Dr. Akram Mahani (PhD), the project lead, is an Associate Professor at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina. Her research focuses on building healthy cities and communities. Her work lies at the intersection of urban design and public health with a strong emphasis on equity. She has extensive experience presenting to public health and health policy audiences at local, national, and international conferences. She has also worked directly with the City of Regina, including presentations to city administration and the Mayor, ensuring her research informs municipal decision-making.
This panel will showcase the early experiences and emerging lessons from a community-engaged, participatory research project titled Key Features of Youth Mental Health-Friendly Neighborhoods: A Comparative Case Study. Funded by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, this study examines how neighborhood design impacts youth mental health by engaging youth in identifying and prioritizing the neighbourhood features that support their mental health. We will compare two inner-city neighborhoods (North Central and Heritage) and two suburban neighborhoods (Harbour Landing and Glencairn) within the city of Regina.
