Multilingual youth for a healthy Boston: A medical interpreter training program for youth of Haitian descent

Research has shown that non-English speaking individuals may be at risk for health inequities due to language barriers. This is particularly salient to non-English speaking members of the African diaspora, including Haitian American populations. Medical interpreters may play a crucial role in reducing such health inequities, however often individuals aren't familiar with the roles and scope of practice of medical interpreters. Multilingual Youth for a Healthy Boston (MYHB) is an after-school positive youth development program aimed at providing 15 multilingual Haitian Creole adolescents with a foundational training in the skills and practices of medical interpreters. Through the 12 week MYHB curriculum youth learn about medical terminology, the structure of US healthcare delivery, and strategies around navigating the healthcare system. Students also learn the role of the medical interpreter in the medical care team and the scope of practice of medical interpreters. We will describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of the MYHB program. We will show how participation in this program facilitated youth's health literacy, agency as health consumers and health advocates, as well as encouraged their pursuit of healthcare professions. Lastly, we will discuss the challenges in delivering such programming to high school youth and put forth strategies to overcomes such obstacles.