Lay summary
In Aotearoa, young people hesitate to seek help for mental health issues, despite the presence of wellbeing support services within schools. This research activation grant focuses on mental health service delivery involving eight secondary schools in Aotearoa. It emphasises developing relationships with schools and initiating pilot interviews with school leaders to pinpoint both the obstacles and enabling factors that affect the efficacy of school-based mental health service delivery. Questions such as the specific mental healthcare needs of rangatahi, their propensity to request assistance, the nature of school support available, and the overall impact of these services are central to this investigation. This research activation grant sets the stage for a larger-scale project aimed at improving both the accessibility and quality of mental health services for rangatahi, thereby ensuring that they can receive equitable, timely, and effective mental healthcare.