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307208
YouthHaven: A community based approach to youth violence prevention
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Carley Riley, MD, MPP
,
RWJF Clinical Scholars Program, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Brita Roy, MD, MPH
,
RWJF Clinical Scholars Program, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT
Barbara Tinney, MSW
,
New Haven Family Alliance, New Haven, CT
Amy Carroll-Scott, PhD, MPH
,
Drexel University School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA
Marjorie S. Rosenthal, MD, MPH
,
Department of Pediatrics and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
Background: Urban youth are disproportionately impacted by violence. They may suffer the loss of family, friends, or other support systems, and endure chronic stress from unsafe environments, making them a priority population to engage in violence prevention activities. Many communities have created interventions to mitigate youth violence, but few have included the perspectives and input of community youth. A community-academic partnership created YouthHaven, consisting of 12 paid youth ambassadors aged 16-18, and a community research and advocacy training to build these ambassadors’ capacity to reduce community youth violence. Methods: Youth ambassadors were empowered and supported to convene a citywide “youth congress” to gather city youths’ perspectives on violence. Data collection included both quantitative audience response surveys and qualitative, facilitated small group sessions around targeted theme areas such as “your ideal neighborhood.” Results: Data from the congress showed 81% (N=54) of attendees reported a family member being hurt by an act of violence and 61% (N=49) reported having a family member killed in an act of violence. Small group sessions revealed that youth priorities in violence prevention were focused on improving employment opportunities, activities for youth, and the city environment. The ambassadors are using these data to inform a larger group of stakeholders in the creation of a citywide violence prevention plan. Conclusions: The incorporation of youth perspectives, experiences, and priorities is feasible and vital to the creation of community violence prevention strategies.
Learning Areas:
Program planning
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Describe how community based participatory research methods can augment violence prevention strategies.
Discuss why youth are key stakeholders in the development of violence prevention strategies.
Identify how community based organizations and academic institutions can create partnerships to share community based research methods to give voice to key stakeholders.
Keyword(s): Community-Based Research (CBPR), Youth Violence
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a co-investigator on multiple research projects with NIH and CDC funding, focused on the issue of youth violence prevention. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies for youth violence prevention using community based participatory methods.
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.
