Over the years, members of MyVoice, a national text-based survey that polls young people 14-24 on health issues that affect them, have been part of the national conversation on why it’s critical for researchers and policy makers to take youths’ perspectives into account when making healthcare decisions.
As evidence of the MyVoice team’s collaboration with the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), we’re listing some of the publications we’ve been a part of, as well as the workshops and seminars we’ve attended in order to make a difference in the lives of young people and their health.
The Science of Engaging Youth Lived Experience in Health Research Practice and Policy workshop
The Forum for Children’s Well-Being, in connection with NASEM, hosted a two-day, virtual workshop in October 2023 on the science of engaging youth in research, practice, and policy aimed at advancing youth well-being. Discussion panels highlighted evidence around youth engagement outcomes as well as best practices and innovative strategies for engaging youth. Discussions considered the benefits and challenges of engagement and questions of scalability and sustainability.
MyVoice Director Tammy Chang, MD, MPH, MS, was a speaker and high school student Elena Padley participated in this event.
View the video playlist, discussion slides and other workshop materials here.
Exploring the Power of Youth Leadership in Creating Conditions for Health and Equity: Proceedings of a Workshop
Young people often engage and lead efforts to improve the social, economic, and environmental factors that influence the health and equity of communities and the nation. The National Academies Roundtable on Population Health Improvement hosted a hybrid public workshop in September 2023 at The California Endowment Center for Healthy Communities in Oakland, Calif. to discuss the power of youth leadership in creating conditions for health and equity and the civic infrastructure and resources that support youth participation and leadership in change efforts.
Chang participated in the data, measures and research group at this workshop. See the workshop agenda here.
Publication that resulted from the workshop:
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Exploring the Power of Youth Leadership in Creating Conditions for Health and Equity:
Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
https://doi.org/10.17226/27332.
Incorporating Youth Voice and the Lived Experience in Research Seminar
NASEM’s Board on Children, Youth, and Families (BCYF) held a seminar in November 2021 that examined the importance of including youth voices in research. The seminar highlighted examples, both from BCYF’s work and from other projects across the country. It also featured youth speakers who shared about their own experiences participating in research.
Chang and Xochitl Amaro, a University of Michigan alumna and MyVoice team member, were featured speakers at this event.
View the seminar video here.
Photo credit: Keira Burton