The PYD Initiative achieves sustainability by employing the following strategies:
-Establishing a recognized DPH Youth Advisory Council to address regional health disparities and ensure youth perspective in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and policies affecting youth;
-Creating an informal interdisciplinary Adult/Youth PYD Committee that works to align PYD definitions, data collection, and surveillance, funding opportunities, coordination of programs and services, and sharing of information;
-Promoting and incorporating PYD principles into DPH infrastructure, prioritizes youth preparation, participation, and leadership experiences. This includes youth-centered policies, regulations, grants/contracts/Requests for Proposals (RFPs), strategic plans, evaluation indicators, and capacity-building training opportunities;
-Collaborating with youth-serving organizations, parents/caregivers, and families in the development and implementation of youth programs and policies; and
-Identifying and developing sustainable funding streams to support PYD activities and the DPH Youth Advisory Council.
Central to the Initiative is the establishment of a DPH Youth Advisory Council. As a countywide initiative, MCAH has partnered with the Department's eight Service Planning Areas (SPAs) to deploy Youth Advisors regionally at one of the Public Health Centers throughout the County. With a minimum of two Youth Advisors per SPA, ranging from ages 16-21, each Advisor serves a minimum of one year or a maximum of a three-year term. Youth Advisors work closely with their respective SPA to address regional health issues, serving as local DPH youth ambassadors and gaining hands-on community-level experience alongside SPA PYD liaisons. These liaisons are existing SPA staff willingly devoting their time to this Initiative and serving as on-site mentors to their Youth Advisors. Through this real-world experience, Youth Advisors also have an opportunity to work on meaningful projects and activities based on their interests and strengths, a chance to reflect on their experiences and goals, and hands-on career exploration.
Monthly, Youth Advisors from each SPA convene with MCAH staff to form the DPH Youth Advisory Council monthly meetings. As a recognized governing body, the DPH Youth Advisory Council works with MCAH and DPH leadership (i.e., planning, designing, and negotiation) to construct programs, practices, and policies impacting youth in a developmentally appropriate approach. In doing so, the Council is a core partner in developing a PYD blueprint to equip the Department better to understand and support the healthy development of all youth in the County. DPH Youth Advisory Council monthly meetings will incorporate capacity-building trainings and workshops to increase personal skills and knowledge about the public health field and tangible group and decision-making skills to prepare them for this role.
Making this a paid opportunity is critical to respectful and equitable youth engagement, especially for youth from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities. The Tobacco Control and Prevention Program has allocated funding for participation reimbursement from Proposition 56, Tobacco Tax Increase state allocation. Through a Fee-For-Service schedule, youth advisors are reimbursed for various activities that provide an assortment of learning opportunities and experiences. These include activities for training and support, outreach and education, communication and media, research and evaluation, and youth advisory council activities.
The PYD Initiative has evolved into an enduring adult-youth partnership where youth and adults work alongside one another in a professional setting as equals. The youth gain valuable advice, wisdom, and practical work experience from the adults. The adults gain valuable youth perspectives on adolescent health concerns and priority areas, novel modes of communicating information, and more effective means of reaching LAC residents to address social issues. The Youth Advisory Council represents the LAC population's demographic, geographic, cultural, and socio-economic diversity.
The factors that enhance the Youth Advisory Council's sustainability are that it
-Is predominantly youth-led
-Has a geographically and demographically diverse membership that mirrors the youth communities represented
-It has a three-tier system involving peer-to-peer mentorship, professional development, and community engagement
-Maintains a direct line to public health leadership at the county and state levels
The transition to working from home and using virtual platforms such as MS Teams and Zoom allowed for more flexibility to attend and engage in meetings, resulting in higher attendance across every SPA than in person. Electronic surveys and activities supported participation and convenience without compromising quality and value. Tools that served to be effective were Poll Everywhere, Jamboard, Kahoot!, Scribbl, Zoom Polls, and MS Forms. In addition, training on facilitating virtual meetings in a meaningful way bolstered our team morale and creativity in running sessions in the new virtual space. Youth programs should consider more peer-to-peer-led activities, which have increased overall participation and engagement in our program.