Shifting power dynamics in global health through youth engagement: a participatory mini-designathon

Background Although youth engagement has long been explored in civic and political domains, it has only recently become a focus in global health. Traditional youth advisory approaches often suffer from unbalanced power dynamics, where adolescents and young adults are involved peripherally and tokenistically. This limits the relevance and impact of health interventions targeting young people, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). There is a need for practical, context-appropriate strategies that promote equity and power-sharing in youth engagement. Methods We developed and piloted a mini-designathon model - a condensed, in-person, design-thinking-based participatory approach that integrates the principles of youth participatory action research. This model was implemented as part of a broader engagement activity co-created with the Adolescent HIV Prevention and Treatment Implementation Science Alliance (AHISA)Youth Advisory Board. Teams of youth and adult researchers collaboratively produced creative outputs around the theme of youth engagement. The structure, implementation considerations, and participant feedback were analysed. Results The mini-designathon created a low-cost opportunity for youth and adult researchers to interact as peers in a structured, time-limited setting. Teams collaboratively produced creative outputs - including poems, dances, and illustrations - centred on youth engagement. Post-event feedback suggested that the activity was enjoyable, fostered discussion across age groups, and helped highlight the value of diverse perspectives. Conclusions Mini-designathons offer a practical, scalable tool to advance meaningful youth engagement in global health research. By embedding principles of equity and co-creation into participatory design, this model helps shift power dynamics and amplify youth voices, particularly in LMIC contexts. Further application and refinement of this approach can strengthen youth-adult partnerships and improve the design of interventions that affect young people's health and wellbeing.