Innovation is a critical component of a comprehensive strategy to respond to the dynamic lives of adolescents and young adults.

We define innovation or innovative work as research projects or programs that are pushing the boundaries in our field by using new educational or methodological approaches, take place in different settings, or engage participants in creative ways. Innovative approaches consist of creative solutions to existing problems. These can be found in many types of programs, both tech-based and face to face. Just like tech-based products are not inherently innovative, traditional programs can host innovative ideas.

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The future of sex through tech…which is much closer than you may think

October 15, 2020

From sexting, to dating apps, and watching porn, young people are connected to technology and digital media more than ever, and this connectivity is helping shape their virtual and physical relationships with others. For some educators it’s hard to imagine intimate relationships that started, matured, culminated, and ended all through the use of digital media.… Read more

5 Reasons to Use Digital Focus Groups to Gain Insights about Your Community

October 8, 2020

Many of us are used to looking to focus groups as a way to learn more about our priority populations. In the midst of a global pandemic, though, it’s gotten harder to do these activities in person. The good news is that you can still elevate the voice of your participants through digital focus groups.… Read more

Catching Up with Design Vagabonds

March 30, 2020

This week, Power to Decide featured our staff on their website with an update on the Design Vagabonds Innovation Next Team. Now in its fifth year, and with funding from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs, Innovation Next is a unique accelerator program aimed at redefining adolescent sexual health through a focus on…

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Influencers are leading the online sex ed revolution!

March 13, 2020

Sex education is everywhere—in schools, in clinics, in places of faith, and of course on your screen. Sex ed in digital spaces has grown tremendously over the last ten years thanks to the easy access to production tools (for content developers) and mobile devices and WiFi connectivity (for consumers), but also due to the lack…

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Let’s See: Pulse Short-Term Impact Results

March 6, 2020

Authors: Elizabeth Cook, Research Scientist from Child Trends and Nick Sufrinko and Mila Garrido, Healthy Teen Network From 2016 to 2019, Child Trends conducted a randomized control trial with 2,317 young women to evaluate the impact of Pulse. Pulse is a web-based mobile app intervention, developed by Healthy Teen Network, that provides comprehensive, medically accurate… Read more

Healthy Teen Network Chosen as a Finalist for the Amazon Alexa EdTech Skills Challenge

February 28, 2020

By Milagros Garrido and Genevieve Martínez-García Update, March 16, 2020: What’s Happening with the Alexa Challenge? We were so excited to have been selected as a finalist for the Amazon Alexa EdTech Skills Challenge, but with the coronavirus pandemic and the need for social distancing, SXSW Edu has been postponed. Organizers are still exploring options for… Read more

The Algorithm Police: Are Social Media Policies Biased?

February 20, 2020

We frequently get caught up in assessing the negative effects of social media for young people, particularly when it comes to their sexuality. Yet it is also common to hear from research and LGBTQ+ folx the importance of the internet for developing identity, community, and self-exploration. As Amber Leventry describes in “The importance of social…

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How the Healthy Teen Network Design Challenge Inspired a Dating App Idea

February 13, 2020

By Tiffany Tibbs Christensen, Taylor Herrigan, Ashley Stewart, and Camille Smith What is the Healthy Teen Network Design Challenge? The Healthy Teen Network Design Challenge is a 3-day deep dive into human-centered design. The challenge provides a unique opportunity to meet with health professionals from around the country and unleash your collaborative, creative energy on…

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Training and Support: Digital Studio Services

February 4, 2020

Our Digital Studio services combine human-centered design with new technologies to help you widen geographical reach, connect with your target audience, and save time and money. Looking for training or support with social media recruitment, digital focus groups, internet advertising, app development, data visualization, and more? We've got you covered! Ignite recruitment with social media… Read more

Evidence Is the Building Block of Innovation

January 17, 2019

We talk a lot about evidence and innovation…or maybe we just hear all the time about how we need to be evidence-based and also innovative… Use what’s been proven effective—the evidence. Use an evidence-based program. Be innovative. Incorporate technical in your innovation. Build on the evidence with innovation. But what’s that mean? How does evidence…

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