[A working partnership with rural youth]

Area of Science:

• Community Health
• Adolescent Health Promotion
• Qualitative Research

Context:

• Rural francophone community in Northern Ontario
• Health promotion project for teenagers (13-19 years)
• Planning committee: 2 community health nurses and 8 teenagers

Purpose:

• Facilitate youth participation in all project stages
• Identify and define teenagers' health needs
• Encourage peer-led health improvement exploration

Summary:

• A youth snowmobile day was planned, implemented, and evaluated by a committee of nurses and teenagers.
• Qualitative methods documented group discussions on predetermined topics during stopovers.
• 48 adolescents participated in the event.

Impact:

• Shared power in partnerships yields mutual learning for nurses and teenagers.
• Nurses require approaches beyond education, acting as community development facilitators.
• Novel strategies are essential for effective adolescent health interventions.