# Evaluating the Effectiveness of a School-Based Mental Health Training Programme: The Transformative, Resilient, Youth-Led (TRY) Gym

## TL;DR

A school-based mental health program called TRY Gym improved adolescents' mental well-being and resilience through youth-led activities.

## Contribution

The TRY Gym program demonstrates a co-creative, youth-driven approach to mental health training in schools.

## Key findings

- Significant improvements in social, cognitive, and emotional competence were observed.
- Participants showed increased resilience and mental well-being after the program.
- High participant responsiveness and program completion indicate strong engagement.

## Abstract

Background: The Transformative, Resilient, and Youth-Led/Driven (TRY) Gym, a school-based co-creative mental health training programme, is grounded in the Positive Youth Development (PYD) approach. It seeks to improve adolescents’ mental health and well-being by strengthening their resilience and competence. Additionally, it prepares them to deliver peer-led mental health activities, promoting mental wellness and fostering a stigma-free, supportive environment. Methods: This study evaluated the programme using a mixed-method design. In total, 94 students from eight secondary schools in Hong Kong were recruited, with 80 participating in the evaluation. Results: Five outcomes showed significant improvements from baseline to the post-implementation phase, including social competence, cognitive competence, emotional competence, resilience, and mental well-being. Common features were identified across interviews, which may possibly account for the significant results and participants’ improved mental health. Conclusions: The TRY Gym programme’s fidelity was demonstrated by its completion, which included high participant responsiveness, and a co-creative and youth-driven approach in the project. In addition, the positive outcomes of the programme underscore its effectiveness in improving mental health among adolescents by imparting mental health knowledge and providing opportunities for participants to apply learnt techniques in everyday life situations.