Imaginarium

One of the greatest challenges of our times is the growing burden of mental ill-health.

While great challenges call for great innovation, a dialogue on ‘what is’ and ‘how to do’ “mental health innovation” is much needed.

“Mental health innovation” is a relatively new and emerging field. There is still a need to determine a working consensus on definitions, practices, and recommendations for ethical and comprehensive innovation.

To address this gap, the Global MINDS Collective MINDS invites the global community dedicated to improving the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of individuals and communities to international and national Imaginariums.

Imaginariums will fosters a collaborative space to (re)imagine and (re)define mental health innovation. Through a participatory and consultative process, attendees set strategic priorities for evolving the field.

Imaginariums

Global Mental Health Innovation Imaginarium

The inaugural 2022 Global Mental Health Innovation Imaginarium occurred in February 2022, in collaboration with The MHPSS Collaborative.

It brought together changemakers working across 30+ countries to explore diverse topics, including: the mapping of actors and programs; the engagement of young people and people with lived experience; and tools and techniques for measuring impact.

Canadian Mental Health Innovation Imaginarium

The inaugural 2023 Canadian Mental Health Innovation Imaginarium will occurred in autumn 2023, in collaboration with MINDS of London-Middlesex.

Dates for registering for the 2024 Imaginarium will be announced in the coming months.

What are The Objectives?

Participants work together to address the following objectives:

(Re)imagine and (re)define mental health innovation
Understand the landscape of mental health innovation (e.g., actors, initiatives, values and principles, tools and techniques, evaluation and impact processes)
Recognize the strengths and limitations (e.g., resource flows) of mental health innovation
Investigate the concerns (e.g., ethical in nature) of mental health innovation, including addressing the notion of ‘innovation as a buzzword’
Discuss how to leverage the insights, strengths, and capacities of people with lived experience in catalyzing mental health innovation
Determine actions that should be taken by a Task Team on Mental Health Innovation by recognizing key opportunities and challenges that a new agenda for mental health innovation raises

What Is The Process?

The Imaginarium occurs virtually and welcomes community to harness a collective capacity to deeply listen, connect, and begin to establish a strong foundation for collaboration and change. Over one day, through interactive and participatory dialoguing approaches and human-centred design techniques, interwoven with mindful practices, participants explore key questions and ideas to unpackrelated to mental health innovation. Participants are encouraged to share their initiatives, campaigns, or new publications for peer learning.

International and national Imaginariums differ in structure and style. For example, the Canadian Mental Health Innovation Imaginarium will include a virtual showcase of current mental health innovations and a youth performance will also highlight the evidence, creativity and activism of Canadians for mental health innovation.

The event concludes through a co-visioning session to solidify new relational and action-based capacities that can carry forward national and regional initiatives for Canadian Mental Health Innovation.

Who Are the participants?

We welcome anyone who works to support the well-being of all. This includes individuals with lived experience, youth, representatives of grassroot organizations, civil society organizations, local and international NGOs, government bodies, and funding agencies working in the mental health and psychosocial space. Individuals across expertise and experience are encouraged to attend, including artists and musicians, teachers, activists, architects and engineers, peacebuilders and mediators, and others. We invite students, emerging professionals, and experts from all sectors who are interested in further expanding this growing field through a process of (re)imagining and (re)defining global mental health innovation.