E2.05 - IGNITE: Vision to Voice: Exploring Pittsburgh Youth Advocacy Through Photography and Design

Brief Abstract Summary: Recognize how Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) and photographic activism function as a powerful health promotion and advocacy strategy. This session will provide attendees with a model for youth engagement that has the potential to link community voice with systemic change. Attendees will learn how the "Vision to Voice" apprenticeship blended photography and graphic design with health equity frameworks to mobilize youth to address local social injustices, resulting in a reported increase in advocacy motivation. By implementing this method, public health professionals can develop highly relevant, ethical interventions and empower the next generation of public health leaders.

Detailed abstract description: Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is increasingly recognized as a vital approach for public health, as it ensures community voice as the main driver for identifying issues and designing effective interventions. The "Vision to Voice" apprenticeship, based in Pittsburgh, served as a prime example of this model. It involved facilitating creative expression and critical thinking among teens by integrating photography and graphic design with health equity frameworks. This session explores the emerging role of YPAR and photovoice as a component of public health practice, focusing on the evidence that supports youth engagement as a powerful tool for social justice and health advocacy.

Research and evaluation have highlighted the significant impact of this model on youth development and community outcomes. Engaging youth in photovoice not only allows them to become "critically conscious" adults, but also transforms their perspectives on their lived environment. The final interactive exhibit served as a powerful advocacy tool and persuasive medium for community leaders and stakeholders. The subsequent peer surveys demonstrated a clear success in the intervention's objectives, with youth reporting a 43% increase in motivation to address issues such as homelessness and pollution through advocacy, with a strong link between peer involvement and willingness to act.

From a public health perspective, this model plays a crucial role in health promotion and the pursuit of health equity for marginalized populations. Initiatives that actively incorporate community input, such as this photovoice project, are essential for ensuring that interventions are culturally relevant and ethical. The final exhibit provides an accessible platform for health education, conveying complex issues through highly relatable, creative means.

Advocacy strategies for this project focused on utilizing media and peer mobilization. The process for translating the raw, teen-identified photographs into a curated exhibit, will be presented by demonstrating how to use media to conduct advocacy. This session will offer practical guidance on how other professionals can use the scope of this project's impact to identify implications for practice, particularly in designing interventions that empower communities and address the underlying determinants of health. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to implement YPAR methods to foster advocacy and ensure that their future public health efforts are driven by those they aim to serve.