Based out of The Opportunity Alliance in South Portland, Maine, the Maine Youth Action Network (MYAN) is a statewide network of committed adults and passionate young people who believe in the transformative power of youth leadership. Partners for Healthier Communities (PHC) is the District 1 sub-recipient of the MYAN grant, under the auspices of Maine Prevention Services and the Maine CDC.
Creating more equitable communities and just systems
Young people care deeply about their communities—and when adults and youth partner together, communities are stronger and healthier for everyone. Young people’s passion is the vehicle for building leadership skills, resiliencies, positive relationships and personal agency. These are the factors that help young people lead healthy and successful lives.
Visit www.myan.org to learn more.
MYAN (the Maine Youth Action Network) seeks to connect with high school students, age 14-18 who are interested in making lasting change in their communities and beyond. We empower students to influence and enact policy changes in areas of:
- Substance Use
- Adolescent Mental Health
- Bullying & Harassment
Partners for Healthier Communities' MYAN district coordinator works to support groups of young people (and their adult allies) across the state who are already taking action on issues of public health, social justice, and restorative practices. We know that meaningful youth leadership opportunities and caring relationships with peers & adults can prevent youth substance use, improve school climate, and build a more just world.
The Maine Youth Action Network is made up of many individuals, groups, and organizations (including youth and adult allies) across the state: we can connect you to ideas, resources, and people who can help you meet your goals.
Partners for Healthier Communities’ District Youth Coordinator can provide phone, online, and in-person support to youth and adults. Requests range from a simple activity brainstorm to a formal training: any work that builds youth leadership and/or increases the capacity of adults in Maine to support youth in prevention efforts. To find out more about how PHC and MYAN can support your youth work, visit www.myan.org
Held each Year, the MYAN conference is a summit geared specifically towards rising young leaders. Attendees develop their skills in leadership, action planning, advocacy, and facilitation so they can make the changes they wish to see in their communities. Students attend workshops on:
- public health
- social justice
- combating bias & harassment in schools
- student leadership & advocacy
- youth driven projects