Youth Ambassador Research Articles

Public Health Youth Ambassador Program: Educating and Empowering the Next Generation of Public Health Leaders to Build Thriving Communities

Summary: Through a collaboration among Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD), Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), George Mason University College of Public Health, federally qualified health centers, hospital systems, non-profits, and other agencies, this initiative targets underserved high school students as a way to increase diversity among community health professionals, build generational health, and provide participants with tools to enhance their post-secondary educational and career opportunities.

A Virtual COVID-19 Youth Ambassador Program: The UI Health CHAMPIONS Experience.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to exacerbate socioeconomic and educational hardships rooted in systemic inequities for youth across the United States. (Virtual) youth resilience and health promotion efforts are viable mechanisms to address these hardships in the context of a double pandemic: COVID-19 and structural racism. Health professions training programs hold a unique opportunity to incorporate COVID-19 health education to train and empower youth to become community health ambassadors. Grounded on a Grow-Your-Own (GYO) approach, UI Health CHAMPIONS spearheaded the development of the COVID-19 Youth Ambassador Program (COVID-19 YAP), a virtual multistage and multipartner effort. Its mission is to equip youth with knowledge, perspective, and tools to have empathetic, informative conversations within their networks about COVID-19. Via e-learning, modules cover viruses and the immune system; vaccine development; health disparities/equity; and health advocacy. Participants are introduced to Human-Centered Design Thinking to guide the development of advocacy projects. COVID-19 YAP's uniqueness lies in the team of program coordinators consisting of (pre-)health professional student workers with a desire to engage in health equity efforts and community health ambassadorship. Freirean principles are applied across program design and delivery; Dialogical Education encourages the educator to become the student and the student to become an educator. This co-learning process empowers students and educators to become agents of social change. COVID-19 YAP can serve as a collaborative effort addressing a public health priority, contributing toward digital health equity, and creating community resilience while encouraging youth to pursue a health profession and become community health advocates.

Positive identity development through community engagement among youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Identity development in individuals with disabilities is often negatively impacted by exclusion, marginalisation, and stigma. However, meaningful opportunities for community engagement can serve as one pathway towards establishing positive identity. This pathway is further examined in the present study. Researchers used a tiered, multi-method, qualitative methodology consisting of audio diaries, group interviews, and individual interviews with seven youth (ages 16-20) with intellectual and developmental disabilities, recruited through the Special Olympics U.S. Youth Ambassador Program. Participants' identities incorporated disability while simultaneously transcending the social limits of disability. Participants viewed disability as one aspect of their broader identity, shaped by leadership and engagement experiences such as those offered by the Youth Ambassador Program. Findings have implications for understanding identity development in youth with disabilities, the importance of community engagement and structured leadership opportunities, and the value of tailoring qualitative methodologies to the subject of the research.

Creating a youth ambassador: a critical study of a Swedish project on teaching and learning about the Holocaust

ABSTRACT This article focuses on a project within the government-supported Swedish Committee Against Antisemitism program. To our knowledge, this is the first study to employ full-project interviews and participant observations to explore Swedish study trips to Holocaust memorial sites. It applies the educational concepts of qualification, socialization, and person-formation inspired by educational theorist Gert Biesta. Students acquired qualified concepts regarding the Holocaust's ‘what' and ‘why’ dimensions. However, findings indicate that attention should be paid to how external organizers risk narrowing the potentials of education about the Holocaust due to a lack of preexisting relations among students, and between educators and students.

Mental Health Youth Ambassador Programme for Anti-Stigma Among Secondary Students in Hong Kong: a Pilot Study.

To evaluate the Mental Health Youth Ambassador Programme between 2016 and 2019 in terms of participants' improvement in attitudes towards individuals with depression or psychosis. This anti-stigma programme was provided to secondary students (form 3 and above) and comprised three levels. Level 1 involved attending lectures about mental health; level 2 and level 3 involved social contact with persons-in-recovery. Students' attitudes towards those with depression and those with psychosis were assessed at baseline and after completion of each level of programme using the Chinese version of the Social Distance Scale. Only 25 students who were assessed at all four time points were included in analysis. The mean Social Distance Scale scores for attitudes towards depression and psychosis improved significantly across all time points. Specifically, significant improvement occurred after completion of level 2 and level 2 but not after completion of level 1. Social contact with people with mental illness (rather than attending lectures about mental health) contributed significantly to the improvement in students' attitude towards depression and psychosis. With the positive preliminary results, the Mental Health Youth Ambassador Programme should be extended to more students.

Youth Ambassadors for Disaster Preparedness: Using Psychological First Aid in Times of Crisis

Introduction. COVID-19 has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. This global disaster has impacted people in various ways, such as the practice of physical distancing and the large-scale social restriction program implemented by the government. This situation of crisis also leads to mental health problems for those who are facing it. Method. We initiated a program with the goal of creating youth ambassadors for disaster preparedness, focusing on the mental health aspect of facing disasters. Nineteen undergraduate students with a psychology background were selected and given proper training on psychological first aid (PFA), which aims to help those affected by this disaster by fostering short and long-term adaptive functioning. Result. The youth ambassador team carried out multiple programs, such as psycho-education webinars held online multiple times. They also gave help to Indonesian students currently studying abroad in Italy in the form of interactive sessions. Discussion. The program gives promising results, with the training enabling the students to function as youth ambassadors and spokesperson on mental health during this disaster, gives them the tools they need to help others in the form of PFA. The training module could be implemented further to create more ambassadors working for this cause.

Promoting Youth Empowerment through International Cultural Exchanges

The present study explores the perceptions of a group of Moroccan students about the impact that an international Youth Ambassador program (the Marrakesh-Scottsdale Cultural Exchange Program) had on empowering them, promoting global understanding, and fostering their sense of citizen diplomacy. The study uses mixed methods to explore the participants’ perceived impact of the exchange experience on three individual-level constructs: empowerment, cultural competence, and citizen diplomacy. The results, which align with the literature, show mostly positive effects on the variables examined. Limitations and implications of the study are discussed.

European Code Against Cancer (ECAC): Actions Taken by Polish ECAC Youth Ambassador

Background and context: European Code Against Cancer (ECAC) is an initiative of the European Commission aims to inform citizens about actions possible to take to decrease cancer risk. Current - 4th issue - of the ECAC contains 12 recommendations which can be implemented in daily life without any specific skills or advices. It is estimated that more than 50% of all cancer deaths in Europe could be prevented if every person would follow ECAC recommendations. So as to promote ECAC recommendations, Association of European Cancer Leagues - ECL created in 2015 Youth Ambassadors Program which brought together young people (18-35 y.o.) from more than 20 European countries to support ECAC dissemination in each country represented by youth ambassadors chosen in competitive process. In Poland, actions coordinated by ECAC Youth Ambassador (YA) - Pawel Koczkodaj - has been taken since 2017. Aim: To promote recommendations of the European Code Against Cancer, and raise its visibility in Poland. Strategy/Tactics: Accordingly to ECL data, 21% of people in Poland in 2017 have heard about ECAC. In comparison with 2015, there is an increase of awareness on ECAC existence - 13% in 2015, but this result is still not rewarding. Moreover, same knowledge is not enough - to reduce cancer risk, it is crucial to convince people to modify their behaviors and attitudes. Therefore, to achieve this goal, a brochure “12 sposobow na zdrowie” (12 ways to health) with ECAC recommendations in Polish language has been developed. This brochure in a simple words describes what to do to limit cancer risk. Additionally, Polish ECAC YA has developed strategy for promotion of this publication and performed its implementation. Program/Policy process: In developed strategy a wide variety of actions have been planned and performed so far. In planning process these actions were divided into two basic groups: education (lectures, seminars, nationwide brochure shipment, conferences) and promotion (media activities - nationwide TV and radio interviews, social media). All of these activities were scheduled and performed after SWOT analyze since July 2017 (strategy is still ongoing). Outcomes: With highly limited financial resources a large-scale educational and promotional action about ECAC recommendations was successfully planned, initiated and performed. What was learned: There is a need of constant actions aiming education about primary cancer prevention in Poland, especially among teenagers and young adults. Experience from meetings with these young people show that a lot of them have insufficient knowledge or misconceptions about primary cancer prevention - for example about HPV vaccinations. ECAC YAs concept turned out as a complex, efficient tool in promoting ECAC recommendations in Poland, which could be worth to spread to other, not only European countries.

Adelante Ambassadors: Using Digital Media to Facilitate Community Engagement and Risk-Prevention for Latino Youth

Digital and social media are now widely used to promote engagement in health programs and improve health behaviors across a variety of age groups and domains. However, limited research exists on applying culturally relevant, new media interventions specific to Latino immigrant youth. This paper describes the pilot Adelante Youth Ambassador program for Latino immigrant youth, which used digital media and community-based participatory research to build positive youth development (PYD) assets as a prevention mechanism to reduce co-occurring health risks of substance use, sexual risk, and interpersonal violence. We worked collaboratively with adolescents to create video content as a conduit for Adelante-branded messages to be disseminated on the program’s social media platforms. Using an active audience engagement methodology, youth participants informed the development of prevention messages, scripts for the videos, and acted in videos. Participants disseminated content to their social media networks and engaged peers in dialogue about topics addressed in the videos. Using pre and post tests, we evaluated changes in PYD assets (Civic Action Competence, Confidence, Connection to Community, and Connection to Peers) and skills related to digital media use, communication, and advocacy. The program used innovative branding and social media strategies to engage Latino youth in health risk prevention.

少年少女国連大使の活動を通じて水資源問題を考える

少年少女国連大使の活動を通じて水資源問題を考える

250 Young patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) – a new approach for nutritional care? A dietitian and Youth Ambassador project

Objectives Adherence is lower among chronically ill young patients. For young CF patients it means poorer nutritional status due to less awareness of food intake and enzyme therapy. Current practice is dietetic counseling by referral from doctor/nurse. Aim To emphasize the dietetic counseling from a youth perspective, e.g. nutritional topics of patient's choice and consultation without parents. Methods The project is part of the education for Youth Ambassador, which aims to provide the best care for young patients. A questionnaire was given to young CF patients to ascertain the need of a new approach for nutritional care. Results The CF population in Copenhagen is 315. Of these, 90 are young patients age 12–22. 50 patients age 12–17 are treated at the children's ward and 40 patients age 18–22 in an adult setting. 10 patients age 13–22 answered the questionnaire; they knew what a dietitian is (100%), were interested in a new kind of counseling (70–90%) and had suggestions for nutritional topics (50%). Thus a poster was made inviting all young CF patients to dietetic counseling, regardless of nutritional status. It was accompanied by flyers with contact information. Conclusion The patients had positive comments about the material and more flyers were provided since the first were taken. However, it did not result in significantly more consultations than expected by the usual referral procedure. The perspective can be planned consultations at certain ages, e.g. in early puberty where self efficacy is trained and at 18 y as part of the transfer to adult setting. Anyhow, a youth friendly approach is essential to increase adherence in the future life as young CF patient. Ghita Brekke is a registered dietitian (RD) and Youth Ambassador, Copenhagen CF-Centre, Rigshospitalet/University Hospital, Denmark.

Aerospace alliance names first "Youth Ambassador"

Aerospace alliance names first "Youth Ambassador"

Diabetes care in the developing world

My name is Clare Rosenfeld, I am 18 years old and I have been actively involved in diabetes advocacy initiatives since my own diagnosis with type 1 diabetes 11 years ago. I have worked on both national and international levels, serving as National Youth Advocate for the American Diabetes Association, and developing the International Diabetes Youth Ambassador programme for Children with Diabetes. I am currently serving as a member of the Consultative Section on Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes for the International Diabetes Federation. In the next three weeks, my mother, Kari Rosenfeld, and I will travel to El Salvador, Tanzania and Bangladesh, visiting diabetes care centres and meeting people with diabetes as well as health care professionals and representatives of national diabetes associations. My trip is being supported by Novo Nordisk, who is working with local partners in developing countries to provide sustainable solutions to improve diabetes awareness, educate health care professionals and build a diabetes care infrastructure. What situations will I encounter, and what insights into these places will I gain? Though I am not new to diabetes advocacy, I have never visited health care facilities in developing countries before. As my experiences unfold over the next three weeks, I will share my observations with the international community, documenting my observations and the information I gain first hand. This is a unique opportunity for our international community to learn together about both the challenges we face in the years ahead as the number of people with diabetes continues to increase, and how we can implement positive, lasting change in our world.

AVA's Youth Ambassador to Thailand

Australian Veterinary JournalVolume 77, Issue 6 p. 356-356 Free Access AVA's Youth Ambassador to Thailand First published: 10 March 2008 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1999.tb10296.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume77, Issue6June 1999Pages 356-356 RelatedInformation