Public Policy Internships Project Students Address Mental Wellness in Their Communities

Prep for Prep’s Public Policy Internships Project (PPIP) combines internships with weekly seminars to allow students to explore and contribute to New York City government and the public policy agenda more generally. This year, students focused on mental health and wellness, discovering how policy-making can influence the mental well-being of a city’s residents. Students gained new understanding of health professions through seminars led by Prep alumni and Prep partners on topics such as how to become a psychotherapist, the process and benefit of earning a master’s degree in social work, and the goals of Prep for Prep’s new wellness team with the appointment of our Director of Mental Wellness, Alejandro Luciano (P9 I). 

PPIP culminates in final student presentations touching on the year’s theme. After two years online, the students were able to give their presentations to peers, families, and the larger Prep for Prep community at an in-person event on Wednesday, August 3 at LREI. The presentations were also streamed over Zoom for those who were unable to attend.
 

The evening began with an introduction from Prep for Prep CEO Ruth Jurgensen who commended students for spending their summer serving their community through internships with local government and nonprofit organizations. “You’re poised to change the world, change your city, change your community,” said Ruth. “You all are going to make a huge difference, and Prep students always do.” 

The night’s presentations were: 

Mental Health and Education
Presented by Rashelle L. (XLI), Manas R. (XL), Matthew R. (P9 XXXII), Cinthya S. (XXXIX), and Emily S. (XL).
Students shared how school administrators and educators in the New York City area are expanding their student support teams while also acknowledging the work they still need to do. Inspired by their conversation with Prep’s Director of Mental Wellness, students shared their ideas for improving student support for Prep for Prep and PREP 9 students.

Mental Health and Immigration
Presented by Kevin G. (XL), Tabia M. (XL), Chelsea N. (P9 XXXIII), and Alejandro R. (XXXIX)
Students in this group shared how isolated and unsafe immigrants can feel in their new communities. It was a subject that was personal to many of our participants and audience members. Students acknowledged the difficulty immigrants may have in identifying or sharing mental health issues with family members, let alone health professionals. The children of immigrants may also find this difficult, which can result in them never seeking the help they need.

Mental Health and Food Insecurity
Presented by Ashley A. (P9 XXXIII), Zavier C. (XXXIX), Tamia F. (P9 XXXIII), and Ayman N. (P9 XXXIII) 
Food is necessary not only for one’s physical health, but also for one’s mental health. In a poll of true or false questions given to the audience, students shared the shocking statistic that around 1.1 million New York City residents struggle with food access. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, food is one of the key necessities for a person to feel safe. Students identified programs, like SNAP and Meals on Wheels, that could be expanded to meet the needs of these underserved communities.

Mental Health and Social Media
Presented by Madison D. (XXXIX), Jasmine G. (XL), Jotham K. (XL), and Fayi N. (P9 XXXIII) 
“Who uses Facebook?,” students asked the room. “WhatsApp? Discord? Snapchat? Instagram?” The list went on. As audience members raised their hands, it was clear that everyone uses at least one social media app. How does the era of influencers influence our mental health? Students discussed the realities of social media addiction, the dark side of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), and personal steps that can be taken by each user to limit their screen time and reconnect with loved ones without a screen–something that has been difficult over the last couple of years.

After presentations, Director of Leadership Development Projects Mike O’Leary gathered audience members and PPIP participants into a circle. Audience members were able to pose questions to students, and students shared their experiences over the course of the program. 

We are grateful to the speakers who led seminars for PPIP students, including alumni Dr. Colette Brown (III), Brandi Cadet (XVI), Dr. Karen Greer (IV), Alejandro Luciano (P9 I), and Judivelly Torres (XVI). We also extend our gratitude to the following organizations and professionals that have partnered with us to provide internships for our students:

The HOPE Program
New York Communities for Change
Non-Profit Staten Island
NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene 
Office of Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson
Office of New York State Senator Jabari Brisport (XXI)
Office of New York State Senator Robert Jackson
Underground Railroad Education Center