Creating youth leadership networks through eHealth technologies

Alex Jadad & Cameron Norman

In 1996: A wake up call…

Our world has changed…

I have been listening...

It is accelerating...

Are we ready for exponential change?

Wikipedia: exponential growth

How could we explain to them that we would not even use the phone?

How Does Technology Help Support Behaviour Change?

What Skills Are Needed To Use Technology for Health?

How Can Technology Engage Change Efforts in the Physical World?

YOUTH ENGAGEMENT

What is the impact of youth engagement programs on

physical and mental health?

What do we know?

Systematic Review

• 52 articles included• Eleven major themes emerged and were

organized into three separate categories: – 1) method of engagement, 2) setting, and 3) motivation

for project

• Nearly half were published between 2005 and 2009 (n=24)

• 10 published in the past year. • 15 articles were published between 2000 and

2004 • Only 3 published prior to 2000

What works?

• Building engagement into existing educational curriculum

• Combining school & community projects – (i.e., classroom assignments/projects

that focus on community outreach)

• Arts-based interventions – (e.g.,forum theatre, drama, media

projects, Photovoice)

What is Youth Engagement?• Addresses social

exclusion and lack of participation opportunities that can lead to marginalization

• Linking youth to services and opportunities

• Promoting empowerment through a focus on assets and capacities

Youth 4 Health – 4 Pillars of Programming

1. Cancer Care, Prevention, Health and Wellbeing

2. Food and Nutrition

3. Mental Health Promotion

4. Campus Health

Youth 4 Health

• By becoming navigators, youth will:– apply their skills to support their

families and communities– connect adults to the health and social

service system – provide a service and opportunity for

mentorship (both as mentors to adults and as learners with older adults).

FindHelp / 211 Ontario

• Telephone and Web-based information referral service focused towards newcomers

• Website provides a fully searchable, bilingual point of access to over 56,000 community, social, health and related government programs and services in Ontario

• Part of a network of service providers across North America and currently the largest of these services

The Youth Experience through Storytelling

• Photovoice and video capture• Blogging• Public events• Surveys, interviews and dialogue

Pillars of Education

1.Learning to Know

2.Learning to Be

3.Learning to Do

4.Learning to Live Together

UNICEF (1994)

Youth As Leaders

Example: Our Community - Latent Wisdom

“The community is a usually overlooked resource. We do not realize the communal knowledge harboured in the minds of the people around us. When the population in the neighbourhood is over 15, 000 people from all over the world, you end with an immense amount and incredibly diverse set of skills and information. So talk to your neighbour and see what surprises you learn!!”

Participant quote from St. James Town Youth

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

Research Foci

• Social network spread, engagement, impact

• Web and Media analytics• Social network analysis

– Social positions & impact

• Content analysis– Quantity, quality and relational ties– Conversation stream assessment

Training Approach

Training Goals

Participatory Multimedia Design

Physical Design / Digital Products

Many Voices / Many Messages

Training Videos

Training Research Foci

• Evaluation of training program– Kirkpatrick’s 4-levels

• Response (satisfaction)• Learning• Performance• Results

• Self-determination oriented outcomes

• Post-intervention assessments

Youth4Health Team

• Arif Anwar• Ross Barclay• Stephen Barrett• Jill Charnaw-Burger• Andrea Cortinois• Alison Crepinsek• Svjetlana Kovacevic• Charlotte Lombardo

• Ilinca Lupea• Arif Jetha• Monica Nunes• Aileen O’Dowd• Jessica Patterson• Sam Saad• Kerry Scott• Andrea Yip

& a team of more than 100 youth and 20 agencies

Take Home

• Youth are networked, ready to lead, and naturals to fill gaps in the health system

• Social media and mobile technologies provide opportunities for youth to generate, collect, distribute, and rework information for populations in need

• Interactive, dynamic media strategies can enable a wider conversation with the public using diverse literacy methods

Funding provided by: Citizenship & Immigration Canada

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Thank you