Projects

Veteran/Youth Mentorship Project

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The veterans of Charlotte County made an infinite commitment to serve this great nation. Often these military men and women are driven by serving. Many served as dedicated leaders, have made sacrifices most have never imagined, and most importantly, led lives with purpose. Losing purpose in life and living in isolation can have a dramatic impact on mental health like anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide.

What greater purpose can one find in life than impacting the lives of the youth?

The Veteran/Youth Mentorship Advisory Team, a collaboration of community partners and citizens, will work to enhance the mission of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast in recruiting Veteran mentors and assist filling the growing need for mentors to mentor at-risk youth.  The Advisory Team consists of partners from the Department of Health, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast, Drug Free Charlotte County, Charlotte County Community Services, and the Englewood Community Coalition/Creative Arts. In addition to promoting the program to help recruit mentors, the program will enhance the existing curriculum to assist with activities that facilitate learning life skills such as relationship building, healthy choices, accessing community resources such as mental health, housing resources, etc., and more.

Many of the youth today, especially those who are faced with the harsh realities of life through poverty or a lack of stability at home, suffer mental health issues which can carry over into adulthood. Creating connections can have a positive impact on the lives of both, mentee and mentor and lead to improved mental health and well-being for each. Engaging as a team in structured activities can foster meaningful relationships. The youth have an opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive, while veterans are empowered through sharing their knowledge, strength, and leadership to empower and motivate today’s at-risk youth.

A strong mentor in a child’s life builds resilience. Proper influence, guidance, and support can have a dramatic impact on behavior, self-worth, and the strength to stand up for oneself.

While it is not a new concept, as it has been done in various ways around the nation, this is a new initiative for the Veterans of Charlotte County. This multifaceted program addresses many of the social determinants of health and can limit barriers and disparities faced by vulnerable populations.

The advisory team is open to the community and welcomes new members. If you are interested, please email MentorshipCharlotte@flhealth.gov. 
Finding meaning and hope together.

Housing Stability Initiative

Having basic needs met plays an important role on mental well-being. Without a stable home, access to healthy foods, social connections, and an environment to thrive in, mental health suffers, especially for the youth. While the youth have little control over their circumstances, they suffer from stress and anxiety when their needs are not being met.

Although there are many resources available in Charlotte County, data is lacking. To best address the needs of the youth in the community, those needs must first be identified. Often, to solve problems, organizations target only a specific issue rather than identifying the root cause. To have the greatest impact, the root cause must first be determined.

DOH-Charlotte and the Minority Health Taskforce will support partners to identify youth housing data and the barriers that exist. Through coordinated efforts, root cause analysis, targeted outreach, and working directly with those impacted, there can be a greater impact on the community.

To begin, DOH-Charlotte and the Minority Health Taskforce will develop and sustain relationships through the Youth Coordinated Community. To further the goals of partners, the Minority Health Taskforce will collect data, design, and disseminate marketing materials and provide outreach for at-risk youth in Charlotte County based on the needs of the community and partners. In order to advance the initiatives, the Minority Health Taskforce will compile data collected to create a robust source of data of youth homelessness or at-risk youth.