What does a successful youth-led leadership program look like?

In this episode, two high school students share how they went from looking for something to strengthen their college applications to helping lead health campaigns their peers genuinely cared about and wanted to be a part of.

They didn’t have to be public health experts to make a difference in their schools and neighborhoods. Being relatable, showing up consistently, and understanding what matters to other young people in a way adults often can’t made them powerful advocates for healthier communities.

You’ll hear directly from Brooke and Mia about their youth leadership programs — Y Street and Youth Action for Health Leadership — as well as how they recruit other teens, deliver health messages to their peers, and what the adults supporting them did to get it right.

This isn’t another conversation about what adults think young people need.

They’re showing us that the best way to support them is to create space, provide the education and tools, and then step back and let them take the lead.

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.

What does it take to support healthy development for young people as technology becomes more embedded in schools and everyday life?

In this episode, we explore the science behind children’s screen and smartphone use, the growing movement toward phone-free schools, and the role parents are playing in shaping school technology policies. We also discuss school-issued devices, social media, AI chatbots, and why more families are reconsidering when and how young people should use these tools.

Keena McAvoy of Smartphone Free Childhood US shares how parent education, community partnerships, and advocacy are shifting how schools think about technology — and how families and youth-serving professionals can create more space for reading, writing, play, and meaningful human connection.

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.

How can prevention professionals stay ahead as new nicotine products emerge and marketing reaches young people across social media, gaming, and other digital platforms?

In this episode, we unpack how the tobacco and nicotine product landscape has expanded from cigarettes to newer products like vapes and nicotine pouches, while many of the strategies used to market them to young people remain the same. We discuss how to use evidence-based messaging to reach youth where they are, why health disparities across communities must be addressed as part of tobacco prevention efforts, and the importance of celebrating — and elevating — wins while keeping an eye on the long game.

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.

How do we help young people find meaning in their lives when so many struggle to envision a purposeful future?

In this episode, we explore what "meaning" actually is and why young people need it so much right now. We break down how our current behaviors are affecting brains in an age of emptiness. Dr. Brooks walks us through concrete steps like how to step back from constant distractions, create space for real thinking, and expose ourselves to beauty and genuine connection.

Listen as we learn why we have to find meaning in our own lives first before we can help guide young people toward the purpose they're searching for.

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.

How do we create safe spaces and supportive communities that help LGBTQ+ youth thrive without being defined by a single part of who they are?

In this episode, we explore how empathy, storytelling, and youth voice can help LGBTQ+ youth feel seen, supported, and connected. We also discuss why active listening and youth involvement are critical to creating programs that resonate with young people and keep them engaged.

Listen as we learn how a youth-informed mental health platform is helping LGBTQ+ youth build resilience, agency, and self-awareness — giving them tools to navigate challenges before they become crises.

Visit ItGetsBetter.org to learn more.

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.

How do we create lasting health behavior change — not by telling people what to do, but by empowering them with the Information to make their own decisions?

In this episode, we explore how education, strategic partnerships, and policy change can work together to improve health outcomes and prevent chronic disease before it starts. From school nutrition and recess policies to preventive health education, this work is helping young people build healthier habits while empowering communities to make informed choices.

Listen as we learn how to build bipartisan support for effective policy change and localizing health education is developing prevention-focused changemakers to create meaningful change.

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Last year, over 70,000 Americans fatally overdosed on illegally made fentanyl. Fentanyl is now found in fake pills and many street drugs, but users are often unaware that their drugs contain the potent opioid. This is an urgent public health crisis that puts all of us, and our loved ones, at risk. We all must play a role in preventing further tragedies.

Hear from Christa Shifflett, executive director of the Warren Coalition, about the latest updates on the fentanyl crisis, best practices for prevention education, and walkthrough implementing VFHY's Dangers of Fentanyl Lesson.

Download VFHY's Dangers of Fentanyl Lesson for free here: https://vfhy.org/prevention-lessons/

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Submit your ideas at vfhy.org/podcast — we’d love to hear from you.

What happens when we stop using punishment as a response to youth substance use in schools and replace it with education and empathy instead?

In this episode, we explore a different approach to youth substance use intervention, one built on trust, relationships, education, and community support instead of suspension or criminal charges.

Listen as we learn how partnerships with educators, counselors, recovery communities, and law enforcement are creating a wraparound model that helps reduce stigma, create safe spaces for young people to be heard, and provide support they need to make healthier choices.

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What if the best way to reduce stigma and expand access to resources for young people was through partnerships?

In this episode, we explore how working behind the scenes with schools and community partners is helping more young people get the support they need, without added pressure or attention. By listening, building trust, and adapting to each students’ needs, this approach moves away from one-size-fits-all and provides young people with resources they truly need.

Take a listen to learn how these relationships are making it easier for young people trust us and ask for help.

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.

What can adults learn if we spend more time listening to young people and empowering them to lead their peers?

In this episode, we’re joined by the hosts of 1Brotherhood Empowered Podcast to hear how youth and adults are working together to build the next generation of leaders. Each represents a different chapter of their leadership journey; from founding the organization as a teen, to stepping into mentorship, to preparing to lead the next wave of youth.

We learn that when adults trust young people’s ideas and guide rather than control, young people begin to see the value we bring in helping them grow as leaders.

Follow Champions for Youth on social to stay connected between episodes and explore resources shared by youth-serving leaders nationwide.

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Have feedback or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email [email protected] — we’d love to hear from you.