The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 22 April 2025 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Prof Lynn Hendricks.

About the Seminar:

Co-designing inclusive and equitable digital mental health interventions.

Young women living with HIV (YWLHIV) face significant mental health challenges, compounded by stigma, limited access to tailored services, and systemic inequities in low-resource settings. Current interventions often overlook the intersectional experiences of YWLHIV, focusing primarily on prevention and treatment adherence. The Creative Resilience project aims to co-design and develop an inclusive arts-based e-health intervention for low-resource settings to enhance the resilience and coping strategies of young women living with HIV (YWLHIV) and improve their mental health outcomes, as well as evaluate the scalability of the intervention as a public mental health research approach.

In this lunchtime presentation, I will discuss ongoing research focused on developing inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive digital mental health interventions through participatory co-design methodologies. Highlighting the Creative Resilience App—an innovative arts-based digital intervention currently being piloted with adolescents and young adults-the talk will address critical aspects of co-designing interventions that authentically centre community expertise and lived experiences. This presentation will provide insights into practical approaches for meaningful community engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical considerations, to inform best practices in the design and implementation of equitable digital mental health solutions.

Speakers

Prof Lynn Hendricks is an Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University (SU) with a joint PhD in Social Science and Public Health. She specialises in methods innovation, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge translation. Lynn leads SU's Social and Environmental Determinants of Health group, the Inclusive Strategies for Promoting Innovation in Research for Equity research group, directs Research Ambition, and co-directs Hearts in Action. A Gilead Public Health and Microsoft Society & Al fellow, she is a board member of SU's Centre for HIV/AIDS Management. Her creative, community-focused research includes public art exhibitions and documentaries. Lynn has received awards from Springer Nature, Cochrane, and PsySSA for her contributions to inclusive health research.

 22 April 2025
 12:45 - 14:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa