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Youth Advocacy Program
Healthy Waldo County
Youth Advocacy Program
Are you the "U" missing in Comm__nity
HOW DO HMP YAPs WORK?
Healthy Maine Partnerships (HMP) were developed in response to the Fund for Healthy Maine legislation and tobacco settlement funding. HMP initiative links and coordinates Maine CDC's efforts with the related health promotion efforts of the Department of Education and with the Maine Office of Substance Abuse.
Waldo County has a program at the YMCA in Belfast that actively involves youth in making positive changes in their communities around physical activity, healthy eating, substance abuse prevention, and tobacco prevention and control.
WHY INVOLVE YOUTH?
The purpose of involving youth is primarily to engage youth as effective partners in change by contributing their unique perspectives, fresh energy and desire to take action.
Involvement of youth gives them an opportunity to be integrally involved in community life across multiple sectors and promotes the development of new leaders and concerned citizens.
With an emphasis on looking at health issues, youth develop skills that inspire them to advocate for changes that promote health in their communities.
What is the YAP (Youth Advocacy Program)?
The Youth Advocacy Program is an after school program for high school and middle school allows student to determine what they regard as health concerns for their peers, community and themselves. Then create activities that proactively target these concerns.
The Youth Advocacy Program’s goal is to:
support youth in the decision to not use tobacco, drugs and alcoholencourage healthy eating and exercise and healthy lifestylesincrease student awareness and involvement in health What do we do?
•HAVE FUN!
HAVE FUN!•Cook healthy food for their peers at the YMCA
Cook healthy food for their peers at the YMCA•Learn CPR
Learn CPR•Learn Tai Kwan-Do
Learn Tai Kwan-Do •Learn about how a bill becomes law, visiting the state capitol
Learn about how a bill becomes law, visiting the state capitol •Help with health fairs to teach the community about second-hand smoke
Help with health fairs to teach the community about second-hand smoke •Participate in the Maine Youth Action Network
Participate in the Maine Youth Action Network •Participate in Great American Smoke-out and Kick Butts Day
Participate in Great American Smoke-out and Kick Butts Day•Learn to cook healthy foods for their families
Learn to cook healthy foods for their families•Volunteer in the community
Volunteer in the communityWho supports the students with their program?
Healthy Waldo County partners with the Waldo YMCA bring the YAP program to the youth of our community. YAP Coordinator, Tim Woitowitz, helps students plan their activities and assists them to learn daily living skills, healthy communication and lifestyles.
The important thing is that each HMP is actively thinking about ways to engage youth in the process of community change and health promotion! For more information about YAP in Waldo County call Tim Woitowicz at : 338-4598 or teens@waldocountyymca.org
HMP is a collaborative effort among 28 local coalitions, the Maine DHHS (Maine CDC and Office of Substance Abuse) and DOE, supported primarily by the Funds for Healthy Maine with federal grants from the US CDC, SAMHSA, and DOE.
