Author: Mercedes Maness
Planning Unit: Community & Economic Development (CEDIK)
Major Program: Youth Engagement Leadership Program (YELP)
Outcome: Initial Outcome
During a youth listening session in Hyden, KY last fall two youth spoke to CEDIK about the needs in their community. While youth met with one CEDIK facilitator, adults met with another to answer the same questions. Each session was opened with an ice breaker where participants described their favorite thing about Leslie County. They continued to answer questions such as What are the biggest challenges in our county that affect youth? How can we address these challenges? If we gave you $500,000 to help address a problem or issue in the community, what would you do with the money? The groups then came back together to discuss answers and begin talking about solutions. The adults were surprised by the conversation, particularly surrounding the topic of mental health and how it relates to drug use, and how attuned students are to such issues in their community. It was at this meeting that a participant who was also involved with the Leslie County High School Community Problem Solving Team decided that there should be a focus on mental health, and immediately set to action. With her fellow LCHS Community Problem Solving teammates, she began creating a plan and allocating resources to host mental health fairs across Leslie County in hopes to reach as many people as possible. So far, the LCHS Community Problem Solving team has hosted 3 mental health fairs, written and received a grant for $750 to continue their work and set up a booth at The Mary Breckinridge Festival, and placed 4th in an international competition regarding their effort to address such a serious community issue.
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