Youth Progress Index 2023: Exploring Social Factors in Youth Mental Wellbeing

Mental health is a crucial aspect of individual wellbeing. It plays a vital role in promoting social cohesion and economic participation, making it an increasingly salient concern across the globe. In the European Union alone, prior to the pandemic, it was estimated that one in six people had a mental health issue; equivalent to around 84 million people.

There is a growing understanding that mental health is influenced by multiple interrelated factors, which means that it should not be looked at in isolation. As a result, the Youth Progress Index (YPI) has now added mental health indicators such as ‘Depression’ into its 2023 edition, to further continue incorporating indicators of mental wellbeing into its framework and to shed light on both risk and protective factors. These indicators include housing affordability, access to health services, rates for those not in education, employment or training (NEETs), satisfied demand for contraception, community safety net and the opportunity to make friends. Read the report to find out more!