At the 2024 APPAM Fall Conference, I led an interactive workshop that explored the use of Community Advisory Groups (CAGs) in qualitative research, focusing on trauma-informed approaches to studying disconnected youth—those not engaged in work, school, or other pro-social institutions. Using a case study from the Connecticut Opportunity Project, the workshop provided participants with a comprehensive framework for integrating intergenerational CAGs throughout the research process.

Key topics included:

Trauma-Informed Research Principles: Creating ethical and safe environments for participants.

Philanthropy’s Role: Strategies for securing funding to sustain and support CAGs.

Capacity Building: Empowering CAG members to engage meaningfully in research design, data collection, and dissemination.

Equitable Data Practices: Approaches to collecting and analyzing data that respect lived experiences and apply an equity lens.

In this webinar, I shared insights from leading an intergenerational Community Advisory Group to inform research on youth disconnection from work and school. The session explored how engaging youth and adults with lived experiences can drive meaningful research and policy change.

Key Topics Included:

Power Sharing: Models to effectively share power with community members for impactful collaboration.

Capacity Building: Strategies to equip advisory group members to leverage research for advocacy and storytelling.

Creating Inclusive Spaces: Approaches to fostering safe, respectful, and inclusive environments.

Overcoming Participation Barriers: Solutions to logistical challenges that ensure full engagement for all members.

Watch the recording to gain actionable insights for transforming lived experiences into impactful solutions.

In this webinar, I shared insights from my experience designing research with youth who have faced significant trauma, including homelessness, abuse, and intimate partner violence. I discussed how to create a compassionate and safe environment for meaningful data collection, with a focus on building trust and prioritizing the well-being of participants.

Key Topics Included:

Humanizing Researchers and Participants: How to build rapport and trust by showing up authentically and engaging youth as individuals.

Meeting Youth Where They Are: Adapting research methods to meet the unique circumstances and needs of each participant.

Creating Safe and Intentional Spaces: Selecting environments that are familiar, comfortable, and conducive to open, honest conversation.

Prioritizing Confidentiality, Compliance, and Consent: Upholding ethical standards to protect participants' privacy and ensure informed consent.

Watch the recording to learn how to design research practices that are both culturally responsive and trauma-informed, creating a supportive space for youth to share their experiences.

The Colorado Trust’s Community Partnerships for Health Equity (CPHE) initiative empowered local communities across Colorado to lead efforts addressing health inequities, particularly among marginalized populations. As the Health Equity Evaluation Specialist, I conducted content analysis of partner documents and qualitative analysis of interviews with residents, site coordinators, and external partners. The evaluation highlighted successes in areas like housing affordability, food insecurity, and language justice, demonstrating the impact of community-led solutions. My strategic recommendations aimed to strengthen collaboration between local organizations and policymakers, ensuring the long-term sustainability of health equity efforts and informing future policy reforms.

In presenting our research findings on youth disconnection to legislators at the Capitol, we utilized a "data walk" approach to engage policymakers in a hands-on experience with the data. This innovative method allowed legislators to explore key statistics and narratives visually and interactively. We organized a series of stations where data and youth testimonies were presented, fostering deeper engagement with the challenges highlighted by the report, Connecticut's Unspoken Crisis: Elevating the Voices of Young People. The interactive nature of the data walk enabled us to communicate the urgency of the crisis effectively, which helped catalyze discussions that ultimately led to the successful passing of House Bill 5213. The bill aimed to address systemic youth disconnection by fostering a multi-system, trauma-informed approach to better support disconnected youth in Connecticut.

Education is more than academic success—it's a powerful driver of health and well-being, particularly when addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). Our latest blog, The Paradigm Shift: Education as a Determinant of Health and Well-being, explores the urgent need to reframe education as a tool for fostering equity, reducing health disparities, and building resilient communities. By leveraging education to address issues like poverty, food insecurity, and mental health, we can create a holistic approach to student and community well-being. Discover how integrating education with broader social systems is key to promoting lasting, systemic change.