Abstract
Community Youth Mapping in Phoenix, Arizona
Emily Flanigan, MPH
Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Phoenix, AZ
APHA's 2018 Annual Meeting & Expo (Nov. 10 - Nov. 14)
Background:
With the size of Maricopa County, Arizona there is a need for collective effort within social service organizations to provide adequate resources that serve and support youth. Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) works on youth serving initiatives, but wanted to work more closely with youth in the community to identify what services were available for youth and what was lacking.
Methods:
MCDPH embarked on a Community Youth Mapping initiative in the Maryvale neighborhood of Phoenix. Maryvale is a very young community with a low median household income and a majority Latino population. A diverse community advisory board, including youth, was established to develop surveys and mapping area. Youth will be hired from Maryvale to conduct the mapping in summer 2018. Youth will be recruited from different backgrounds and experiences so their insight will come from an equity lens and resources can be identified that all youth will feel comfortable using. Youth will receive life skills trainings based on positive youth development principals.
Results:
With the unique perspective of the youth, the results of the mapping will guide initiatives in the community. With a cross collaboration of sects on the advisory board, the data will inform a variety of programs in the community. All data collection will be completed in August 2018.
Conclusions:
Many programs serve and work with youth, but often don’t gather their perspective. This unique approach not only empowers youth and builds a stronger community for them, but can be replicated in many communities.
Advocacy for health and health education Assessment of individual and community needs for health education Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs