Young workers are 1.5 times more likely to be injured on the job than adults, and many enter the workplace without the skills and knowledge to recognize and problem-solve around workplace issues. To help address this, LOHP is partnering with the California Department of Education to provide professional development workshops for teachers throughout the state. Since Fall 2022, LOHP has traveled the state to facilitate train-the-trainer workshops using the Youth @ Work Talking Safety curriculum from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). This curriculum, originally developed by LOHP and other partners for NIOSH, is designed for teachers in work-based learning programs. It provides interactive activities and tools teachers can use with youth on how to identify and address job hazards, and how to take action when rights are violated or workers have concerns.
“LOHP reached over 500 Career Technical Education (CTE), Workability and other teachers in 18 workshops across the state from Eureka to San Diego, in addition to three virtual workshops,” says Hestia Rojas, LOHP Program Coordinator. “Feedback from teachers has been very positive and many have already requested workshops for the upcoming school year.” In addition, 11 teachers who attended the training were recruited as master trainers and are facilitating their own workshops for their colleagues. As master trainer Jennifer Stone reported, “It was very rewarding to be leading such an important workshop. The discussions were great and the questions that came up were very insightful.” For more information: hestiaro@berkeley.edu
