MAINE RESILIENCE BUILDING NETWORK

MRBN'S APRIL 2023 SUMMIT, TOGETHER WE CAN THRIVE: CREATING AN EQUITABLE SHARED PATH FORWARD TO PROMOTE RESILIENCE IN MAINE COMMUNITIES, WELCOMED 160 INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTENDED TWO DAYS OF LEARNING FROM NATIONAL EXPERTS, WORKSHOP SESSIONS, NETWORKING, AND SHARED LEARNING FOCUSING ON PREVENTION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS PRIORITIZING RESILIENCE FOR OUR YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. DR. WENDY ELLIS, FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, AN EXPERT IN COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, PROVIDED OUR KEYNOTE, "COMMUNITY RESILIENCE: CONNECTING TRAUMA, EQUITY, AND RESILIENCE,- AND AN AFTERNOON WORKSHOP ADDRESSING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE THE HEALTH OF MAINE YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES BY APPLYING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE MODEL WITH COMMUNITIES IN MAINE. MAINE EXPERTS GROUNDED ATTENDEES IN THE CONCEPT OF MATTERING, SHARED THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR UNDERSTANDING AND COMMUNICATING THE VOICES OF OUR MAINE YOUTH, AND THE CREATION OF THE MAINE YOUTH THRIVING GUIDE. THE MORNING CONCLUDED WITH A DIVERSE PANEL OF LOCAL PARTNERS WHO WORK WITH YOUTH IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES. THEY SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES AND ASPECTS OF EMPOWERING YOUTH THAT SYNCED WELL WITH THE EIGHT KEYS TO YOUTH THRIVING, IDENTIFIED IN THE "MAINE YOUTH THRIVING: A GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY ACTION. HEALTHY PLACES BY DESIGN PRESENTED A KEYNOTE AND WORKSHOP FOCUSING ON THE WORK ON "SOCIALLY CONNECTED COMMUNITIES - SOLUTIONS FOR SOCIAL ISOLATION." THE TWO-PART SESSION PRIORITIZED POLICIES AND SYSTEMS TO ENSURE COMMUNITY SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS.