Navigating Adversity and Enhancing Resilience through Digital Mental Health Resources: A Co-production Study with Marginalised Young People in Ireland

Digital mental health tools offer potential to bridge gaps in service access and support, but youth uptake remains inconsistent, with concerns around cultural relevance, privacy, and user trust. This study explores how co-production with marginalised young people can enhance the relevance, effectiveness, and inclusivity of digital mental health resources to navigate adversity and enhance resilience. Framed within the “discover” phase of the Design Council’s co-production model , this research is part of Atlantic Futures Research Stream 4 , a broader initiative focused on accessible digital and blended mental health supports across the island of Ireland.

Using creative workshops and interviews involving photo-elicitation methods, young people aged 18–25 from marginalised backgrounds shared their experiences with mental health, their needs, and perspectives on digital resources. Findings highlight digital tools as double-edged: while platforms like SpunOut.ie (Irish youth information and support website run by young people, for young people) and mental health apps offer accessible support and psychoeducation, participants voiced concerns about misinformation, privacy, developmental appropriateness, and the impersonal nature of AI. There was strong demand for co-produced, culturally sensitive tools promoting peer connection, emotional regulation, and community-based mental health support.
Participants emphasised the importance of digital tools that reflect diverse identities and intersectional needs. Structural barriers—such as poverty, stigma, and inaccessible services—underscore the need for digital tools to be embedded within an equity-driven mental health infrastructure. Importantly, young people advocated for platforms that enable not just access to services, but participation in shaping them—highlighting the link between mental health, social justice, and youth advocacy.

This study demonstrates that co-production with marginalised youth is essential for creating authentic, engaging, and effective digital mental health supports. The insights generated offer valuable implications for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to leverage digital platforms to support young people navigating adversity and building resilience in an increasingly digital world.
Keywords: digital mental health, marginalized youth, co-production, resilience, adversity, youth voices

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