Tools and Resources

The Best Practice Guidelines provides recommendations for the engagement of people with lived experience (PWLE) in mental health and substance use research. (Please note we use PWLE to include family members, who have their own lived experience.) The Best Practice Guidelines are grouped into 5 sections taking readers through the stages of a research project. Each section starts with a brief introduction, followed by specific recommendations. They are designed to support research teams in integrating PWLE in all stages of research.

The guidelines emerged from a three-round modified virtual Delphi study conducted with researchers, research engagement staff, and PWLE, including families, and PWLE advisors were part of the research team that conducted the study. Both the study process and the final Guidelines thereby reflect the priorities and perspectives of PWLE.

Download the PDF of the full report on Best practice guidelines for the engagement of people with lived experience in mental health / substance use research.

This guidance document is designed to support research teams in reporting on the engagement of people with lived and living experience (PWLE) and families in mental health and substance use research. Developed as part of a PhD project at the University of Toronto and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, it was informed by interviews with both PWLE/F and researchers across Canada, and refined through collaborative feedback. Its purpose is to promote transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in how engagement is represented in research papers.

Rather than serving as a prescriptive checklist, the guide encourages reflection and collaboration between researchers and PWLE/family partners to ensure diverse perspectives are authentically captured. It includes a reporting framework with key areas, guiding questions, and reflection points, along with recommendations for co-authoring with PWLE. By balancing flexibility and standardization, the document aims to address power dynamics in reporting and strengthen the integrity and impact of engagement practices in mental health and substance use research.

The INNOVATE Research: Youth Engagement Guidebook for Researchers is a comprehensive guidebook that walks researchers through the steps of engaging youth in research activities. Coming from the The Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child Youth & Family Mental Health, the guide was developed by a pan-Canadian team of youth and researchers with experience in youth engagement at all stages of research, from developing the research question through to knowledge translation.

The guidebook contains background information on youth engagement, together with concrete examples and specific recommendations, as well as worksheets to help researchers work through the engagement process. 

INNOVATE Research was a SSHRC-funded project bringing together researchers and youth from across Canada to develop the youth engagement curriculum, then to deliver it to researchers at workshops in Halifax, Toronto and Vancouver.

This report is intended to open up the dialogue at CAMH regarding creating a process and set of guidelines for our scientists and research divisions that will help ensure adherence to Indigenous cultural protocols and respect for Indigenous cultural philosophies.