America's Promise Alliance Community Convention 2016 Wellness and Access Through the Eyes of Young People What are the obstacles young people face to access wellness resources in their communities? With the support of Target Corporation, the Center for Promise deployed young people themselves in mapping the assets in their communities to tap their experience and ground-level perspective in better understanding what young people like them are experiencing and what we need to do better to improve the supports they have. Created by Youth Researchers, Center for Promise

1. Summary of Survey Participants
People surveyed- 102
Age range of people surveyed: 16-22
Races and People Surveyed:
Black, African
American
Asian, Asian American
White
Latino
Russian
Biracial
Other

2. Survey Results- Social Media
68% of people surveyed think that social media affects people’s
mood.
73% of people surveyed agree or strongly agree with “everyone
around me uses social media.”

3. Social media is everywhere we go. It’s a convenient way to stay connected and to
communicate but can also be a distraction.

4. Survey Results- Community Violence
82% of people surveyed think that black
people are most targeted by the police.

5. How Does Violence Impact Youth in
the Community?
“Encourages them that it’s ok to solve
problems that way”
“Makes youth in the community feel unsafe”
“It scares parents and kids. There is less
playing in the street and “careless” fun
because everyone is scared of something
happening.”

6. Symbols of violence are visible all over the community. Violence
seemingly happens in cycles and seems unavoidable.

7. Survey Results- Drugs
Weed and alcohol were listed as the two
most common drugs used by high school
students.
66% of people surveyed think that students
start using drugs and alcohol to have fun
and 57% think it’s due to stress.

8. Drugs can be found at home, school, parties and on local streets. Teenagers use
drugs to have fun, reduce stress, or simply due to curiosity.

9. Survey Results- Teen Pregnancy
62% of people surveyed think that students
should start getting information about sex in
middle school.
68% of people surveyed think that high
school students are not having safe sex.
68% of people surveyed think that schools
should provide birth control.

10. Teen pregnancy can result from a lack of
education and not enough access to birth
control. Some teenage girls think that having
a child with the boy they love will make their
relationship more secure. Teen pregnancy
brings with it stereotypes, stress, and guilt.

11. Survey Results- Stereotypes
People surveyed identified race, social class,
and appearance as the top three factors that
influence stereotypes.
88% of people surveyed think that high school
students are sometimes or always impacted by
stereotypes.

12. Peer pressure impacts many decisions students make. It can often put you in
an uncomfortable position where you have to choose between attending or
skipping class.

13. Teenagers face stereotypes at school and on social media. They are often based on race,
weight, gender, and sexual orientation. These stereotypes are sometimes internalized like
black hair being seen as “lesser” because it’s coarse or black males being “aggressive”.
These internal stereotypes can begin at a young age.