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Advanced Youth Leadership Members
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Mental Health Youth Leadership
The Youth Leadership Series provides a supportive environment for students to explore their strengths and needs, develop effective communication skills, and learn about their rights as students and individuals with mental health diagnoses and ways to redress rights violations they observe. This has been chosen as a 2003 National Exemplar Program
Participants
15 to 22 year olds from across New Hampshire diagnosed with an emotional disability, nominated to participate by case managers or school personnel
History
Has served 80 students since 1998; initiated from an adult mental health program, which emerged from the University of New Hampshire?s Institute on Disability leadership program for adults with developmental delays. The Alliance for Community Supports which runs the Leadership Series also funds the nationally recognized best practice intensive case management program called Project Renew.
Goals
To encourage student placement on advisory boards of community programs in the area of mental health and/or youth issues
Content Group dynamics, lobbying government agencies and elected officials, leadership skills, conflict resolution, peer support, disability awareness, self-awareness.
Approach
Monthly Saturday workshops for seven months, with a different topic each month pre-selected by program participants
Some sessions are activity based experiences, such as a ropes course
Development of a PSA for the community
Curriculum Contact Information
No formal curriculum used
Results
Participant assignment and participation on community boards has increased
Anecdotal reports by students, parents, program coordinators indicated program success
Evaluations completed after each session indicated student satisfaction with the program
Program beginning to track outcome data for graduates
2006-2007 Youth Leadership Series
We are currently in the process of looking for participants who would like to take part in this year's Youth Leadership Series. If you feel that you would make a good candidate for our program, or know of someone who would, please visit our online application section of the website, and see our nomination and application forms. For additional information, feel free to contact our Youth Leadership Coordinator, Staci Smith. Thank you.
| Session 1 |
Youth Leadership Introduction |
The Browne Center |
October |
21st |
| Session 2 |
Cultural Differences |
Plymouth College |
November |
tba |
| Session 3 |
Waterville Overnight |
Waterville Valley |
December |
tba |
| Session 4 |
Legislation |
Concord |
February |
tba |
| Session 5 |
Systems of Care NH and Children's Mental Health |
State Hospital |
March |
tba |
| Session 6 |
Communication Training |
Cafe 324 |
April |
tba |
| Session 7 |
Youth Leadership Challenge |
The Browne Center |
May |
tba |
Graduation will be held in May at the Common Man Restaurant in Concord. Here, all graduates will be offered to take on leadership roles in their community and possibly take up leadership positions with different state agencies.
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