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In our fight to end youth and young adult nicotine addiction, we focus on the issues that matter most. We constantly monitor the latest topics and trends in commercial tobacco and substance use.

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Truth Initiative is America's largest nonprofit public health organization committed to preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empowering quitting for all.

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Get the latest facts and analyses on the most important issues related to smoking, vaping, nicotine and substance use.

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What we do

We provide the facts about smoking, vaping, nicotine, and the tobacco industry. We engage individuals and groups to make change in their communities, innovate ways to end nicotine addiction, and join forces with collaborators committed to preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empowering quitting for all.

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Enlist in our movement, explore youth activism programs, share quitting resources, and learn about more ways you can get involved.

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Truth Initiative Experiential Learning & Mobilization Program

The Experiential, Learning, and Mobilization program is a dynamic program that supports and empowers the national network of young people and organizations that partner with them to mobilize their peers, schools, and communities against commercial tobacco use.

We believe that young people are the most important players in the fight to prevent youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empower quitting for all. Our primary mission is to educate, empower, and mobilize these young people with the facts and skills to create tobacco/vape-free communities.

In support of that mission, we also convene and engage adults who support young people as tobacco control counselors, health department officials, and state coalitions advisors to share best practices for effective youth engagement.

Youth Activists on the National Mall

Program Objectives

  • Enhance youth leadership skills through various training, mentorship, and capacity-building activities, empowering young people with expert knowledge of advocacy tactics and peer mobilization strategies in support of tobacco/vape-free communities.
  • Strengthen intergenerational collaboration by fostering positive collaboration between youth and adults. Create spaces for open dialogue, mutual respect, and understanding between the two groups, encouraging them to work together towards shared goals for tobacco/vape-free communities.
  • Address the intersectionality of youth-specific issues such as tobacco and mental health, social justice, and environmental sustainability.
  • Raise awareness about tobacco industry tactics and targeting practices and encourage cross-cultural dialogue on a variety of tobacco/vape issues.
  • Train and develop youth serving institutions and professionals on effective youth-adult partnerships.

Protester using megaphone at JUUL rally

Program Components

  • Interactive training and workshops – session topics include activism and advocacy strategies, community organizing principles, how to organize awareness campaigns to advocate for policy changes, and creating authentic spaces for youth led efforts.
  • Mentorship and Coaching – the workshops are delivered by truth trainers – young adult mentors, who provide guidance, support, and expertise in tobacco prevention efforts. Mentors serve as role models and advisors, helping youth navigate challenges, set goals, and develop their leadership potential.
  • Amplify Youth Voices – encourage youth participants to contribute their perspectives, ideas, and feedback to ensure that initiatives are inclusive, responsive, and reflective of their needs and aspirations.

Program Outcomes

  • To increase the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making processes, fostering a culture of active citizenship and empowerment.
  • To develop a new generation of capable and engaged leaders who can drive positive change in their communities.
  • To foster strong partnerships between youth and adults, encouraging dialogue, understanding, and joint action to address youth-specific challenges like commercial tobacco use.

Training activists group social

How It Works

The learning engagements are designed by Truth Initiative staff in collaboration with young adults who also serve as Youth Facilitators. These well-trained peer- to peer facilitators are best positioned to foster honest, authentic, and relatable dialogue about the impacts of tobacco and vaping on schools and communities. The program has two main components and can be delivered in a variety of formats (in-person, virtual, and/or hybrid):

  • Direct Youth Programming – interactive skills based-learning experiences for youth and young adults in schools, communities, coalitions, retreats, and conferences led by trained peer youth facilitators.
  • Capacity Building for Youth-Adult Partnerships – discussion-based training and professional development for youth serving institutions and organizations who directly support young people on issues across tobacco prevention such as vaping, nicotine addiction, menthol, tobacco/vape-free environments or any other engagement across the tobacco prevention network.

Interested in learning more about our program offerings or partnering for a series of learning experiences? Request an engagement and complete a training intake form below. After you submit, someone from our team will be in contact with the next steps.

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