The YoPA Soweto project is a youth-centred, participatory psychosocial intervention co-designed with adolescents in Soweto to strengthen communication, teamwork, and promote emotional wellbeing. This is in response to teenagers identifying multiple everyday stressors in their lives that negatively influence their mental health and wellbeing. YoPA Soweto operates within a youth development centre that is a trusted safe space for young people embedded within an area of extreme historical disadvantage. The youth development Centre already hosts multiple youth programmes, including digital skills training, engagement in sports, after-school homework support and early childhood development programmes. YoPA-Soweto expands these programmes through the teen-centred co-created mental wellness programme.
Recruitment Process
The study team worked together with local partners and stakeholders, using community-based channels such as WhatsApp groups, flyer distribution and snow ball recruitment to engage teen participants and their caregivers, and to establish a community advisory board. Workshops were held with parents and their teens to explain the programme including introducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs including mental health) and why it’s important to intervene early in life to reduce NCD risk.
Outcomes of Phase 1 and Phase 2
Phase 1: Co-Creation Sessions
The year 2024 marked the start of a promising phase for YoPA. The project engaged 20 adolescents, aged 12–18, from within a 5 km radius of the Youth development Centre. The group met monthly with the study team to discuss the largest NCD risks that teens in this context face, leading to the co-creation of a programme addressing high stress levels experienced as a result of the social, environmental, and economic challenges teens in this context face in their daily lives.
During these sharing sessions, several key issues emerged. Participants reported experiencing bullying across multiple settings, including school, community, and home environments. They also described regular exposure to crime, gender-based violence (GBV), and peer pressure. Many spoke about high levels of stress at home, often linked to being required to take on adult responsibilities and, in some cases, not having their basic needs consistently met.
In response to these challenges, the group collectively explored potential interventions that could reduce stress and support teens. A central theme that emerged was the importance of social support, particularly the role of friendship in helping young people navigate difficult environments. This led to the development of a shared programme concept focused on peer connection and support, which they named “No to Negative Things.”
Phase 2: Intervention Sessions
The “No To Negative Things” concept was subsequently developed into a 10 week, in person, after-school programme. The programme was co-created and facilitated by youth with the support from research staff. It was structured around meaningful peer interactions, reflexive activities and opportunities for youth leadership while participating in fun and engaging activities.
Together, these components aimed to strengthen social and emotional skills, self-awareness, and self-efficacy, with the broader goals of improving life satisfaction, peer relationships, and a sense of agency among participants. Using a wait-list control randomised study design, 220 youth were recruited and randomised to the intervention or wait-list control, with all youth finally receiving the intervention in 2025. Evaluation of the intervention effectiveness data is currently ongoing alongside the continued process evaluation research and continued follow-up of the youth.
Process Evaluation
The YoPA Soweto team is currently conducting follow-up sessions 3–6 months post-intervention, including RREM (Realist Ripple Effects Mapping) workshops in collaboration with other YoPA country sites.
Sustainability and Maintenance Planning
The next steps involve engaging current stakeholders to reflect on project progress, and outline the next phase that builds on sustainability planning to embed the programme within existing community and institutional structures.
The YoPA Soweto Team
Vuyelwa Mabaso
Nomfundo Gongota
Vongani Maluleke
Lethukuthula Ndwandwe
Lauren Stuart
Lisa Ware
