Data Walks Provide Blaine Co. with Greater Understanding of Youth Well-being

The first week of December, the Blaine County Communities for Youth Initiative with support from the Communities for Youth Empowerment Team shared findings from the 2024 Blaine Youth Well-being Survey with schools, parents, community members, and youth. Data from the 2024 survey was shared at Community Data Walks in Ketchum, Hailey, and Carey. Data Walk meetings were all held with staff from Blaine County high schools and Wood River High's leadership class.

The "Welcome" screen at the Wood River High School Community Data Walk.

In the "Data Walk" meeting format, each session begins with a review of the overall survey results and a look at key indicators like youth depression, social isolation, and the number of hours per night of sleep youth get (areas of focus for our local initiative). Since Blaine County only began administering the youth survey in 2023, historical results are limited to two years.

Data Walk participants walk through a data poster in a small group with a Communities for Youth facilitator.

Data walks then involve participants reviewing key data breakdowns on large-format posters that they walk through with a small group and discuss with a trained facilitator. This year's Blaine data posters featured data on:

• High stress in relation to family connection

• Depression by grade and gender

• Social isolation in relation to having a trusted adult

• Stress and self-awareness

• Depression and social isolation

• Depression and sleep

Participants then had brief discussions in their small groups about community strengths and the challenges when it comes to supporting young people. Each Data Walk ends with a community vote on what youth-related issues community members would like to focus on as a group in the upcoming year. Voting for community priorities is ongoing. For community members that could not make the in-person meetings, this year we are offering a new Virtual Data Walk and Community Voting Option (voting is open through January 7th, 2025).

Next Steps

We’re grateful for everyone that attended this year's Data Walks.  If you are a community member was unable to attend, there is still time to learn about the data and get involved in our initiative. This year we are offering a Virtual Data Walk and Community Voting form which will be open through January 7th. 2025.

If you are a community member who was able to attend the in-person meetings and already voted on the focus areas for next year, please consider sending the Virtual Data Walk and Community Voting form to friends, family members, colleagues and others in Blaine who may be less aware of the Blaine County initiative and community-wide work to build the best possible community for our young people.

Community members and staff from community organizations are also invited to sign up for the Blaine County Communities for Youth Newsletter (check the Blaine County option).