Date: April 26, 2022		Format: Webinar
Time: 1:00 PM—2:00 PM EST		Cost: FREE

ABOUT THE LEARNING SESSION

This session will provide attendees with core principles and extensive insight on the process of implementing or enhancing a youth empowerment program.  The One Voice Youth Empowerment Model will be explained and specific examples of steps that can be taken to prepare to implement that model will be illustrated. Topics covered include important considerations for getting a program started, staffing, funding, youth as a part of a coalition, and recruiting youth participants. Examples of action projects in 4 key categories of advocacy will be described: Educational, policy change, media and community awareness activities.

The training will also include elements related to:

• Developing core advocacy skills for youth advocates,
• Ideas for selecting action projects,
• Techniques for coaching youth advocates,
• Resources available from Dover Youth to Youth to assist the adult adviser will be described and/or provided.

This webinar is designed for adults that work with youth advocates, those that supervise youth programs, or those wishing to implement a youth empowerment program. After the core presentation, time will be allowed for questions from webinar attendees. This webinar will be presented by Dana Mitchell, MPA, CPS, Prevention Coordinator for Dover Youth to Youth as well as current members of Dover Y2Y.

Information about Dover Youth to Youth:

Dover Youth to Youth is a comprehensive youth empowerment program where students are organized to aggressively participate as part of “the solution” to the drug & violence problem. There are 4 individual age-based teams normally totaling about 70 students in grades 6-12.  Each group has its own adult advisors and prevention projects.  Each year Dover Youth to Youth conducts a wide variety of programs, including: school presentations; creating & recording video/radio PSAs; conducting a wide variety of awareness initiatives; and engaging in state and local Policy Change efforts – including the proposal and passage of 3 state laws and 8 city ordinances.

Dover Y2Y is particularly well known for their multi-media, youth-taught presentations to students and/or adults on implementing youth empowerment programs, capacity building and advocacy skill development. Dover Youth to Youth has won a variety of national awards, has presented extensively at national conferences, and the student members travel regularly throughout the US to help other groups start or expand their youth advocacy programs. 

Dover Youth to Youth and their One Voice Model of Youth Empowerment was a 2009 Service to Science site. The following year the program received a SAMSHA capacity grant and technical assistance to design research into the effectiveness of the program and its resources. In 2013, following 3 years of evaluation activity, the model of empowerment was placed on the NH list of evidence-based programs.

About the webinar: This webinar was planned through the New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (New England PTTC) to address an identified need to address strategies for youth engagement for the New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) prevention workforce.

Certificates of participation for 1 contact hour will be awarded to participants; no partial credit is available.