Peer Health Exchange is one of over 100 social innovation organizations that make up the America Forward Coalition, a network championing equitable, innovative, effective, and efficient solutions to our country’s most pressing social problems. In January 2024, Ericka Dawson, Assistant Vice President of Community Partnerships, represented Peer Health Exchange with the Coalition during Capitol Hill Days in Washington, D.C.
The coalition drafted a bill, The Whole Learner Act, which would establish a competitive grant program for partnerships proposing to work together to create transformative, school-wide systems that increase access to whole-learner approaches in schools. The whole learner approach takes a holistic view of learning and development for the specific needs of every young person. As a participant in Hill Days, Ericka and coalition members shared the importance of whole-learner education with elected officials. “Collaborating with the America Forward Coalition and participating in Hill Days provided Peer Health Exchange an opportunity to advance health equity for young people. I enjoyed sharing how PHE is building healthier communities with Capitol Hill staff,” said Ericka.
Peer Health Exchange surveyed its group of Community Youth Advocates to learn more about their knowledge of advocacy and potential training interests. In response to the survey results, PHE is continuing the partnership with America Forward by co-creating trainings on advocacy strategy (power analysis, power mapping, short and long-term outcomes) and messaging (crafting messages, storytelling/narrative analysis, social media, maintaining contact with stakeholders).
Peer Health Exchange is in alignment with America Forward's focus on education and public health. Our programming and expertise in advancing health equity for young people is directly tied to innovative advocacy working to address the pressing problems facing youth every day.
To learn more, visit https://www.americaforward.org/
