In a powerful display of community solidarity, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles hosted an impactful event this past Saturday, October 21st. "Listos for Action" was a transformative event that brought together over 100 diverse youth from across Los Angeles to empower them with vital disaster preparedness skills, foster community engagement, and build resilience in collaboration with, the American Red Cross, and Listos California.
The YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, through its dynamic youth group, Global Change Agents (GCA), had over half of its 26 community well-being centers in the County of Los Angeles represented. Positioned strategically within neighborhoods, the LA Y mobilizes its youth, builds their capacity to improve community health and wellbeing, and empowers them to take action.
Listos California, a statewide initiative dedicated to ensuring every Californian is culturally competent and well-prepared for disasters, played a pivotal role in bringing this event to life. As part of the Listos California network, the LA Y is striving to boost resilience, provide accessible in-language information, and foster a culture of disaster preparedness.
At the heart of this extraordinary event, held at the Collins and Katz Family YMCA, were three empowering sessions:
Lending a Hand: Preparing for Emergencies
Dedicated youth participants took action by crafting sandwiches and providing essential emergency preparedness resources to one of our most vulnerable populations, the unhoused. This hands-on experience underscored the power of community strength through acts of kindness and support.
Kickstart the Heart: Hands-Only CPR
Youth participants mastered hands-only CPR techniques, gaining the confidence to be first responders in life-threatening situations. Preparedness became a tangible skill, ready to be deployed when it counts the most.
Prepare with Pedro: Facilitate an Emergency Preparedness Presentation
Engaged youth participants learned to facilitate "Prepare with Pedro," a preparedness education program designed for grades K-2. Equipped with these skills, they can guide younger students on how to BE PREPARED and TAKE ACTION in the face of home fires or local hazards.
To learn more about our Global Change Agents youth program and other teen programs available at your local Y, click here or follow us on instagram @yteensLA.
