empowerYOUTH!
building resiliency one voice at a time
Eight communities, filled with youth who see, feel, experience, and have something to say, and we’re listening.
EmpowerYOUTH! is an initiative of the Makin’ it Happen Coalition(MIH) whose goal is to bring Greater Manchester Youth concerns, ideas and passion to the prevention conversation. Working locally, thinking regional, and beyond, the youth come together to share, listen, learn and discuss issues and challenges within their school community. Collectively they identify prevention solutions that they can put into action.
Makin’ it Happen works to secure learning opportunities for the youth and develop partnerships with our core community sectors (Business, Education, Government, Safety/Law Enforcement and Community and Family Supports) with a goal of expanding support to our EmpowerYOUTH! Initiative. In addition, MIH is actively engaged with our state partners to ensure learning, advocacy and strength-based opportunities are brought to the youth of the region.
In March of 2017, MIH partnered with the DEA360 to host a Youth Opioid Summit at the the SNHU Arena. Over 8500 students and their advisors showed up to listen to inspiring stories and messages from dignitaries from local to national. Celebrities; actors and actresses, sports legends all shared their inspiring messages to this packed arena. Jim Wahlberg of the Wahlberg Youth Foundation was on hand and showed a video to the students entitled ‘If Only’. After listening and watching this very moving video, the lights came up and on stage were families holding pictures of loved ones they have lost to the opioid crisis. Of all the events of the day, this one visual, empowered youth from across the region to connect with Makin’ it Happen to say “What can we do? How can we make a difference?”. All the emotion and energy from that event ignited EmpowerYOUTH!
Check out what our empowerYOUTH! students are doing!
loved ones lost to the Opioid Epidemic
Youth Opioid Summit 2017
Makin’ it Happen in the 603
EmpowerYouth Inspired Logo
creating take back psa
The making of the DEA Take Back PSA
Cadca 3-day training
Jon DeLena addressing students at 3-day leadership training
60360 plate
license plate logo inspired by our youth working with the DEA 360
Town Hall Forum-St.As
Students offering solutions at WMUR Town Hall Meeting
CADCA-Atlanta 2017 Group photo
EmpowerYouth representing the 603 at the CADCA National Youth Leadership Training in Atlanta
Empowered Youth
3-day Youth Leadership Training attendees
what’s happening in Goffstown
Goffstown HS EmpowerYouth discussing how their efforts are making a difference in their community
psa training
PSA Training with students from across the state
on the Wmur set
Working with our partners at WMUR to create a PSA and a little time for a selfie with our favorite weather man
MCPHS Students -Naloxone overview
Learning about Naloxone from our partners and PA students at Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Service College
interview with Chief Willard
Manchester’s Police Chief Willard sitting down with EmpowerYouth students to discuss their concerns
CADCA Training-working together
Sharing insights from across the region
off to Leadership Conference
Thank you to all that made this possible!
interview with wmur
EmpowerYouth expressing to the media the importance of adding youth voice to the solution
BIG thank you to our sponsors
thank you to Dartmouth Hitchcock, Crispin’s House and Reed’s Ferry Lumber for helping to fund our trip to Atlanta
CADCA-Atlanta 2017 Group photo
Representing NH at the CADCA Youth Leadership Training
Interview by NPR Journalist
Empower Youth Ambassadors discussing their work and the value of the NH Charitable Foundation’s funding.
Empower Youth Ambassadors creating a DEA Take Back PSA
Working with our partners WMUR and AMR to create a PSA to encourage participation in the DEA Take Back
OTC Medicine Safety Presentations
Bedford High School Empower Youth ambassadors presented over the counter medicine safety to all of Bedford’s 5th and 6th grade students.
Goffstown discussion about youth empowerment
School officials and police chief interviewed with WMUR.
Feed them and they will come!
Thank you to our supporters Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield and to the Puritan Backroom for snacks, materials and the ever popular chicken tenders for our OTC/E-Cigarette Safety Training!
NNEPC Laurie Warnock Presenter
NNEPC Laurie Warnock presenting OTC Medicine Safety/ E-cigarette and vaping safety training to GM students
OTC Medicine Safety/E-Cig/Vaping Safety Training presentation
EmpowerYouth students sporting new t-shirts
OTC Medicine Safety/e-cig/vaping safety training
3 middle schools and 5 high schools from Greater Manchester participated in this safety training =over 75 students! This group is truly MAKIN’ IT HAPPEN!
Our Partners at WMUR interviewing trainees
McKenzie from McLaughlin Middle School discussing the safety training with WMUR.
Chief Willard and Empower Youth Students Makin’ it Happen at DEA Take Back
Empower Youth Students provided resources for the community at Manchester PD’s April Take Back location.
Empower Youth, MCPHS Students, Mayor Craig, DEA, MPD Collaboration!
MIH’s Empower Youth take time for photo op at DEA Take Back Day with PA College Students from MCPHS(who provided Narcan training), Jon DeLena, Mayor Joyce Craig, and Chief Willard. Collaboration at its best!
Fisher Cats Prevention Night
EY students providing resources and handing out t- shirts #LiveOnceThinkTwice -Make the rest of your life, the best of your life
Standing up for Youth
EY Student From Manchester Memorial testifies against marijuana bill at state house.
Eastern States Y2Y Leadership Conference
EY back safely after our 4 day adventure to RI to enhance their leadership skills
