Global Youth Voices: engaging Bedouin youth in health promotion in the Middle East.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the six-phase Global Youth Voices model (EIPARS) for engaging youth in community health promotion in the Middle East: 1) engagement, 2) issue identification, 3) planning, 4) action, 5) Rs; research, reflect, reward and 6) sustainability. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING 20 Grade 9 students (10 boys, 10 girls) from two Bedouin communities: 10 from Tuba-Zangaria in North Israel; 10 from Segev Shalom in the Negev--South Israel. INTERVENTION Using low-end (photo-voice, photography) and high-end internet-based technology, youth identified and documented the strengths and weaknesses of their communities, and then undertook a community action project focusing on one important issue. Workbooks including process guides and tools for each step of the EIPARS model are available online at: http://www.globalyouthvoices.org/resources.html. OUTCOMES Similar issues were identified in each community: e.g., smoking, injuries, friendships, Bedouin culture. Unique issues identified were suicide at Tuba and industrial pollution at Segev Shalom. Students at Tuba selected Suicide Prevention for a community project and prepared a PowerPoint presentation for educating their peers, teachers and parents. Youth from Segev Shalom created a video and photo exhibit on Violence Prevention. Photo-essays and their action projects were uploaded to the Global Youth Voices website for virtual discussion and sharing with youth globally (www.globalyouthvoices.org/middle-east/greetings-en.html). CONCLUSION This project demonstrated that the EIPARS model can be used successfully for engaging youth and creating youth-driven community action in the Middle East. This public health intervention provides a positive approach for building cooperation in conflicted regions.

[1]  Caroline C. Wang,et al.  Photovoice Ethics: Perspectives from Flint Photovoice , 2001, Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education.

[2]  P. Mortimore.  Learning: the treasure within Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century , 1998 .

[3]  Sharan B. Merriam,et al.  Qualitative research and case study applications in education , 1998 .

[4]  A. P. Williams,et al.  Promoting Arab and Israeli cooperation: peacebuilding through health initiatives , 2005, The Lancet.

[5]  Cameron D. Norman,et al.  Developing Internet-Based eHealth Promotion Programs: The Spiral Technology Action Research (STAR) Model , 2006, Health promotion practice.

[6]  H. Skinner.  Promoting Health through Organizational Change , 2002 .

[7]  G. Macqueen,et al.  Peace through health: key concepts , 2004, The Lancet.

[8]  Meredith Minkler,et al.  Community-Based Participatory Research for Health , 2002 .

[9]  Peter Mortimore,et al.  Learning: The Treasure Within , 1999 .

[10]  Blake Poland,et al.  Quality of internet access: barrier behind internet use statistics. , 2003, Social science & medicine.

[11]  Blake Poland,et al.  How Adolescents Use Technology for Health Information: Implications for Health Professionals from Focus Group Studies , 2003, Journal of medical Internet research.

[12]  R. Yin.  Case Study Research: Design and Methods , 1984 .

[13]  Caroline C. Wang,et al.  Photovoice as a Participatory Health Promotion Strategy , 1998 .

[14]  Paulo Freire,et al.  Pedagogy of the Oppressed , 2019, Toward a Just World Order.

[15]  H. Skinner,et al.  Youth social action: building a global latticework through information and communication technologies. , 2002, Health promotion international.