The headline below from a page long article featured in a local newspaper announced the launch of a new program to influence healthy behaviors among high school students, with a focus on fentanyl and oral nicotine pouches.

As described below, the strategy will be cocreated and implemented by youth in the community, an approach that not only helps ensure strategies are tailored for this audience, but also focuses on influential messages and messengers.

“MI’s Youth Belongs group aims to help keep kids healthy

MISD Superintendent Fred Rundle said Youth Belongs is committed to the well-being of all students. About 15-20 group members meet four times a year, Franklin said.

“The group evolves and adapts to the changing needs of our youth and represents a partnership between three organizations who serve our community. Despite changes in leadership within MIPD, MIYFS, and MISD, the committee persists, a testament to our shared purpose,” Rundle said.

A plethora of students will be amplifying their voices through their participation in a new group, Youth Matters, which will be run by YFS’s Michelle Ritter and hold its first meeting on Nov. 6.

“We believe it’s just important for kids to have a voice in the community, so we’re setting it up and getting kids from middle and high school to come together and facilitate a conversation where they, too, can say what’s on their mind and what their needs are directly,” Franklin said.” 

Photo by Sera Cocora.