The Policy Project

The period Project in 2023, The Policy Project carried forward The essential work of eliminating period poverty by further implementing h.b. 162, which along with private donations funded The installation of period products and dispensers in every kindergarten through 12th grade girls- and all-gender bathroom in every public and charter school in The state. We also expanded into new communities by launching The period positive workplace initiative and supporting work to offer period products in workplaces, state building, and states outside of Utah. After our work in 2022 to pass hb 162, we collected data this year through a survey distributed to over 1,400 Utah students. The responses point to a strong correlation between access to period products positively affecting school attendance, with 55.7% of respondents able to participate in school or activities previously missed due to access to period products. The responses also point to a strong correlation between providing period products in schools and reducing negative menstruation stigma, with 75.8% of respondents' comfort level in talking about menstruation having increased. To further support those experiencing period poverty, community members joined The Policy Project team for two period product packing parties, distributing more than 260,500 period products in period kits to students who need access to products over summer months and weekends and nearly 300 period product kits to at The larry h. and gail miller family foundation season of service event.

The safe child Project in fall of 2023, The Policy Project launched The safe child Project to advocate for The opportunity for all k-6 students to receive age- appropriate sexual abuse prevention education by strengthening Utah code 53g-9-207 and securing funding through a public-private partnership. This effort aims to prevent abuse and to end The stigma surrounding abuse by engaging families in conversations about child sexual abuse prevention, thereby strengthening homes and communities. The Policy Project team hosted a proximate gathering of survivors of child sexual abuse to understand their perspectives and help to center survivor needs as The safe child Project progresses. This gathering affirmed The importance of prevention education as one way to reduce abuse and The ongoing need for healing and education in The wider community. Our team also received an influx of survey responses from survivors that emphasized The need for prevention education and greater support for youth. In november 2023, 300 community members rallied at The Utah capitol in support of The safe child Project and 337 individuals volunteered to engaged in The effort to prevent child sexual abuse.

The teen center Project after The launch of The teen center Project in fall of 2022, our team set out to meet with leaders from each of Utah's 42 school districts. We knew The data showed state-wide need: a 34% increase in Utah students experiencing homelessness, 30% of students categorized as economically disadvantaged and qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and 25% of Utah teens have high mental health needs. We met with superintendents, principals, and school staff to understand and weave The statewide tapestry of lived experience. We got to know The students and caregivers behind these statistics. We also hosted meetings and events with more than 1,500 Utah community members including families, students, law enforcement officers, foster parents, social workers, civic leaders, and others. Based on all The data, stories, and research we collected, our team determined that The best workable solution was a grant program funded through a public-private partnership to build teen centers and concrete supports in Utah schools. Teen centers are an innovative, space-based solution that has been piloted in nearly a dozen Utah high schools that centralizes student services and resources such as food and clothing pantries, laundry facilities, hygiene resources and showers, mental health supports, academic supports, and post-graduation planning. Students are able to reliably access The help they need in The teen center and then enter The classroom prepared to learn. Each teen center is staffed by a trusted adult that can build meaningful relationships with students and offer connections to existing community resources. The grant program would ensure flexibility for local leaders to determine what services should be offered and at what scale. The Utah legislature appropriated 15,000,000 from The 2023 budget for Utah schools to build teen centers, along with The additional 3,000,000 committed by private donors for a total of 18,000,000 to be invested in Utah schools to support teens in need. The impact of this public-private partnership will be felt in every corner of Utah and support hundreds of thousands of Utah students in The years to come. 68,440 Utah students are anticipated to have access to a teen center supported by this funding by 2025.

Student ambassadors The Policy Project had 238 students ages 12 to 18 seeking to develop leadership skills and make a difference in their community via service and advocacy participate in our student ambassador program in 2023. Each month, we focused on one of our three pillars of leadership, service, and advocacy, and offered remote training and tasks for student ambassadors to engage in. Our monthly speaker series gave our student ambassadors an exclusive chance to learn from all-star leaders from across utah-including entrepreneurs, influencers, medical professionals, politicians, athletes, and more. Every month we posted a conversation with a new guest as they shared how they made an impact in their field and gave advice for current students. We also invited our student ambassadors to attend an in-person service or advocacy event each quarter. At The end of The school year, we recognized 16 student ambassadors who showed consistent commitment with The leadership in service & advocacy award and awarded one graduating senior The leadership and Policy scholarship. Community development we believe in The power of Policy to make lasting change, and we know that civic and community engagement are instrumental to our work. We are dedicated to fostering nonpartisan support for Policy solutions and to training future leaders along The way. We collaborate closely with legislators and stakeholders and cultivate grassroots support for maximum impact. Our community development program enables The crucial work to build relationships with stakeholders and identify unmet needs in our communities that can be solved through The efforts of The Policy Project. In 2023, we hosted 59 events with 4,602 attendees and engaged with more than 300 volunteers.