Healthy Maine Partnership's Youth Advocacy Programs
MYAN offers technical assistance & networking opportunities to strengthen HMP’s peer programs, currently called Youth Advocacy Programs (YAPs). If you are a YAP coordinator, make sure you are on MYAN's YAP email and contact lists! If you're not sure if you are, contact Molly O'Connell at MYAN.
We are also providing support this year to Maine Youth Voices groups to help them connect with Healthy Maine Partnership groups or other organizations for possible collaboration. If you are a Maine Youth Voices group that would like support in getting connected to potential partners, please contact Molly.
Meetings MYAN coordinates meetings for YAP coordinators to network, share ideas and celebrate successes. These meetings include training to help coordinators develop youth and adult partnership and advocacy skills to create policy and environmental change.
Listserv
MYAN moderates a YAP coordinator listserv to maintain connections among groups and individuals throughout the state. Here's a cheat sheet on how to get started, or click "Listserv" above to go directly to the page!
Resources
MYAN provides YAP coordinators with resources on creating a maintaining groups, leading activities, program sustainability & more.
- MYAN worked with state level HMP staff to develop a guide for suggested youth activities to fit with HMP strategies and outcomes. Download the HMP Youth Activity Resource Guide! (Last updated, September 2007)
- We recommend that all YAP coordinators regularly check out the following MYAN resource pages for continually updated resources & web links:
Anti-Tobacco
Substance/Drug Abuse & Underage Drinking
Physical Activity & Nutrition
Advocacy & Activism
Youth & Adult Partnership
Action Planning
- The YAP Survival Binder includes resource kits on a a variety of topics, such as recruitment, group sustainability, activities ideas & more. Contact Molly O'Connell at MYAN if you need a copy.
YAP News 2007-2008
- Congratulations to Healthy Acadia and Mount Desert Island YMCA! They were selected as one of 10 communities funded nationally by the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and the YMCAs of the USA to receive $80,000 for policy and environmental change initiatives focused on chronic disease prevention in their community. They will be working with the PAN Program to build on their existing HMP work.
YAP SUCCESSES 2006-2007 |
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Three cheers for the YAPs! Youth & adults across the state are working together to make positive changes in their communities. Check out just some of the examples of HOW below. - The Lincoln Academy Youth Advocacy Program (YAP) Team collected over 1,000 signatures from high schools across Maine to add to a petition the Boston Red Sox asking them to be healthy role models and not use tobacco products, especially during games.
- Youth and adults from STOP (Southern Aroostook Tobacco-Free Outreach Project), Partnership for a Healthy Community, St. John Valley Partnership, and Power of Prevention joined together to host the fifth annual Aroostook Partnership Extravaganza (APE) Youth Summit to train students to be youth advocates in their school and communities regarding the issues of tobacco prevention, nutrition and physical activity.
- Downeast Healthy Tomorrows YAP group of Lubec successfully advocated to have a healthy vending machine installed at the high school.
- Healthy Options Together in Bridgton held a Battle of the Bands contest in which performers created original songs to educate their peers about issues of substance abuse and suicide.
- The River Valley Healthy Community Coalition's SWAT group (Students Working Against Tobacco) helped to pilot a new program run by the Partnership For A Tobacco-Free Maine called "Star Store" which involves young people in encouraging retailer responsibility around tobacco sales & promotion.
- SPRINT for Life's YAP group at MJHS in Lincoln held a Carnival for their younger peers at Ella P. Burr school. Over 100 children plus parents attended to participate in fun activities such as "the cigarette stomp" and a performance of "Rolly Robin & his HELP message (Healthy Eating & Lots of Play)" all of which promoted a tobacco free and healthy lifestyle message.
- Healthy Options Together in Bridgton grew over 300 lbs of produce in their community gardens to donate to local families in need.
- The St. John Valley Partnership's Fort Kent Middle School YAP Group organized a "1200" campaign in which 1200 pairs of empty shoes were spread across the school grounds to represent the number of people who die each year from tobacco-related illness. Tobacco facts were also distributed to classes and displayed at the school.
- Healthy Androscoggin put on the Y2Y Roadshow: Traveling to a Healther You Summit to assist youth in developing knowledge and skills to educate, advocate and support healthy lifestyle decisions among their peers and community. Participants included seven Healthy Androscoggin Y2Y groups, Poland’s Maine Youth Voices and the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council. A total of 113 middle & high school students participated.
- Katahdin Area Partnership's Youth 2 Youth group planned a Winter Carnival After-Party in response to this event's reputation for incidences of underage drinking. The event featured dancing, food, and raffles with fantastic prizes. The part had great attendance and there were no incidences at or after the event!
- YOUR SUCCESS HERE!
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This list is just a beginning!
Add YOUR group's successes to this list by emailing Molly at mlo@propeople.org. |
