Developing Youth-Adult Partnerships for Health on Arizona's U.S.-México Border: The Santa Cruz County Adolescent Wellness Network

Background

The Santa Cruz County Adolescent Wellness Network (AWN) mission is to promote adolescent wellness through advocacy, education, and collaboration with youth, schools, and community organizations serving youth, ages 12-25. Member organizations represent healthcare, behavioral health, education, university, and public health sectors.

Methods

AWN has undergone a year-long process to integrate youth-adult partnerships into its programs and governance. The planning phase included literature review, network self-assessment, youth focus groups, and creation of a teen pilot group. Youth led the implementation, including developing the outreach, decision-making, and evaluation policies.

Results

Working with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension – Santa Cruz County, AWN developed a workbook of research, best practices, and tools for developing quality youth-adult partnership. Self-assessments identified common challenges to youth-adult partnership early and careful planning facilitated a successful process of organizational change. The network updated its operating procedures to allow youth representatives full membership and decision-making rights and now assesses all materials and programs to be sure they are accessible, inclusive, and supportive of youth involvement.

Conclusions

AWN shares its innovative model for convening diverse organizations to identify and address youth wellness issues in partnership with the youth we serve. Through collaboration across disciplines and generations, AWN fosters a more integrated, efficient system of youth services, and provides enriching opportunities for youth leadership. Youth participants gain a deeper understanding of health issues in their community, skills to affect positive change, and valuable experience serving as public health leaders.