Empowerment is one of the key drivers for promoting public health. Commonly defined as the "increase in individuals' ability to take action," it is a little-known and poorly understood determinant of health that nevertheless offers a means of addressing inequalities. This is because the concept of empowerment is often misunderstood, interpreted solely as an individual’s ability to take control of their life and health, as if it were enough to simply invoke individual responsibility. This overlooks the major role played by the economic, social, and health environment—in other words, social and environmental determinants—as demonstrated by the World Health Organization. Nina Wallerstein, author of the WHO report on empowerment, defines empowerment as “the result of a dynamic interaction between two levels: the development of individual (internal) capabilities and the overcoming of structural (external) barriers, in order to improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged.” It is therefore society that must provide people with the means to improve “their ability to make choices and transform their lives.”

Some twenty experts, including social science researchers and practitioners in the field, agreed to contribute to the following topics:

• An analysis of the beneficial impact of empowerment on health and inequality

• An analysis of the innovative youth empowerment program

• A historical perspective on empowerment and the limitations of its implementation in France

• The path still ahead to ensure young people are actively involved in prevention and its evaluation

• The development of psychosocial skills among at-risk youth

A focus is placed on juvenile detainees who were able to participate in a writing and illustration workshop in prison. The association Les Enfants du canal supports Roma individuals in their integration through the civic service program. Street educators in Ille-et-Vilaine present their work to empower young people in an impoverished neighborhood. A study analyzes the extent to which community centers can serve as key venues for empowering residents in need.

Also in this issue: a scientific literature review on effective interventions to prevent aging; a feature on Youth Consumer Clinics that offer care and guidance to young people to prevent addiction to alcohol, cannabis, gaming, and screen time; an “Environment and Health” feature on endocrine disruptors.

Learn more: Youth Empowerment. La Santé en action No. 446 – December 2018. 51 p.

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