December 31, 2024
Youth spaces and supports are essential to creating healthy, thriving communities. In Central Brooklyn, access to intentional connections, healthy environments, and economic opportunities is deeply desired, and the need for programs designed with youth in mind is urgent. While young people often have their voices overlooked or minimized, when given the opportunity to actively engage in shaping solutions, their insights can create positive and lasting community change.
CCC’s latest youth-centered Community Needs Assessment, created in collaboration with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, places young voices at the center. Through conversations shaped by youth with youth, this project asks: What do young people need to feel connected, supported, and able to build the healthy future they desire and deserve? Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, we combined the lived experiences of participating youth with public data analysis to expose where systems are falling short and to identify opportunities for meaningful change that will improve the health and well-being of young people in Central Brooklyn.
While our findings reveal both access challenges and structural barriers, they also reinforce young people’s dreams for stronger community connections, accessible support, and programs that provide safe spaces, mentorship, and leadership opportunities to foster social belonging, well-being, and economic growth. This work provides a roadmap—not just for addressing immediate barriers but for creating youth-centered sustainable solutions that honor the young people who shared their stories and dreams with us.
Highlights from {{store.activeSection.section_name}}
{{ fact.copy }}
