Examples

WeRNative website for Native teens and young adults takes a positive messaging approach to addressing comprehensive health and wellness needs.

What it is

This website is part of a multimedia health resource with content for Native youth, by Native youth. Geared to teens and young adults, the site provides content and stories about the topics that matter most to this audience. Issues addressed range from physical and sexual health to mental health and life skills. The project is managed by the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.

Strategy

The website is part of a broader multicomponent effort with defined goals: to address health and social issues important to Native youth, to promote holistic health and positive identity among Native teens and young adults, and to promote behavior change and community action.  The project has a clearly defined audience (Native youth in WA, OR, and ID), and uses a mix of communication channels that are geared to reach that audience. The selection of channels was based on a survey of over 400 Native youth in the region to better understand how they use media technologies.  The survey revealed that technology use by this audience was very common and quite diverse, so the project decided to launch a multimedia campaign that included the website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, YouTube channel, and text messaging service. The website provides a variety of useful resources and tools to encourage and enable the audience to take action to improve their wellness, connect with other Native youth in a safe virtual space, and take action in their communities. For example, action steps and tips are incorporated into each topic area. In addition, the “Get Involved” section of the website provides an opportunity to apply for mini-grants to support community service projects and showcases examples of Native teens and young adults doing great things in their communities.

Safety

The content on this site avoids giving the impression that suicidal behavior in Native communities is more common than it actually is (i.e., “normalizing”) and avoids data or language that suggests that suicide is inevitable or unsolvable.

Positive Narrative

WeRNative focuses on healthful living and encourages youth empowerment and help-seeking behavior, communicating a positive message to those who may be struggling with physical, sexual, or mental health concerns. It also showcases positive stories and highlights concrete actions that the audience can take to improve their own health and make a difference in their communities.

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