KIDS Vall d'Hebron brings together young people and professionals to promote youth participation in health research

Vall d'Hebron has hosted the "KIDS Vall d'Hebron – YPAG: Promoting Youth Participation in Health" event, bringing together healthcare professionals, researchers and members of the youth advisory groups from Vall d'Hebron and Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús in Madrid to share experiences and reflect on the role of children and adolescents in research and in improving the healthcare system.

KIDS Vall d'Hebron is the youth advisory group of the Vall d'Hebron Campus, established following the international Young Persons' Advisory Group (YPAG) model, which promotes the active involvement of children and adolescents in research projects. Made up of young people aged 12 to 18, the group works alongside research teams, contributing their experiences and perspectives to help develop research that is more relevant, inclusive and aligned with the needs of patients and their families.

Visits, shared experiences and dialogue to bring research closer to young people

The event began with a programme of visits, giving members of both groups the opportunity to explore different areas of the Vall d'Hebron Campus. During the morning, participants visited the Clinical Laboratories, where they learned about the entire journey of a patient sample—from its reception to the validation of results—as well as the key role these laboratories play in diagnosing and monitoring patients. They then visited the Advanced Clinical Simulation Centre, where they discovered how simulation supports professional training, research and patient safety. Both visits were highly interactive, allowing the young participants to engage directly with healthcare professionals and ask questions.

The afternoon institutional session, held in the Auditorium of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), opened with welcoming remarks by Dr Anna Santamaria, VHIR's Director of Scientific Strategy. In her speech, she highlighted how the active participation of young people is transforming the way research and healthcare are conceived by bringing a perspective that is closer to the real needs of patients.

Next, Dr Lucas Moreno, Head of the Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Department at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and founder of the YPAG groups at both Vall d'Hebron and Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, presented the KIDS Vall d'Hebron initiative and stressed the importance of giving children and adolescents a voice so they can actively contribute to the development of research projects.

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation by members of the YPAG group. The young participants shared their experience after more than four years as members of the advisory group and described the different projects and initiatives in which they have taken part. Their work, recognised with a POP Award, demonstrated the value that youth participation brings to biomedical research and provided an opportunity to exchange best practices with professionals and members of the newly established KIDS Vall d'Hebron group.

The event also featured a presentation on healthcare professionals' perspectives on involving young people in paediatric research and concluded with a round-table discussion moderated by Sara Mas Assens. During the session, two professionals and two members of KIDS Vall d'Hebron explained how the group was created, how its members were trained and the first steps taken to launch this initiative at the Vall d'Hebron Campus.

Through this event, Vall d'Hebron reinforces its commitment to more participatory research by fostering dialogue between healthcare professionals, researchers and young people, while strengthening collaboration with other youth participation initiatives in the field of health. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the voices of younger patients are incorporated into the development of biomedical research.