An important element in the Horizon Europe ADVANCE research project, where we investigate mental health interventions for various groups in Europe that seem to be specifically vulnerable to mental health problems, is co-creation. This can be described as a collaborative approach involving all actors in mental health working together on an equal basis to develop and implement policies, services, and communication that foster positive mental health according to a psychosocial model and human rights-based approach. In this talk by VU PhD candidate Amber Brizar, this process will be introduced, and its application in the ADVANCE project will be illustrated and discussed.

Amber Brizar is a PhD Candidate in Organizational Psychology with an interdisciplinary background in Business Administration (MSc) and Communication and Information Studies (MA). She currently works on the Horizon Europe ADVANCE research project, where she specifically focuses on the mental well-being of employees in small and medium-sized enterprises and examines if, and how, the WHO's Manager Training for Mental Health can enhance this.