CAMHI Greece in Cape Town, at the annual meeting of mental health experts of the SNF Global Center for Child & Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute
We found ourselves at the heart of an international conversation on youth engagement, stigma reduction, and strengthening child and adolescent mental health worldwide.
This year’s annual Experts Gathering of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute took place on November 24-25 in Cape Town. It was co-organized by the SNF Global Center and the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative of South Africa (CAMHI SA), in collaboration with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC). With the central theme “Beyond the Table: Youth as Co-Creators in Change for Mental Health”, the meeting highlighted the crucial role of young people as key partners in actively shaping mental health policies and practices. The gathering brought together experts from around the world, government representatives, mental health professionals, researchers, community organizations, and young leaders from various countries. The entire agenda was co-created with a youth advisory group from South Africa, who are actively contributing—through a range of initiatives—to improving the mental health landscape for children and adolescents in the country.
Greece had a strong and substantive presence at the event, with three members of the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) participating in key conference discussions. As a core partner of the SNF Global Center, and as an early pioneer in implementing the programmatic actions that later expanded internationally through the SNF Global Center, CAMHI continues to contribute meaningfully to the global effort to strengthen public-sector child and adolescent mental health systems, disseminate evidence-based tools, promote youth engagement, and reduce mental health stigma.
Through its participation in Cape Town, CAMHI showcased Greece’s work on the international stage, discussing the specific features of program implementation in Greece and contributing to the development of solutions that combine scientific rigor, cultural adaptation, and the meaningful involvement of young people themselves—elements essential for building sustainable child and adolescent mental health systems.
Dr. Anastasia Koumoula, child psychiatrist and Director of CAMHI Greece, moderated a discussion on the cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions, presenting CAMHI’s training materials as an international model for implementing scientifically validated practices adapted to diverse cultural contexts. The session explored the steps taken to adapt the materials in Greece, Brazil, and South Africa, as well as the challenges that arise when applying such tools across varied social and cultural settings.
Giorgos Moschos, Director of the Youth Engagement Scheme (YES), discussing the Greek experience and the methods and tools for active, safe, and meaningful youth participation in shaping solutions to mental health challenges, emphasized that young people are not “citizens of the future” or future recipients of services, but equal partners in the present and co-creators of systemic interventions—from design to implementation.
Melina Spathari, CAMHI’s Senior Communications Manager, took part in a discussion on the role of communication and advocacy in reducing stigma. She highlighted the importance of targeted storytelling, collaboration with communities and young people, and the role of strategic communications as a foundation for the sustainability of mental health programs.
During the two days, new research data on child and adolescent mental health in South Africa and internationally were presented, along with examples of culturally sensitive adaptation of interventions. Discussions also focused on ways to integrate these interventions into public systems, highlighting community initiatives that facilitate young people’s access to supportive services.
A central focus of this year’s gathering was the recognition of young people as equal and valuable partners in shaping sustainable interventions. Youth councils, young speakers, and early-career researchers actively participated in the dialogue, raising critical questions and proposing new directions for the future.
Among the highlights was the presentation of interventions carried out by the SNF Global Center in other countries, including scholarship programs and training for professionals in countries such as Mozambique, Kenya, and Burundi in clinical care, communication, research, and more.
After the conference, Dr. Anastasia Koumoula stated: “Our participation in the SNF Global Center Annual Expert Gathering provided a unique opportunity to share Greece’s experience and CAMHI’s training tools at an international level. Through dialogue with experts and young leaders from around the world, we enhanced understanding of how the cultural adaptation of evidence-based interventions can improve access to and the effectiveness of mental health services for children and adolescents.”
Globally, one in five young people experiences a mental health or learning difficulty. Challenges in accessing services and gaps in data make such international gatherings more necessary than ever.
Explore our culturally adapted, evidence-based Guides for Parents, Adolescents, Educators, and Health Professionals, covering the most common mental health difficulties and disorders affecting children and adolescents.
The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative’s programs are designed and implemented by a nationwide network of public-sector mental health organizations and professionals, in collaboration with the Child Mind Institute (New York) and with the support of the Ministry of Health.
The Child & Adolescent Mental Health Initiative is exclusively supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) as part of SNF's Global Health Initiative.