Youth Advisory Board
Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, January 20 at 11:59pm PST.
Use your voice to improve youth mental health services!
The ADDRESS Mental Health Lab is launching a Youth Advisory Board to learn directly from youth.
This board will include up to 10 youth ages 12-16 who will help shape our research so it actually makes sense for young people. Your ideas, experiences, and perspectives will help us improve how mental health services are designed and studied.
What will the Youth Advisory Board do?
Youth Advisory Board members will take part in activities related to research, outreach, and professional development, such as:
Giving feedback on research ideas, surveys, flyers, and other study materials
Helping researchers make treatment tools more youth-friendly and inclusive
Brainstorming ways to improve mental health services in your community
Joining seminars or workshops to learn skills related to research, leadership, and careers
This board is meant to be a space where teens can connect, share ideas, and collaborate with each other and with our research team.
What are the goals of the Youth Advisory Board?
The Youth Advisory Board has two main goals:
To help the ADDRESS Mental Health Lab improve research on youth mental health services by learning directly from youth
To support youth in increasing awareness of youth mental health and mental health services in their own communities
We want this board to be a hub where teens connect, share ideas, and work together to make change.
Who will I be working with?
You’ll work directly with a trained staff member from the ADDRESS Mental Health Lab, supervised by Dr. Alayna Park, the lab director and a licensed psychologist. Before the first Youth Advisory Board meeting, you’ll also have the chance to meet one-on-one with the staff member to ask any questions and get to know them.
Who should apply?
We are looking for organized, hard-working, and thoughtful youth ages 12-16 who are interested in mental health, research, and advocacy or education.
You do not need to have been in therapy to join the Youth Advisory Board, and you will never be asked to share personal mental health information. You can share as much or as little about yourself as you feel comfortable - we are most interested in your perspective and ideas.
You do not need any prior experience. This can be your first step into research or mental health-related work. For the 2026 cohort, we are especially interested in learning from youth who identify as Latino or Hispanic, given the focus of our current research projects.
What will you gain from participating?
As a Youth Advisory Board member, you will:
Gain hands-on research experience
Learn how mental health treatments are designed, adapted, and delivered
Build professional and leadership skills
Connect with other teens and University of Oregon researchers
Have opportunities to make a real impact in your community
You can (and should!) include this experience on your resume. Dr. Alayna Park, the lab director, is happy to serve as a reference or write letters of recommendation for college applications or jobs.
What is the time commitment?
Members are expected to:
Attend a 1-hour Zoom meeting once per month (February-December)
Complete 2-4 hours of tasks between meetings
We will meet on a weekday afternoon or evening. To support the group, members should plan to attend at least 8 meetings during the year.
Will I be paid?
Youth Advisory Board members can receive up to a $40 gift card per month for attending the monthly meeting and completing the assigned tasks for that month.