Next Generation Community Leaders Teams Discuss Their Work in NJHI Twitter chat: Engaging Today’s Youth in Building Healthier Communities

As the second-year Next Generation Community Leaders youth teams begin their work, New Jersey Health Initiatives recently hosted the Twitter chat “Engaging Today’s Youth in Building Healthier Communities.” This hour-long Twitter chat focused on engaging youth as partners in building healthier communities, the importance of developing youth as leaders, and what NJHI has learned from these grantees and other stakeholders about engaging youth.

Coaches and youth ages 14-21 from grantee communities across the state joined the Twitter conversation and shared insights from the field. In addition, the chat highlighted the work of three grantees’ youth teams: the Elizabeth Next Generation of Community Leaders’ intergenerational work with older adults, the New-Ark Leaders of Health and their research regarding chronic absenteeism, and the work of Trenton’s StandingTALL team to advocate for better mental health awareness within Trenton schools.

Browse an overview of the conversation by clicking here, or by searching the hashtag #NJHIchat on Twitter.

The Next Generation Community Leaders program supports 10 community-focused, youth-serving organizations to prepare the next generation of civic and community leaders by providing them with the resources and technical assistance they need to focus the time, talent, and energy of youth ages 14-21 from varying educational, economic and social backgrounds. Additionally, this grant funding provides participating youth with an opportunity to make meaningful change in their communities through summer employment on a self-designed, community-focused project. The 10 communities funded under this initiative include: Atlantic City, Bound Brook, Bridgeton, Camden & Pennsauken, Elizabeth, Newark, Paterson, Perth Amboy, Secaucus and Trenton.

Learn more about the first-year alumni of the NJHI: Next Generation Community Leaders initiative and their work, and follow the newest teams’ progress by browsing their project pages here.

Get a statewide view of this work, and connect with the nearest team at #NJLeaders2030.