New American Youth on the Rise
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Project Description
Project Narrative New American Youth on the Rise (NAYR) is a pathway program for middle and high school girls from Chittenden County Vermont immigrant communities designed to prepare students for successful transitions into college careers in health sciences. The overarching mission of NAYR is to enhance health equity for Chittenden County, Vermont immigrant communities by 1) increasing representation in the healthcare workforce that reflects their racial/ethnic backgrounds and lived experiences, and 2) increasing collaboration and trust between the academic health center and the local community by demonstrating clear investment in the local community. With a three pronged approach focusing not only on the student, but also the family and the teachers and school counselors, NAYR “cocoons” the student with mentoring activities, courses for skills development, research experience, and outreach necessary to facilitate a smooth transition into the health sciences at the college level.
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Abstract
Project Summary New American Youth on the Rise (NAYR) is a burgeoning mentorship and enrichment program for middle and high school girls from “New American” immigrant groups in Chittenden County (VT). NAYR aims to foster health equity for local immigrant communities by 1) developing a pathway to college careers in health sciences thereby enhancing representation in the healthcare workforce, and 2) increasing trust between the academic health center and local community by demonstrating investment in the community. Using the novel concept of “cocooning,” NAYR surrounds immigrant and 1st-generation American girls with home, school, and individual support necessary to succeed in middle and high school and ultimately transition into health sciences undergraduate degree programs. NAYR runs during the academic year (weekly + intensives) and the summer months. NAYR activities include: Courses for Skills Development, Research Experiences, Mentoring Activities, and Outreach. NAYR works from an interprofessional lens to guide participants into the “best fit” health science professions. With the collaboration between the University of Vermont’s (UVM) Larner College of Medicine (LCOM), College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS), and College of Education and Social Services (CESS), many college paths are possible. Moreover, NAYR students are mentored by professional women in health sciences (physicians, researchers, nursing and health science leaders) who embody the possibilities and opportunities to which they can aspire. Finally, NAYR is built around the acknowledgement that a student’s success is a factor of not only the student’s effort and desire, but also the influence of her family and teachers/school counselors. Over the last 18 months, we have developed the structure and function of NAYR with collaboration between LCOM, UVM Medical Center, and the local New American community. Through a competitive award process, UVM Medical Center granted seed funding (PI Dougherty) to develop NAYR in direct cooperation with the local immigrant community. This new SEPA application will build on the work that is ongoing and move NAYR from the development into the implementation phase in which we will launch NAYR programming for a grade 6-9 cohort of girls from our New American community. We will then add a class each year until the cohort make-up is grades 6-12. Furthermore, this SEPA application requests funding to support a true interprofessional approach including leadership from CNHS as well as pedagogical support and sound educational footing from our colleagues in CESS.
