This week in Binghamton, New York, the initial delegation of instructors within the New York Youth Preparedness Initiative, MyPI New York, completed a comprehensive certification and training workshop led by the MyPI National Coordination Team, and became the 29th state/territory-level program to train instructors under the national project umbrella. According to Dr. Andy Turner, the MyPI New York Program Manager, and who serves as the New York State 4-H Director, “The MyPI program fits so well with our 4-H positive youth development framework of helping youth feel a sense of belonging, engage with their communities, and explore new interests. Providing an avenue for youth to take an active role in preparing themselves, their families and communities for emergencies and disasters is a great addition to our programming and fits perfectly with broader Extension efforts in emergency preparedness and developing resiliency in the face of climate change.” Added Turner, who will assume the role of Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension in December, “There is a real opportunity for this program to connect youth to community leaders, develop their leadership and communication skills, and create pathways to careers in a wide range of health, medical, emergency response and other fields. The design of the program is excellent and allows us to bring the program to communities from Lake Erie all the way to New York City. Cornell Cooperative Extension is excited to join this nationally recognized and time-tested program!”.
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