Youth Visions for Health

Affordable, healthy food and safe & accessible areas for physical activity are scarce in many places. That’s why MO Project is building a movement and we want to hear from the youth!

CANFIT’s MO Project Youth Convening is an interactive, culturally relevant training designed for youth to use media as a way to advocate for healthy eating and physical activity changes in their community. This project is the only one of its kind - a day where youth from all over the state can make videos and learn interactively through media how to get involved in improving the health of their community(i.e. change school or after school food, start a farmer’s market, improve a park, eliminate junk food advertising.) The time is now to build healthier communities and let the world know that youth deserve MO! MO Good Food! MO Safe Places to Play! MO Opportunity! View the MO Project workshop details.

What to Expect:

The typical workshops consist of four sessions, but can be tailored to meet the needs of your community. The sessions include: Advocacy, Spoken Word, Film making and Youth Engagement.

1. Advocacy Session –Program Director, Lloyd Nadal leads an interactive session on making environmental change in local communities. Through simulation and debate activities, this session brings out youth opinions and the health disparities that most deeply affect young people.

2. Spoken Word Session- A nationally-acclaimed spoken word artist facilitates an interactive session on spoken word/poetry pertaining to the food and physical activity environments that surrounds youth. Inspiring spoken word pieces are created real-time and shared.

3. Peer-To-Peer Film making Session- Participants receive hands-on peer-to-peer training on basic video making and editing from a youth film team. Groups of youth leave the film-making session with a video that is screened at the end of the training. This video can then be used immediately or edited later for a community’s advocacy efforts.

4.Optional: Parent ‘Youth Engagement’ Session- Designed specifically for adults, the Youth Engagement session is facilitated by Program Manager, Ruth Manzano, who focuses on the importance of adult involvement and support with youth advocacy activities to ensure successful youth projects and in forming successful youth/adult partnerships. Available in Spanish - language.

Activities during the day can also include:
· Various youth-led activities and presentations based on preparation time with each community.
· Community mapping to understand the strengths and challenges of the neighborhood.
· Raffle and Prize Giveaways (Wii, iPod, gift cards, etc.)

“MO Project is a fun and easy way to use videos to show what you want to change in your community and let your voice be heard,” – Julia, age 15 from Bakersfield, CA.

Who Should Attend:

Youth ages 13 - 18.

Convening Outcomes:

MO Project gets youth engaged in community efforts to build healthier communities. The workshop provides peer support; networking opportunities; and skill-building in nutrition, physical activity, built environments, communication, messaging and advocacy. Although there are numerous barriers to engaging youth in advocacy, MO Project can meet youth where they are, encourage and inspire them to be change agents in their community.

MO Project has successfully engaged over 500 youth in communities across California including Merced, Chula Vista, Kettleman City, Santa Ana, Richmond, Arvin, Ceres and Long Beach. View past convenings.

Host a MO PROJECT Youth Convening:

Do you want youth to get involved in advocacy efforts? Are there healthy eating and safe places to play for youth in your community? CANFIT partners with community or youth serving programs to organize and host the MO Project Regional Youth Convening. To discuss options to get a MO Project Youth Convening in your community, contact CANFIT at 510- 644-1533 or email .

MO PROJECT Online Media Contest:

With funding from the California Endowment and Kaiser Permanente (Southern CA), MO Project started as a statewide online media contest for youth ages 13 - 18 to make a video, poster or spoken word about what they wanted MOre of to improve health in their community. Youth from all over the state made videos showing the everyday challenges affecting their health. The winning entries included videos about improving school lunch, creating safer sidewalks, starting a positive graffiti wall and building a skate park.
Get contest details and view videos.
View the MO Project contest site.

MO PROJECT in the news:

MO PROJECT youth videos are shown to state and local representatives to help shape future funding and laws. Check out how youth are making a difference in the following articles featuring MO Project.

- Long Beach Post Features MO Project Youth
- Assembly Member Tom Torlakson honors youth at MO Project Winner’s Event
- Youth Radio highlights MO Project
- Richmond Youth Take Health in Their Own Hands from Youth Outlook Magazine.

Quick Links:
MO Project Online Media Contest
Past MO Project Convenings
Interested in MO Project? Email or call us at (510) 644-1533.