Latest news with #YouthAdvisoryBoard
Axios
3 days ago
- Politics
- Axios
Colorado city elects Hazel the cat as pet mayor
The votes are in, and Louisville has elected Hazel the cat the city's second-ever pet mayor. The latest: Hazel, a shorthair tabby, beat out nine other finalists in mid-April for pet mayor, running on a platform of knocking things off of platforms. Hazel was adopted from the Longmont Humane Society, demonstrating her deep ties to the Boulder County community. Context: Louisville spokesperson Grace Johnson told Axios Boulder the idea of a pet mayor was first pitched to the Youth Advisory Board in 2023 to bring the community together for something "joyful and fun post-COVID and post-Marshall Fire." "The mission of this project is to spread a sense of community and 'pawsivity' by holding a fun election among the citizens of Louisville while educating youth on the power of voting and how their voice impacts issues that affect them and their communities," the city said in a press release. What's next: Hazel will serve a two-year term, plenty of time to enact her plan to institute "mandatory daily nap time" under her purr-view. Despite priding itself on being a pet-friendly city, Boulder's human mayor, Aaron Brocket, said he is unaware of any past pet mayors or any future plans to have one.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City takes steps toward supporting children's rights with initiative
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso City Council approved the initial steps to join the ranks of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)-recognized child-friendly cities, which is a global initiative focused on empowering children's rights in urban and community settings, the City of El Paso said in a press release on Monday, April 28. The City says the child-friendly cities initiative is structured around five key outcome goals, which are the following: Ensuring every child is valued and respected Providing children with a platform to be heard in public decisions Guaranteeing access to quality services Fostering safe environments Encouraging family life, play, and leisure The City says it will submit a 'comprehensive readiness assessment' to UNICEF and 'establish a synthesis action plan to outline priorities and actions for improving the lives of children in El Paso.' 'The City is also dedicated to eliminating discrimination and ensuring equity in all policies and actions,' the City said. The initiative, launched in 1996 by UNICEF and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), aims to build environments where 'children's voices, needs, and rights are prioritized and integrated into public policies and governance structures,' the City said. The City is now working toward UNICEF's Child-Friendly City designation, which would officially recognize the community's 'commitment to fostering environments that promote the safety, well-being, and participation of children in every aspect of public life,' the City said. 'The resolution to pursue this designation will lead to the formation of key initiatives, including a Youth Advisory Board and a 40-member steering committee, 'Para Niños,' which will guide the City through the application process,' the City said. The City says it will officially launch the Youth Advisory Board on Thursday, May 1, and will be holding an event from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. that Thursday at La Nube, 301 E. Main Drive. 'Supported in part by the El Paso Community Foundation, the Youth Advisory Board will serve as a platform for young people in El Paso to provide input, share their perspectives, and actively engage in shaping policies that impact their lives. This board will play an essential role in ensuring that children's voices are heard throughout the process of becoming a Child Friendly City,' the City said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Springfield students learn online safety from peers in DA-led program
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Two Springfield elementary schools recently partnered with the Hampden District Attorney's Office for an interactive and educational program aimed at teaching students how to stay safe online while using social media and gaming platforms. Here's the winner of Remarkable Women 2025 Fifth graders at Kensington International Charter School and fourth graders at Mary Walsh Elementary School took part in the presentation, which was delivered by the DA's Community Safety and Outreach Unit (CSO) in collaboration with high school students from the District Attorney's Youth Advisory Board. These peer leaders offered firsthand insight into the real-world challenges of navigating online spaces, making the sessions more engaging and relatable for younger students. The program is part of District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni's continued efforts to address digital safety and youth education across Hampden County. 'Our goal is to empower students with the knowledge they need to stay safe online,' Gulluni said. 'By having older students lead discussions, we create a relatable and impactful learning experience that resonates with younger audiences.' The presentations focused on a range of critical issues, including online privacy, cyberbullying, digital footprints, and the potential risks tied to gaming and social media use. Students were encouraged to participate by asking questions and sharing their own experiences in virtual spaces. The DA's Youth Advisory Board is composed of high school students across the county who are dedicated to leadership and civic involvement. Their participation in the program not only enhances the learning experience but also strengthens the connection between older and younger students. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
National Geographic
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- National Geographic
Arlo Parks sings about her own mental health. Now, she's working to improve ours too.
The London-born musician and poet Arlo Parks makes indie pop with the warmth and tenderness of folk. And since her 2021 debut album, Collapsed in Sunbeams, she's become known for songs that are so strikingly candid and familiar that they can seem like diorama boxes filled with life's tiniest moments. 'I just have my notebook for every record,' she says, 'and I'm collecting fragments and phrases and nuggets from my life, and that's where the music comes from.' Because her music is so possessed by interior life, it can naturally seem to yearn for a reckoning with our collective mental health. Her 2020 single 'Black Dog,' for instance, was written for a close friend who she feared was spiraling into depression. As she explains it, 'The reason why you're moved to write something like that is to kind of be like, Is anyone else out there? Is anyone else experiencing this in this way?' Granting solace to the lost and disheartened has since become part of a larger personal mission. Shortly after the release of 'Black Dog,' Parks, 24, started working with the Campaign Against Living Miserably, a London-based suicide prevention charity, and in 2023 she met with members of UNICEF's Youth Advisory Board to write a poem later released on World Mental Health Day. Last year, she pushed further into activism, becoming the organization's youngest U.K. ambassador. 'I always knew that I wanted to shift the focus from me and my music into something that felt a little bit more expansive, using my privilege and the position that I was in to enact change,' she says. While the world of her songs can be intimate, even insular, she's finding that the work of a UNICEF ambassador—navigating the effects of harm and giving voice to those marked by it—has to exist on a very large scale.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Prince William Celebrates Milestone for Mental Health Text Service Backed by Him and Kate Middleton
Prince William is celebrating a landmark for a mental health support service. The text messaging service Shout has hit three million conversations. Shout is the U.K.'s first 24-hour messaging support for those with mental health challenges and was set up in 2019 with backing from William and Kate Middleton's Royal Foundation. On March 6, the Prince of Wales visited Mental Health Innovations, which was established by the foundation in 2017 and was behind Shout. MHI has now merged with another charity, The Mix, as they seek to combine their resources to provide data-driven analysis and expertise to deliver innovative services and insights to aid the mental health of the country. Soon after arriving at the MHI center in White City, London, the royal chatted with young volunteers from Mental Health Innovation's Youth Advisory Board, who provide services through both The Mix and Shout. William, 42, was told that since the merger, the Youth Advisory Board has collaborated on the development of a new ecosystem of free, 24/7 mental health support that will reach millions more young people struggling with their well-being. He also heard how the merged charities are also using the latest data science and AI to support their services and to provide vital insights into the mental health of some of the most vulnerable groups from across the U.K. In 2019, Prince William vowed to train as a volunteer and has since anonymously taken calls and helped with advice, and the following year he made good on that promise. Related: Prince William Visits Hospital Where Wife Kate Middleton Was Born to Showcase Healthcare Charity Shout has become an integral part of the mental health support that William and Kate endeavor to champion during their public work. Five years ago, at the height of the COVID pandemic, Shout reached its first anniversary, and William and Kate made a video call to volunteers to pay tribute to their work during the health crisis. "You guys are the trailblazers, you have been doing a fantastic job keeping Shout moving forward, so well done and thank you for all your hard work; we really appreciate it,' William told them. In 2021, the royal couple shared an emotional video call with the parents of a 12-year-old boy who had been suffering severe anxiety during the pandemic. Standing on a bridge one day, the boy — who is being identified as "Jack" to protect his anonymity — decided to end his life. But then he turned to the Shout, and the texts helped bring him back from the brink. "We have no doubt that what happened between our son and SHOUT when he stood on that bridge was enough to save his life," the boy's father, whose identity is also being kept anonymous, told William and Kate in a video call. Princess Kate told them, "I can't imagine as parents ourselves what it's been like for you, and it's every parent's worst nightmare is receiving the call that you did on that night." Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on , and more! William's visit came a day after he headed to the hospital where Kate, 43, was born on Jan. 9, 1982, to see how staff were faring five years on from the pandemic and the support that is in place for health service workers. During his visit, Prince William spoke to staff and volunteers, telling them, "Everyone in the NHS is there to care for others, so the last person who gets looked after is the individual. And I've seen when I've worked with doctors and nurses, when I've worked with paramedics, they always put it down the line because they don't want to put their workload on someone else." "For me, looking into the nation's mental health over the last few years, unless there's almost enforced breaks in someone's career, as part of your career development, we're never going to get to that point where you can look after their mental health because you always rely on the individual to put their hand up," he added. Read the original article on People
