ABSTRACT
This chapter extends extant literature on youth participation in two ways. First, it argues that current understandings of youth participation, particularly those espoused by government policy, need to be broadened. Although participation is often used to refer to involvement in mainstream decision making and change processes, this paper argues that non-conventional forms of social participation can offer meaningful alternatives for enhancing the participation of excluded groups such as young people with mental health problems. Second, the chapter suggests that broadening current understandings of youth participation should not be done without careful consideration of possible implications – especially for young people. The paper draws on research into the experiences of young people with mental health issues in self-help support groups (SHSGs) in New South Wales, Australia.
