Our project aims to empower rural youth by increasing their participation in policy-making and addressing youth mental health challenges through an innovative policy hackathon approach. Many young people, especially in rural areas, face limited access tomental health support and a lack of representation in decision-making processes. By training youth leaders to facilitate policy discussions and advocacy efforts, we will provide young people with the tools to develop concrete policy proposals and activelyengage with decision-makers. Through a series of policy hackathons, young participants will work alongside mental health experts, researchers, and policymakers to create actionable solutions. The most promising proposals will receive support for advocacy campaigns, ensuring they reach the relevant authorities. By integrating this approach into ongoing advocacy work, our organizations aim to sustain long-term impact, making policy-making more inclusive and responsive to youth needs. This project aims to empower rural youth by strengtheningtheir participation in policy-making and addressing youth mental health challenges through an innovative policy hackathon approach.By equipping youth leaders with the skills to facilitate policy discussions and engage with decision-makers, we aim to establish sustainable mechanisms for youth advocacy and long-term systemic change. Goals: - Develop a policy hackathon methodology that can be integrated into our organizations’ long-term activities. - Train 9 facilitators who will later organize local and national policy hackathons. - Engage at least 50 young people in hackathons to develop concrete policy proposals on mental health and well-being. - Provide financial and other resource support for three selected teams to implement advocacy campaigns consisting of at least five actions, ensuring their ideas reach policymakers. Impact: The project will contribute to reducing the stigma around youth mental health, particularly in rural areas where access tosupport is limited. By empowering young people to identify challenges and propose solutions, we expect to see greater youth engagement in policy-making and a shift toward more inclusive decision-making processes. The policy hackathon method will be a scalable and replicable tool that can be used in other fields, further strengthening youth participation in governance and decision-making. The advocacy component will ensure that policy proposals developed through the hackathons lead to real discussions and actions rather than remaining theoretical. As the project has a limited duration, some advocacy efforts may not yield immediate results. However, by integrating the hackathon outcomes into the regular advocacy activities of participating organizations,we ensure continued follow-up and long-term impact beyond the project's timeline.