The SPAN Youth Hub

The roads are clean, the skies are clear, and the snow is melting. But we don't need warmer weather to organize youth to support youth.  Youth As Self Advocates (YASA) is an independent and diverse national advisory board run by a panel of young people with disabilities. YASA has people from all different walks of life, and its goal is to support youth and young adults with disabilities or health care needs. The good news is that they are recruiting! Here are a few parts of their webpage worth mentioning: Our mission is to educate society about issues concerning us. We are leaders in our communities and we help spread helpful, positive information among our peers to increase knowledge around various issues concerning us. We also help health care professionals, policymakers, and other adults in our communities understand what it is like to live our lives. We share our personal stories to help improve services and support for ourselves and other youth. We embrace the slogan, “nothing...

Another week and more snow in New Jersey. It is not uncommon for families to experience injuries, illnesses, and other incidents during these weather conditions. We need healthcare to treat any incident. With or without incidents, youth and young adults also have physical, mental, or sexual health needs. And it is important for youth and young adults to start developing health advocacy skills.  The youth or 'chatters' shared their experiences at the doctor's office. And they all experience a trip to the doctor's office differently, but they all have questions to ask their doctor. But this is not always easy to do if another person is speaking for them. Teens and young adults are known to be nervous or having trouble asking personal questions. It is important to create a relationship with your doctor. A tip is to write your questions ahead of time for your doctor to answer. There are options for healthcare if there are issues to access, check out the following options: ●...

There were 30,000 cardboard fans at the Super Bowl this past Sunday! All those cardboard fans are a reminder that we are still living in a pandemic. But there is good news with cases plummeting because of double-mask wearing, social distancing, and the COVID-19 Vaccine. Let's talk about how the mRNA vaccine works and share some resources that can answer your questions.  The Center for Disease Control's (CDC) website can answer your questions on the  COVID-19 vaccine. Their website is regularly updated and one of the top resources on your questions about the COVID-19 virus and vaccine.  The SPAN youth chat participants asked some important questions of their own. For example, will you need the COVID-19 vaccine to travel? There is no one-word answer to this question. Every country has different requirements for travelers. We recommended the following link:  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel . A traveler can click on the link and pick a country to learn about their requ...

24 inches of snow later....we can look forward to a new blog post for the SPAN Youth Hub! Happy February, quite the entrance, but grab a hot beverage, sit back, relax, and let's talk about you and your self-esteem.  The National Association For Self-Esteem is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the self-esteem of our communities. On the website are lessons, activities, and a quiz to help measure and boost low self-esteem. Check out the link for the site at the end of this post. Positive Self-Talk v. Negative Self-Talk We recommend for youth, young adults, and adults of all ages take the How-To-Study Self Esteem Assessment. This 35 questions assessment ask short and straightforward questions like "To what extent does the following statement apply to you? I feel I'm not good at anything." And you can answer with the options, "A lot like me, Somewhat like me, or Not like me."  Self-esteem is important because it is how we feel about ourselves. An e...

Time seems to go by faster and faster each day. There is always too much to do and not enough time. How do we make the most of the time we have? We can take the first steps to get organized. Let's see what the youth from the SPAN youth chat have to say about how they get organized with their time.  We featured the video, "How to be Organized for School, College or Life [The 6 Habits of Highly Organized People] from the Memorize Academy. These six habits are essential for organizing your life and explained how it can benefit you. These habits included setting up routines and making sure everything has a place to be stored. Check out the video below Resources at the end of this post.  Challenge yourself by checking out the scenarios in the image below and answering the question. The first scenario on procrastination and distraction. The second is about the struggle to start a weekly plan The youth in our chat responded with some great tips. We would like to hear your answer...

Treat yo'self! Have you ever heard this saying? Maybe from watching TV, family, or friends. That saying refers to a very needed practice, self-care. It is hard to practice self-care with all the chaos in today's world, but you can start with a promise. The self-care promise activity is six questions for you to take your first steps in treating yourself.  If you are living in a stressful time at home, work, or school. Either too much on your plate like a busy work schedule or a rough assignment due tomorrow. There needs to be a moment to unwind. This is where the self-care promise activity can help you.  A 6-set of statements start with a personal mantra, "I promise myself that..." Then finish it off with 1 of the 6 sentences, "the next time I feel anxious, I will ..." or "I will strive my hardest to..."   For example, "I promise myself that...I will strive my hardest to...be honest to my friends and family, no matter what." The Self-Care...

"There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.” – Jiddu Krishnamurti We are never done learning, but how we learn is different for everyone. And there is a tool to help you find your learning style. As featured in the chat with a short video overview on "Discover Your Learning Style." In the video, "Discover Your Learning Style," there are four styles that are taught. For example, visual learners prefer drawings, posters, or any visual media to help them learn.   Auditory learners prefer listening and hearing information to learn. They work better in groups and benefit from recorded lectures or audiobooks. (NOTE: recording any lectures or lessons in school require asking for permission). Reading and writing learners use the traditional study method of taking notes. They remember information easier if it...