Youth-Led Town Halls

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth

Year: 2023

Live Well San Diego is a vision for a region that is building better health, living safely, and thriving. The County of San Diego (County) is the backbone organization for this vision, which leverages a collective impact model. The County’s Live Well San Diego Youth Sector was created in 2020 to meaningfully engage youth in local government and uplift their voices. The Youth Leadership Team (YLT) is a component of the Youth Sector that provides a 10-month program that employs youth ages 16-24, provides training and professional development, internships and mentorships, and an opportunity to facilitate town halls. Youth leaders conducted three community town halls on substance misuse, mental health equity, and gun violence prevention. Youth leaders also collaborated on a conference session called, “The Power of Youth Engagement,” which provided a platform for youth to discuss the importance of creating safe spaces in the workforce where they are valued for their experiences. These events demonstrated powerful examples of youth elevating their voices, creating calls to action, and using their lived experiences to layer meaning onto important topics. Input from youth at these events will be relayed back to County departments to inform future programs and services impacting youth.