Moving from Theory to Practice: Exploring How One Community-Based Organization Develops Youth Changemakers for Health Equity

Zaida V. Pearson (), Denise L. Jones, Deanna C. E. Sinex, Lyndsey Del Castillo, Kre’Shon Singleton, Nneka Obiekwu and Dennis F. Jones
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Zaida V. Pearson: Youth Enrichment Services, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
Denise L. Jones: Youth Enrichment Services, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
Deanna C. E. Sinex: Youth Enrichment Services, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA
Lyndsey Del Castillo: Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Kre’Shon Singleton: Department of Sociology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Nneka Obiekwu: Department of Political Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Dennis F. Jones: Youth Enrichment Services, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA

Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: Community-based organizations are recognized as key stakeholders for public health, as their community expertise positions them to create tailored interventions to comprehensively address community needs that large-scale public health interventions may not address. The current study describes one youth-serving community-based non-profit’s approach to public health, where youth civic engagement is oriented by social justice coursework and integrated within youth participatory action research (YPAR) to engage youth in health equity efforts. The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework and the Socioecological Model (SEM) were applied to student research outputs to understand student conceptualization of social issues and the subsequent interventions they suggest. This work explores the feasibility and depth of student-created interventions within each SDOH domain, identifying common themes in students’ conceptualizations of social problems and interventions to promote health equity. Suggestions for integrating SDOH frameworks into the YPAR curriculum to scaffold youth projects, identifying root causes of health disparities, and developing practical community-based solutions are provided.

Keywords: social determinants of health; community-based public health intervention; youth participatory action research; youth voice (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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