Equipping public health professionals for youth engagement: lessons learned from a 2-year pilot study

There is strong evidence of the positive role that youth engagement programs and policies play in creating resiliency and producing positive outcomes among youth populations, such as delaying or avoiding the onset of risk-taking behaviors. Research also suggests that achieving positive outcomes ideally includes influence from the individual, the family, the school, the community, and the field of public health (available in A Research Report and Recommendations for Ontario Public Health Association). The authors conducted a comprehensive evaluation of a 2-year pilot project designed to increase the application of engagement and resiliency theory, knowledge, and skills among public health professionals engaging students from Grades 6, 7, and 8 (11- to 14-year-olds). Qualitative methods assessed public health satisfaction with training, resources, and networking activities, whereas quantitative methods assessed changes in capacity with respect to youth engagement knowledge, awareness, confidence, and skills. The findings have helped shed light on public health professional needs concerning capacity and confidence to undertake youth engagement work. Key lessons learned about making youth engagement possible and effective for public health professionals are presented.