BRIDGE2HEALTH applies a community-based participatory research method using intergenerational approaches to programming in cuyahoga county, ohio and amherst county, virginia

The focal youth population includes teenagers, approximately half of whom are in foster and kinship (e.g., grandparent) care; older adult participants include community volunteers affiliated with a community partner. Annual cohorts of paired teen and older adult mentors engage in a train-the-trainer model by which participants build skills with age peers and then with intergenerational partners before engaging in community outreach. Curricula are be extension and 4-h approved, culturally appropriate, responsive to student interests, and in support of cyfar principles, such as the teen leadership 20 and youth engaged in learning about leadership curricula. BRIDGE2HEALTH curricula is be selected to help teens build skills described in the USDA science blueprint theme 5: AG science policy leadership, beacon for science objective: "contribute to safer, healthier, vibrant, sustainable, and innovative communities." teens build these skills and experience belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity by engaging in evidence-based curricula that incorporate intergenerational strategies. By engaging teens and older adults as partners in identifying needs and assets to which they can jointly respond through BI-directional mentoring, we anticipate achievement of short-term goals that include formation of trusting, supportive relationships, positive social norms, and belonging. Long-term goals include teen skill building and resilience the two communities, working with OSU extension, and VCE, will have better coordinated, sustainable services reflecting community needs.