F6.01 - Oral Session: Nothing About Us Without Us: Youth-led Advocacy and Policy Change in Philadelphia

Brief Abstract Summary: Young people are often the most affected by public health policies yet historically excluded from policymaking. The Advocacy Institute (Ai) at Health Promotion Council was established in Philadelphia to address this gap by training youth in advocacy, policy literacy, and civic engagement. Over the past decade, Ai has empowered youth to play a central role in advancing local health policy, with their leadership in shaping Philadelphia’s flavored tobacco and vaping restrictions serving as the most prominent example. This presentation will explore how youth-led advocacy influenced policy development and implementation, the strategies that enabled their success, and the lessons that can be applied to ensure youth voices are integrated into decision-making processes nationwide.

Detailed abstract description: Despite inheriting the consequences of policy, youth have long been excluded from decision-making. The Advocacy Institute (Ai) was launched in Philadelphia to close this gap by building youth capacity for advocacy and civic engagement. Over the past decade, Ai has equipped young people with skills in policy literacy, message development, testimony, and coalition building—positioning them as key partners in shaping public health outcomes and advancing policy change, particularly around tobacco and vaping control.

Grounded in Empowerment Theory, Ai strengthens youth knowledge, confidence, and civic capacity. Informed by Positive Youth Development, it frames youth as leaders and assets rather than deficits. Guided by the Social Ecological Model and Critical Consciousness, Ai treats policy as a determinant of health and equips youth to recognize and challenge inequities. The curriculum blends theory and practice through interactive workshops, mentorship, and experiential learning such as presenting testimony, meeting decision-makers, and leading grassroots campaigns. Guided by adult allies but led by youth voices, Ai emphasizes storytelling, data use, and cross-sector collaboration.

The youth vaping crisis provided an urgent platform for advocacy. Ai-trained youth elevated their experiences, delivered testimony to City Council, and mobilized public support for flavored tobacco restrictions—reframing the debate from adult-driven prevention to youth-led calls for equity and protection. Their efforts were central to Philadelphia’s 2019 flavored tobacco legislation, which limited sales near schools and became one of the strongest local policies of its kind. In 2025, testimony from Ai peer educators informed passage of the Vape-Free Futures Act, further restricting youth vape access. Beyond vaping, Ai youth have advanced smoke-free housing initiatives, strengthened retailer licensing, and shaped broader health promotion efforts.

Evaluation findings show measurable increases in advocacy knowledge, confidence, and civic participation among graduates—many of whom continue to lead coalitions and policy efforts.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Explain how youth participation in policy advances health equity and social justice.

Identify strategies Ai-trained youth used to influence tobacco and vaping policy.

Apply lessons from Philadelphia’s youth-led advocacy to strengthen policy change in their own communities.

The Advocacy Institute demonstrates the power of investing in youth leadership to drive systemic change. By addressing youth exclusion from policymaking, Ai redefined who has a seat at the table and showed that equitable policy emerges when those most affected help shape it.