Youth Council.

One of the most effective ways of reducing teen smoking and vaping is changing the norm among young people through peer-to-peer outreach. At Coalition for Tobacco-Free Hawai‘i (CTFH), we’re working with youth advocates to reframe tobacco use as the “uncool” exception, not the rule. Not only do we work with dedicated young people through our Youth Council to lead peer-to-peer presentations in their community and organize awareness events, we also fight for policy change at the local and state level.

The Youth Council is made up of a group of young leaders in high school or college that are ready to FIGHT back against Big Tobacco. It is important to protect youth and young adults from tobacco marketing, initiation, and use and who better to lead this effort than those most affected, our youth! This group of students creates their own goals and strategies and implements them with the support of CTFH and Hawai‘i Public Health Institute staff. The Youth Council is statewide, so students from all islands are welcome to join. Each member serves a one-year renewable term representing their school and community.

Youth Council members are expected to:

Attend all major Youth Council events
- Legislative Workshop – Saturday, Sept. 15^th
- Leadership Retreat and Strategy Session – Saturday, Oct. 27^th
- Kick Butts Day – Wednesday, March 20^th
Complete the online “Taking Down Tobacco” training prior to the Sept. Workshop
Commit to delivering or assisting in the delivery of at least one peer-to peer presentation
Organizing one awareness activity at their school or in their community

To apply, please e-mail our Youth Coordinator, Scott Stensrud, at scott@hiphi.org with your name, school, grade level and contact information. Applications to the YC are accepted year-round.

APPLY TO JOIN THE YOUTH COUNCIL!

To be eligible you must be a student in middle, high school or college. Applications are accepted year-round.

CLICK TO APPLY

Kick Butts Day.

Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism that empowers youth and young adults to stand up, speak out, and seize control against Big Tobacco. Thousands of youth will be participating in activities across the nation, with the event taking place annually in March.

Each year, our Youth Council (YC) selects a policy priority to work on and then develops strategies to help educate their fellow youth about the policy. This also helps them recruit like-minded students to participate in the culminating event, Kick Butts Day at the Capitol, which happens annually in March.

Kick Butts Day kicks off in the morning with advocacy training, which is co-facilitated by members of the YC. Following lunch, we hold a youth march and rally at the Capitol and finish off the day with small group meetings with legislators. Students have the chance to express themselves and to advocate for changes that affect them directly by speaking to state legislators.

Youth from across the state are welcome to attend and join our YC members on this exciting day. The next Kick Butts Day is Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

See the 2019 Photos & Videos

Oh, and we have fun!

Throughout the year, we get together to brainstorm, plan, and have FUN. Check out the video recap below of our Youth Council activities in 2017 and 2018.

Ready to jump in? Have questions?

OUR YOUTH COORDINATOR WILL GET BACK TO YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.