These students took part in a related program, teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA), which teaches teens in grades 10-12 how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among their friends and peers. (Photo courtesy of University-Assisted Community School Public Health Initiatives)

Communications major Jeffrey Fishman worked directly with West Philadelphia high school students to create positive mental health messages that would resonate with their teen peers in the Youth Driven Health Campaigns communications class. 

After finding success making meme graphics and TikTok videos with the high school students, Fishman discovered one major flaw in the messaging: getting eyes on it. 

(Photo courtesy of University-Assisted Community School Public Health Initiatives)

Since then, he’s dedicated his honors thesis to discover new ways to connect Netter Center Youth Participatory Action Research programs focused on mental health with communication infrastructure in West Philadelphia, especially communication “power bases,” namely local news outlets and community organizations. By branching more into the social media space, Fishman believes new pathways to mental health awareness are possible for West Philly’s teens.

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