Report on young people’s experiences of minority stress

Helsingborg had discovered that many of the city’s young people were strongly affected by minority stress, while also realising that it needed substantial support and a structured plan to listen to the voices of young people and understand their world and challenges. When Helsingborg contacted Amphi, the task became even larger – they also wanted to create change and develop strategies to improve the lives of the city’s young people.

It began with a simple wish – to dig deeper and understand what minority stress is. To create change, we also planned to spread knowledge to everyone working with children and young people in the city.

Amphi initiated the study by reading and summarising existing research on minority stress to establish a solid theoretical foundation. Then, we created spaces for discussion – workshops and focus group interviews with a focus on young people’s thoughts and feelings. It was there that the real stories began to emerge.

• Limiting societal norms
• Power-conscious perspectives
• The personal experience at the centre
• Tailored dissemination methods for organisations
• Children and young people’s right to equity
• Anti-discrimination and anti-racism

The final report is entitled ”Young people’s experiences of minority stress in Helsingborg.” This was our way of simply saying: ”Here is what the young people told us. Listen and understand.” Their perspectives encompass a wide range of challenges. Awareness of this is essential to promote an inclusive and well-functioning societal environment. The report is available in Swedish on Helsingborg City’s website for anyone who wants to read the brave young people’s open and honest conversations about growing up in a society limited by stereotypes and norms.

Read the report in Swedish on Helsingborg’s website.