141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

292721
Boston area health education center's youth to health careers (Y2HC) program: Empowering youth to promote community health

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Britney Hall , Boston Area Health Education Center, Boston Public Health Comission, Boston, MA
Anthony Crosson , Boston Area Health Education Center, Boston Public Health Comission, Boston, MA
Liam Day , Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Boston Public Health Commission, Boston, MA
Uchenna Ndulue, MPH, CHES , Boston Area Health Education Center, Boston Public Health Comission, Boston, MA
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.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Describe the components of effective positive youth development programming Evaluate youth experience with positive youth development programming with a health careers focus Compare multiple methodologies to deliver effective health professions education to youth of color

Keywords: Adolescents, Health Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Brittany is a youth participant in the Youth 2 HEalth Careers Program as has held leadership roles. She has worked with Y2HC oral health program, have participated in enrichment activities and targeted field trips and will participate in Y2HC summer enrichment program.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.