The Public Health & Civic Literacy Academy

Youth Leadership Training in Social Justice, Public Health, and Civic Engagement

Overview

The Public Health and Civic Literacy Academy is a pilot after school initiative for high school youth through the Multnomah County Health Department's REACH Program, Oregon Health Authority, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, University of Cincinnati, and Building Blocks 2 Success.

The Academy trains underrepresented high school youth to be public health researchers, scholars, and civic leaders within their respective communities through applied learning and leadership opportunities. The program instructs participants public health foundations (e.g. epidemiology, law & policy, social epi), public health research ethics and methods, civic literacy and engagement, and creative arts through in-person, group-based learning sessions and field exercises. The Academy is grounded in youth participatory action research principles which center the leadership abilities, innovative thinking, and social justice interests of youth. PHCLA Scholars learn research skills and work collaboratively to identify and examine community health equity issues that are important to them, centering their lived experiences and community knowledges through application of antiracist and decolonial research principles/practices. Scholars’ collective work will be used to inform/guide local policy implicated in shaping their daily exposure to place-based health opportunities and risks.

The first cohort is now in session.