Through Their Eyes: Adolescents’ and Stakeholders’ Perceptions of a Community-Based Recovery Program

Introduction: This qualitative study examined Amitim for Youth, the first community-based program for social integration designed for adolescents with mental health conditions in Israel. The aim of this study was to better understand the stakeholders’ perspectives on the program and, in particular, the consumer’s subjective experiences. Method: Semi-structured in-depth interviews, group interviews (focus groups), and information related to the program’s steering committee was collected. Participants: Eighty six interviewees from eight subgroups: (1) adolescents participating in the program, (2) their parents, (3) adolescents who withdrew from the program, (4) their parents, (5) the program coordinators, (6) the program’s volunteer youth supporters (mentors), (7) the referring mental health professionals and (8) members of the program’s inter-ministerial steering committee. Data analysis: The interviews were analyzed using a systematic reflexive thematic analysis that included six steps. A triangulation procedure compared the data collected by different methods and from the eight different information sources to strengthen the reliability of the findings. Findings: Three main themes emerged: adolescents taking agency and enhancing independence, strengthening positive identity and meaning-making through creative activity, and mentoring as a bridge to community belonging. Conclusions: With the support of the coordinators, adolescents with mental health conditions can achieve a sense of agency and independence, cultivate their talents, and promote personal recovery. The adolescents need mediation from the coordinators and mentors to bond with their peers and participate in structured activities that foster a sense of belonging and reintegration into the community.