This summer, Mikva Challenge and Smart Chicago Collaborative worked with a group of 140 kids and trained them to use the latest digital tools to organize themselves, amplify their voice, and take positive civic action. On the Mikva side, the work was divided into four different youth councils.
For their project, the Teen Health Youth Council used data from the Chicago Health Atlas to highlight disparities in sexual health between neighborhoods. The Chicago Health Atlas gathers data from state and city health data and displays it in a way that’s easy for researchers to look at.
Using the data from the Chicago Health Atlas, the Teen Health Youth Council presented the different rates of sexual diseases in various Chicago neighborhoods. The Teen Health Youth Council then built a narrative about what might be causing the disparity.
Yesterday, the Youth Health Council presented a set of recommendations that to Dr. Bechara Choucair, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, and Dr. Stephanie Whyte, Chicago Public Schools Chief Health Officer.
Photo of the Mikva Challenge Health Council at the Chicago Department of Public Health prior o presenting their recommendations to Commissioner Bechara Choucair.
The recommendations include better condom availability and STI testing in schools.
You can learn more about Mikva Challenge by visiting their website.
