Youth Health Ambassador Program (YHAP)

Understanding Youth and Health

• Youth: As per United Nations, youth refers to those persons aged between the ages of 15 and 24 without prejudice to other definitions by Member States. It is a period of transition from the dependence of childhood to adulthood's independence.
• Young People: Covers the age range 10-24 years and Adolescents as individuals in the 10-19 years age group.
• Health: As per World Health Organization (WHO), health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Youth Health Ambassador Program (YHAP)

Program Overview and Objectives

• Strategic Initiative: The Youth Health Ambassador Programme (YHAP) is a strategic joint initiative of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) and UNICEF.
• Program Design: The programme is designed to empower youth by enhancing their health awareness and building their capacity in primary prevention and health promotion thereby equipping them to serve as informed health ambassador.
• Skills Development: These programs equip youth with knowledge and skills in areas like physical health including SRH and mental wellbeing, enabling them to become active advocates for health and influence healthier choices within their communities and networks.

Core Components of YHAP

Health Literacy & Education

• Health Literacy: YHAP builds foundational health literacy through comprehensive training on essential health and wellbeing. This equips ambassadors with the expertise to act as credible sources of information and effective advocates for prevention and promotion.
• Health Education and Awareness: Youth Health Ambassadors (YHAs) will create health education and awareness through campaigns on key health issues, comprehensive trainings, mentorships etc. Through these multifaceted efforts, they will ensure the accurate dissemination of crucial health information, ultimately fostering well-informed and health-literate communities.

Core Components of YHAP

Peer Influence, Empowerment & Leadership

• Peer to Peer Influence: The programme is built on the principle that peer-to-peer engagement is a powerful catalyst for change. By facilitating supportive mentorship and encouraging positive role-modeling among contemporaries, YHAP leverages the profound impact of shared experiences to promote healthy behaviors.
• Empowerment: YHAP empowers individuals by equipping them with the tools, confidence, and skills needed to take effective control and contribute to the economic development, creating a productive, resilient, and healthy workforce for the future.
• Leadership: The program cultivates leadership qualities in youth, preparing them to become effective, ethical, and inspiring agents of change in their communities.

Roles and responsibilities of Health Ambassador-Who  am I?

• I am equipped with expertise in safeguarding adolescent and youth health and well-being, enabling me to contribute meaningfully to society while harnessing the triple dividend of health, social, and economic benefits
• I actively empower my peers by sharing knowledge on health promotion, disease prevention, and holistic well-being, fostering informed decision-making among adolescents and youth
• Through advocacy, I engage policy makers, stakeholders and community influencer,  gatekeepers to prioritize adolescent health, ensuring supportive policies and collaborative action for sustainable well-being
• I drive awareness and demand creation within communities, inspiring collective responsibility and action toward better health outcomes for adolescents and youth

Thank You!

You have completed the Health Ambassador Programme overview.