Boston area health education center's youth to health careers (Y2HC) program: Empowering youth to promote community health

Significant health inequities exist in the quality of healthcare available to people of color. A contributing factor to these inequities is the lack of education and occupational supports to promote the recruitment and retention of highly skilled healthcare professionals of color. In order to address this deficit, community-based workforce development strategies are necessary. Since educational and occupational aspirations are formed early in life, such strategies must begin early in an individual's academic career. Research has shown that success in the pursuit of health occupations is partly due to exposure to health careers that feeds interest, engagement and expectations of success in the chosen field. The Boston Area Health Education Center's Youth 2 Health Careers (Y2HC) is a 30-year initiative designed 1) promote youth engagement and interest in the health professions 2) promote personal wellness among youth of color and 3) improve the health of the school and local communities where youth live, work, and play. In this session participants of the Y2HC program will discuss the structure and components of the Y2HC program, their involvement and analysis of the utility of the program, and their own educational aspirations and goals. Participants will also discuss the obstacles to delivering such programming in their communities. Lastly, participants will discuss future strategies to ensure that the Y2HC program remains relevant in the changing healthcare landscape.