Baatcheet is a two-year long research programme (2022-2024) which aims to design, develop and pilot a web-based storytelling intervention intended to reduce anxiety, depression and social disability among youth aged 16-24 years. The core content of Baatcheet will be a curated archive of bi-lingual (English and Hindi) personal narratives of coping with and recovering from anxiety and depression from youth in the target group alongside evidence-based strategies to maximise behaviour change. Baatcheet will include tools for users to develop personalised goals and action plans to build capacity for reflective self-care and enhance a sense of personal control that is particularly lacking for chronically stressed and disadvantaged youth.

Baatcheet builds on the work of digital mental health storytelling platforms, ‘It’s Ok To Talk’ and ‘Mann Mela’, and recent research that has shown that narrative mental health interventions can create meaning from illness experiences, learn new coping strategies, and connect with peers through shared stories.

The innovation will be co-designed with young people with diverse lived experience of common mental health challenges and social marginalisation. Youth facilitators will be selected, trained and supervised to generate awareness of the innovation and support participants’ engagement. Baatcheet is being implemented by Sangath in collaboration with King’s College London, UK and is supported by Grand Challenges Canada (GCC).