Engaging youth in public health advocacy: Linking public health and youth development outcomes

For decades, Health Resources in Action has engaged youth in public health advocacy, upholding the value that youth have the potential and right to act as full-fledged stakeholders in their community. Healthy People 2020's Adolescent Health Guide supports engaging youth in public health advocacy and leadership, identifying youth development as a means to achieving greater health and well-being among adolescents by focusing on youth assets rather than youth deficits. This approach leads to outcomes that promote the public's health and builds youth skills in leadership, critical thinking and advocacy. Furthermore, participant youth grow in their investment and understanding of public health and are equipped to be powerful change agents in influencing the health issues, programs and environments that impact them.

This session describes examples of Massachusetts youth engaged in public health advocacy promoting physical health, nutrition and tobacco prevention. Advocacy methods created and utilized by youth include: Photovoice projects and walkability assessments where youth document community conditions that concern them; social media campaigns spread through Twitter and Facebook; visibility events such as numbers campaigns to raise attention around facts about the targeting of youth by big corporations; and other community mobilization efforts such as petition signings and stakeholder meetings. The creativity and leadership of youth have led to local victories such as prohibiting the sale of tobacco in pharmacies, improving the quality of school meals and improving the accessibility and upkeep of parks and playgrounds.

This session provides insight into the benefits of engaging youth in public health advocacy.