives of the YoPA team in Amsterdam were strongly present. Prof. Mai Chin A Paw opened the discussion, emphasizing the rising interest in co-creation research and the current lack of evidence, guidance, and need for a shared understanding of co-creation processes. PhD student Leto Demetriadou presented the YoPA project during one of the session’s short pitches, sharing insights from co-creating interventions with adolescents in diverse European and African settings. The session concluded with an open dialogue on lessons learned, current developments, and priorities for advancing youth-centred co-creation in research, which was facilitated by Dr. Teatske Altenburg.

Contributions from the Smart Change and CONNECTION projects further enriched the conversation, each showcasing innovative strategies for engaging youth in health-promoting initiatives.

At its core, the roundtable emphasized that today’s youth grow up in increasingly diverse societies where structural inequalities persist. Public spaces, schools, and health systems are often designed by adults from privileged backgrounds, resulting in environments that may not fully reflect young people’s lived realities. By engaging youth as co-researchers, initiatives like YoPA aim to promote health equity, social justice, and community-driven innovation.

This session underscored the shared commitment across European projects to amplify young voices, create inclusive research processes, and build healthier, more equitable communities.

October 6th, 2025

From September 17th to 19th, 2025, YoPA was represented at the HEPA Europe Conference in Kaunas, Lithuania – one of the leading gatherings for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to promoting health-enhancing physical activity.

Maria Fernanda Souza, PhD student from Universidade Lusófona, represented the YoPA consortium and delivered an oral presentation titled:

“Co-creating interventions with adolescents for movement and wellbeing: A realist-informed evaluation of early barriers and facilitators in the multi-country YoPA project.”

The presentation highlighted the project’s innovative participatory approach and shared valuable insights from the early stages of co-creating interventions with adolescents across multiple countries.

YoPA’s participation in this international event marks another step in disseminating the project’s approach and fostering dialogue on inclusive and participatory strategies to promote active and healthy lifestyles for young people.

“I really enjoyed participating in the HEPA Europe conference! It was inspiring to see how co-creation is gaining more attention in the physical activity field – I saw many presentations talking about this approach. Plus, the conference brought together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who are genuinely committed to collaborate and find better solutions with communities, not just for them.”

(Maria Fernanda Souza)

July 28th, 2025

On June 20th, the YoPA Netherlands team (Amsterdam) celebrated the conclusion of a meaningful partnership with Calandlyceum, a secondary school located in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. This collaboration marked a key moment in YoPA’s youth-centered approach to tackling physical inactivity.

Since February, researchers and facilitators Jesse Vargas and Leto Demetriadou, together with Rayn, research assistant and co-facilitator, worked closely with Kavita Mathoera, teacher of social science and social studies, and her students. Over the course of several weeks, students from two of her classes explored the challenges of physical inactivity in their neighbourhood from their own perspectives as adolescents.

Guided by the YoPA team, the students co-created insights and translated them into compelling stories. These were presented during the final event at the school, showcasing their creativity, analytical thinking, and lived experiences. The presentations highlighted the interwoven factors influencing physical activity, including neighborhood safety, motivation, social influences, and accessibility of resources.

The event was also attended by YoPA Principal Investigator Prof. Mai Chin A Paw, Associate Professor Dr. Teatske Altenburg, and Senior Researcher Dr. Leonie Klaufus from Amsterdam UMC, alongside Maida du Mée, area broker at the Municipality of Amsterdam.

This collaboration not only amplified youth voices but also sparked rich discussions among researchers, educators, and local government about the barriers and opportunities to promoting active lifestyles in Nieuw-West.

We are deeply grateful to Kavita Mathoera and her students, as well as to all partners who contributed to this impactful process. Their openness, creativity, and commitment have been vital to shaping locally grounded insights for action.

🧡 Stay tuned for more stories from YoPA as we continue co-creating healthier communities with youth across sites!

July 24th, 2025

On June 16th, the YoPA Soweto team officially launched the intervention phase after successfully reaching their recruitment target of 200+ adolescents!

Targeting youth aged 12–18 from across Soweto, the team welcomed participants for their very first session at the Jabulani Youth Centre. The energy was high, and the enthusiasm even higher — the young participants are already showing strong engagement and excitement about being part of this journey.

This marks a major milestone for YoPA Soweto, as they move forward in co-creating healthier futures with local youth!