Youth adult partnerships in assessment research to drive community alcohol and tobacco environmental prevention

Over the past 5 years, youth in communities throughout California have partnered with the Youth Leadership Institute to assess their communities and use their findings to take action in their communities. This presentation will focus on how young people have used YLI's Access Survey to drive community level change. This survey measures community norms, messages, and social and commercial access to alcohol, tobacco, methamphetamine, and other drugs.

This session will highlight several case examples in which young people have utilized the survey to: 1) pass social and commercial alcohol access policies and create other environmental changes in the California counties of Marin, Fresno, San Mateo, and San Francisco; 2) partner with community decision makers and initiate shifts in county funding toward environmental prevention strategies; 3) garner strong media attention and mobilize their communities around addressing underage access to alcohol; and 4) take action around tobacco policy and other environmental change.

The benefits and challenges of engaging young people in this work will be discussed, as will the unique contributions that young people have made to community prevention efforts that were previously implemented solely by adults. Practical strategies for training and supporting young people through data analysis, recommendation development, and translating research findings into successful community action will be shared. Lessons learned and recommendations for other groups that wish to partner with young people will be provided.