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Vector in Action Case Studies Healthy Youth Partnership
Vector in Action Case Studies Healthy Youth Partnership
Vector demonstrates the ability to identify, understand, and dissect complex issues, integrating the needs of the many into a common goal while building consensus. | |
-Wray Clay, | |
| Healthy Youth Partnership |
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Challenge After reviewing the results of a regional landscape analysis of community organizations providing nutrition and fitness programs, the St. Louis Rams Foundation and the Greater St. Louis Community Foundation ascertained that while many organizations address obesity, few target youth obesity. The foundations decided to convene the organizations to create a regional-based initiative to address childhood and youth obesity. Action Vector, using the strategic visioning concept, coordinated and facilitated a year-long series of planning and program development meetings with over 20 youth development, health, nutrition and fitness organizational representatives. During the planning sessions, a collaborative was formed and the members refined the initiative’s mission, vision, target audiences, goals and objectives. After a year of planning, the collaborative merged with the Childhood Obesity Initiative, sponsored by Mayor Slay’s Office. With members of the Childhood Obesity Initiative, the collaborative created 54 strategies in six intervention areas, which addressed structure, evaluation and the four target audiences – youth, family, school and community. Results In 2006, the collaborative of 50 diverse organizations became the Healthy Youth Partnership. Initially, the collaborative has worked on developing a pilot project to improve the health and wellness of students and families in a targeted geographic area. Additionally, a social marketing campaign was developed to provide audience awareness about the benefits of changing behaviors to live healthy lifestyles. |