Youth-Led Group Addresses Health Topics that Impact Broomfield Teens

By Kristen Beckman

A youth-led group is amplifying the voices of the community’s teenagers about health-related issues that impact them. Broomfield Youth for Youth is an advisory group for Broomfield Communities That Care (CTC), a community coalition made up of more than 50 community members that aims to address the underlying causes of youth health and behavioral problems and implement substance abuse prevention strategies for youth. To serve this purpose, Y4Y was launched in 2018.

The group, which won The Heart of Broomfield Award last fall for their commitment and service to the community, focuses on youth substance use prevention, improved well-being, and forming positive relationships. Y4Y typically comprises between eight and 16 advisers. The advisers are now employees of Broomfield Public Health and Environment, which has been a big step forward in formally recognizing their expertise and creating more equity between youth and adults, said Laura Paulson, youth projects coordinator.

“Each year, we focus on a new topic that we think youth and adults need to be more informed about, and we try to share information that we sort through from sources such as Healthy Kids Colorado and work with professionals to present this information in the most comprehensive way,” said Adviser Saba Kord, a junior at Legacy High School. “This way, Broomfield as a whole can lay a solid foundation that can help the community, both older and younger generations.”

Paulson emphasized that most youth are not using substances like alcohol and marijuana. Recent data from the 2021 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey found that 85 percent of high school students in the Broomfield/Boulder region do not use marijuana, and 72 percent do not use alcohol.

“When we share these statistics with the community, most people are very surprised and estimate that use is much higher,” said Paulson. “We really want to bring attention to these data points to show that not using substances is actually the norm.”

The group’s recent focus has been on re-invigorating Y4Y’s social media presence, doing parent/youth outreach at organizations such as The Refuge, hosting a youth selfcare night in December at Broomfield inventHQ with another scheduled in May, participating in Broomfield Days and presenting at conferences such as Public Health in the Rockies and The American Public Health Association Annual Meeting. All of this work is an addition to advising CTC.

“Y4Y provides information that supports the positive social norming of drugs/vaping, which will hopefully lead to a more informed youth and adult audience that can make choices regarding their health with all of the information available to them,” said Kord. “Additionally, we try to have a presence in different places, such as high schools and other organizations (such as The Refuge) in Broomfield that are trying to create a more supportive society.”

Y4Y does an intensive summer project every year on a topic chosen by youth and staff depending on what’s happening in the community and what makes sense for the interests and skills of the group at the time.

“Last summer, we had a lot of new advisers, so we chose a topic (creating positive norm messaging around marijuana use in youth) that would allow us to work on a lot of foundational skills, such as learning about prevention, public health, marketing, data, etc.,” said Paulson. “Summer 2023’s project is to be determined, and will really be shaped by the youth advisers.”

There are many ways the community can support Y4Y’s efforts, but one of the most important is listening to young people. “Having a trusted adult is one of the biggest protections against youth substance misuse and poor mental health outcomes,” said Paulson. “Especially when conversations are difficult or uncomfortable, listening with empathy and non-judgment is so important, and something we all can do.”

Broomfielders can get involved by supporting CTC and following Y4Y on social media. For more information visit Y4Y on Instagram (@broomfieldy4y), online at www.broomfield. org/y4y or email youth4youth@gmail.com.

“Why did you get involved in Youth for Youth?”

Lydia Seedorf, Freshman, Northglenn High School

“I chose to be involved in Y4Y because I wanted to contribute my voice to an organization that was created with the purpose of putting microphones in the hands of young leaders and amplifying their voices on issues that both concern and affect them. I was intrigued by the focus on substance use prevention and the general mental well-being of teens. Youth For Youth has helped me to connect with teens with similar passions and has given us a shared purpose. It has also provided me the courage to approach adults with these issues and engage them in conversation. I have learned over the years that, if we show how much we care and know about these issues, adults are inclined to listen to our ideas with open ears.”

Saba Kord, Junior, Legacy High School

“I chose to be involved with Y4Y after being a part of TAB (the Broomfield Library Teen Advisory Board) and understanding how important it is to be a part of making the community a more positive space for youth. As a result of being a part of Y4Y, I have been able to meet so many like-minded teens, meet amazing adults who share the same goal as Y4Y, and interact with the community through events such as National Night Out and Broomfield Days.”

Valerie Kim, Junior, Stargate School

“I started with last year’s summer internship, which was a wonderful experience that I learned a lot from. I really liked the youth-led and community-focused approach. I feel more connected with the Broomfield community through Y4Y and have made new friends who are all committed to learning about and improving our community.”