Youth Photovoice for Community Action. Project CEASE and Resist

LaVeau, Mark

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Exhibit Hall (Kansas City Convention Center)

Mr. Mark LaVeau, MA , Communities Engaged and Advocating for a Smoke-Free Environment, BCPS & CEASE Project, Baltimore, MD

Ms. Ja'Nel Smith, BA , George Washington Elementary School, Baltimore, MD

Mr. Darin Wall, BA , Prevention Sciences Research Center, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD

Dr. Payam Sheikhattari, MD, MPH , Prevention Sciences Research Center, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD

Prof. Fernando A. Wagner, ScD, MPH , Prevention Sciences Research Center, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this presentation attendees will be able to:

1. Identify Photovoice as a tool to empower communities through their youth. 2. Recognize CEASE as a Community-Based Research Project in Baltimore for tobacco use elimination and healthy-living promotion.

Cross Cutting Program Area(s): Tobacco Control Movement – Skills Building and Increasing Diversity/Eliminating Disparities

Audience: Community Activists seeking innovative solutions to engage youth in prevention, outreach, and policy change initiatives; Teachers and school staff interested in service-learning action for students; and, Researchers and Policy makers interested in participatory approaches

Key Points: Project CEASE and Resist is a CBPR project aimed at eliminating tobacco use in an inner-city community with high rates of smoking in the mid-Atlantic area. CEASE and Resist Photovoice centered on tobacco use as a barrier to community well-being. Cameras were given to 14 youth from schools. Youth were given an introductory overview of their community health status and the effects of tobacco on community health, as well as trained in basic camera use and general ethics/guiding principles of photography. Then youth began taking pictures. They met every week or every other week to discuss their photos and narrate them from their own perspectives—telling their own story—and to help plan/guide the project. An exhibit will he held to share the work, art, and recommendations of all participants with key stakeholders, including community leaders and public officials.

Educational Experience: At the end of this presentation the audience will learn about the utilization of Photovoice methodology to: strengthen the relationship with the local communities; initiate or enhance communication processes about community problems; and, effectively work with local communities.

Benefits: This presentation is timely because of the potential of CBPR methodology for sustainable community-academic relationships committed to eliminating health disparities and problems caused by tobacco use

379 Youth Photovoice for Community Action. Project CEASE and Resist