Demonstration 2: Mental Health Disparities in the Woodlawn Community

• In Event: Out-of-School STEM Learning: Youth-Driven, Applied Data Science Addressing Needs in Their Own Communities

Abstract

Objectives/Purpose
“Mental Health Disparities in the Woodlawn community” demonstrates youth research on the relationship between mental health resources and the Woodlawn community on the near southside of Chicago (also the future home of the Obama Foundation).

Perspectives
Social Learning and Social Cognitive Career (Lent et al., 1994a, 1994b) theories scaffold the learning structure that fosters positive social interactions among youth data collectors, near-peer mentors, and adult staff coaches. Youth teams (4 high school youth) develop a goal-oriented project plan for their asset-mapping project in service to their community. MAPSCorps alumni, trained as field coordinators and data coordinators, train and mentor the teams to develop confidence, critical thinking, and self-awareness. This near-peer structure ensures ample opportunities for dialogue and as a model for community cohesion, allowing all youth participants to envision the potential to achieve equity through meaningful use of data.  

Methods/Techniques
The youth-driven research questions ask: What is the state of mental health in the Woodlawn and the Lincoln Park neighborhoods? What is the landscape of mental health services, organizations, and other resources in the Woodlawn and the Lincoln Park neighborhoods? Using the combined datasets of the MAPSCorps neighborhood asset mapping project, the Chicago Health Atlas, and the American Community Survey data, the youth team analyzed the descriptive data, visualized it, and interpreted it. Together, they determine the state of affairs of Woodlawn in relation to Lincoln Park and then recommend solutions to address the access gaps in the neighborhood.

Data
The youth team uses the MAPSCorps neighborhood asset mapping data that they themselves contribute to during their summer programming. They combine these data in conjunction with the data in Chicago Health Atlas and the American Community Survey. Together, they use descriptive statistics and visualization data to assess the extent of the issue in Woodlawn compared to the Lincoln Park Chicago neighborhood.

Results/Conclusions
After sharing background on the Woodlawn community, the youth share evidence of mental health assets and resources in the Woodlawn community and compare it resources available to residents of a downtown neighborhood, Lincoln Park. To contextualize their research questions, the youth will share the history of racism in the Woodlawn community as well as historic stigma around mental health that provides a backdrop for the current conditions in the community. They will end their presentations with their proposals of viable policies of an education campaign about mental health and increasing accessibility to mental health resources to Woodlawn residents.

Significance
Although common in the humanities and the arts, there is a dearth of scholarship on STEM curriculum that is youth-led. This demonstration project shows how youth can combine data science with social science skills to work through the scientific inquiry process, frame a social science argument, support the argument with data, and recommend solutions to the problem.
The direct importance of the issue to the youth’s lives and families promotes a dedication and motivation to work through challenging new skill learnings. There is good potential to engage historically underrepresented youth in STEM using this out-of-school STEM program design.

Author

• Maxine Jeremiah, Northwestern University
  Presenting Author