Gulf Coast Youth as Agents of Change: The SHOREline Project "Pays it Forward"

The children of the Gulf Coast have been exposed to more disasters over the past decade than any other young people in the United States, including to six major hurricanes and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Exposure to multiple disasters and other chronic stressors, such as poverty, has led to an accumulation of mental and physical health issues and educational and social challenges. Still, although they are among the most affected by disasters, youth are often excluded from the decisions and actions that can influence their health and recovery.  SHOREline is a youth-empowerment program implemented at five Gulf Coast high schools beginning in September 2013, designed to (1) illuminate the pathways between the stressors and health and social outcomes, and (2) develop scalable models that could address these issues.  Centered upon project-based learning, the SHOREline chapters engage in projects and activities designed to encourage critical thinking, to foster skill development, to enhance leadership skills, and to promote connections with trusted adults and one another.  This poster will feature the capstone projects of these five inaugural SHOREline chapters, including:  Art therapy groups run by teenagers for younger children in shelters and community-based settings; day camps for children run by teenagers so as to free up adults who are addressing restoration and recovery needs; and mechanisms for teenagers to identify and reach out to vulnerable populations in their community, both in advance of a storm and in its aftermath.