Caribbean Youth Voices in Health Advocacy Spaces Healthy Food Policy Virtual Workshop Part 2

On Saturday December 10^th 2022, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) and Healthy Caribbean Youth (HCY), in partnership with the Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN), the Jamaica Health Advocates Youth Arm (JHAYA), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB) and The University of Technology Association of Nutrition and Dietetics Students (UTANDS) held the second CARIBBEAN YOUTH VOICES IN HEALTH ADVOCACY SPACES: Healthy Food Policy virtual workshop. Participants tuned in from Barbados, The Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago!

During the first session, participants discussed the obesity and NCD challenges facing the Caribbean region, the importance of healthy food policy in addressing these challenges and the value of rights-based advocacy.

The second session featured a panel discussion moderated by Simeca Alexander, Advocacy Officer (GHAP), Heart Foundation of Jamaica. The panelists (Maisha Hutton, Executive Director, HCC, Francine Charles, Programme Manager, HSFB; Shereika Mills, Advocacy and Policy Coordinator, JYAN; Rosanna Pike, Health Education Officer, Heart Foundation of Jamaica and Vonetta Nurse, Nutrition Officer, UNICEF Jamaica) shared their insights on strategically advocating along the policy process.

The final session focused on using the SMART principle to guide the development of advocacy action plans. Participants joined different breakout rooms to discuss experiences in advocating for different healthy food policies in the Caribbean.  Shannique Bowden and Shereika (JYAN) led the School Nutrition Policy breakout room and shared their experience participating in the consultation process in Jamaica; Danielle, Simeca and Rosanna shared their organisations’ experiences in advocating for Front of Package Nutrition Warning Labelling, and Abi Begho (Director of Program Management, Lake Health and Wellbeing) assisted by Rozette Scotland (HCY), discussed Lake Health and Wellbeing’s You’re Sweet Enough campaign in support of Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Participants were also tasked with brainstorming and developing their own SMART Advocacy plans to execute advocacy in their own territory!

To build capacity and momentum among Caribbean youth to advocate for the implementation of Healthy Food Policies

1. To revisit content covered during workshop #1 held in September/October
2. To build capacity of youth advocates to design SMART advocacy actions to execute locally and regionally in support of healthy food policies/healthy food environments
3. To co-create workshop 3 agenda to be held in 2023

1. Increased awareness among Caribbean youth of the importance of rights-based advocacy and healthy food policies
2. To build a better understanding of SMART objectives and activities to prepare participants to design advocacy action plans (during workshop 3) which will focus on healthy food policies to be executed locally and regionally
3. A draft agenda, co-designed by youth across the region, to guide the development of workshop #3 for a select group of youth organisations

Danielle Walwyn, Advocacy Officer and Coordinator of Healthy Caribbean Youth, Healthy Caribbean Coalition

Moderator: Simeca Alexander, Advocacy Officer, Heart Foundation of Jamaica

Representative(s) from:

• Heart Foundation of Jamaica
• Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados
• Jamaica Youth Advocacy Network
• Healthy Caribbean Coalition

Danielle Walwyn, Advocacy Officer and Coordinator of Healthy Caribbean Youth, Healthy Caribbean Coalition

Workshop #1
The first installment of the workshop series was held on Saturday September 24th and October 1st from 11:00AM – 2:00PM AST. The workshop introduced the issue of childhood obesity and NCDs in the Caribbean and the power of rights-based advocacy and healthy food policies in improving health outcomes. Attendees also learned about the importance of youth voices in health advocacy.

Workshop #2 – Let’s Reconnect
The second installment of the workshop series will be held on Saturday December 10th from 10:00AM – 12:00PM JA/11:00AM – 1:00PM AST. The focus of this 2 hour workshop will be to reconnect with attendees, recap workshop 1, revisit the concept of SMART Activities and invite attendees to brainstorm and co-create workshop 3 agenda.

Caribbean Youth Voices in Health Advocacy Spaces workshop series aims to bring awareness to the importance of healthy food environments and healthy food policies in building a healthier Caribbean among Caribbean youth. It also aims to strengthen the coalition of youth advocates from across the region who are demanding change to transform food environments in their local territory.