The Question Why Youth Empowerment Center for Eastern NC partners with youth and adult supporters to help young people learn how to effectively use their voices to advocate for tobacco free schools, smoke-free communities, and promote healthy lifestyles. We are one of four regional youth centers funded by the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund . We work with schools, churches, clubs, and community organizations and collaborate with existing tobacco use prevention programs and projects. By working together to meet the training needs of others we are able to make a larger impact. It is our hope that the information below will help you plan for your upcoming training needs.

Tobacco 101 provides youth with the basics of tobacco use prevention education, as well as presentation skills and ideas. This level-one training helps create awareness of the tobacco use problem. Youth leave with the knowledge and resources needed to conduct their own educational sessions for their peers, younger students and even adults.

Media Literacy 101 moves beyond Tobacco 101 and on to advanced critical awareness. Participants learn how media constructs culture, contains value messages and how tobacco marketers slyly target youth audiences. This training provides invaluable knowledge and skills necessary to overcome powerful media manipulation tactics. Youth also have the opportunity to produce the concept for a radio, TV or billboard advertisement.

Youth Advocacy 101 helps youth further develop their advocacy skills through writing letters to the editor and learning about gaining and maximizing earned media attention by giving reporters what they want and need. Participants leave with a personally developed action plan and the skills required to implement and evaluate completed components.

For assistance in planning your upcoming training needs (or information about establishing your tobacco free/smoke free environment), call the ?Y coordinator, Parrish Ravelli, at 910-790-9949.

Click here to visit the ?Y training schedule