Empowering Youth: YouthWell Hosts Student Advocacy & Wellness Summit
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(Santa Barbara, CA, September 3rd) – On Saturday, November 16, 2024, YouthWell’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB), in collaboration with SB County Behavioral Wellness, will host their Student Advocacy & Wellness Summit. This event will take place from 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM at the Direct Relief location in Goleta, California. This event is at maximum capacity and is not open for additional participants.
The summit will bring together 100 high school students and 20 adult allies from across Santa Barbara County, including Carpinteria, Santa Maria, Lompoc, and Santa Ynez. This event aims to equip students with leadership and advocacy skills, enabling them to raise their voices on vital issues while prioritizing their mental wellness.
Students in 9th-12th grade will learn about the intersections between mental health and…
[1] how we honor our cultural identities, histories, and lived experiences
[2] marginalized communities that experience discrimination
[3] human rights issues such as environmental issues, food and housing insecurity, farmworker justice, and incarceration/transformative justice
There will be a skills building workshop that provides an opportunity to learn new tools including… developing stronger communication, building healthy friendships, learning healthy coping strategies, and how to advocate for yourself and others.
Participants will explore the intersections between mental health and social issues such as cultural identity, marginalized communities, and human rights.
This summit provides a platform for students to learn, share, and connect with like-minded peers, fostering a supportive community for youth advocacy and mental wellness. By participating, students will gain valuable insights and practical skills, empowering them to become the next generation of change-makers in their communities.
This is a great opportunity for our local media to come learn from and interview students about the mental health challenges on their campus and in their community as well as learning about the advocacy work students around our county are participating in.
One of the biggest reasons people don’t seek help or support when they are struggling with a mental health challenge is because of the stigma and shame associated with it. YouthWell focuses on education, prevention, support, and early intervention, connecting youth through age 25 and their families to mental health and wellness resources before the crisis. YouthWell also provides an online Youth & Family Mental Health & Wellness Resource Directory for Santa Barbara County.
For more information, visit YouthWell.org