Native Youth Leading the Way to Healthier Communities

American Indian communities continue to honor those at both ends of the age spectrum - elders and youth. However, whereas the former are often used to advise key health and policy decisions, youth are often under-utilized or ignored completely in this domain. Involving and incorporating youth into health programs and research is both critical to include their unique perspectives regarding the problems and solutions in the community, and as a tool for youth empowerment. In this session we will explore the barriers to involving youth in community based participatory research (CBPR) and other health projects, along with methods for overcoming these barriers. Native youth involved in these projects from the Native Health Initiative will present key findings and outcomes from their work, including logistics and "pearls of wisdom" for involving youth in CBPR and health interventions.