Mission:

The mission of Team Mita is in the name. Mita is a pre-Spanish, Incan word that means “working for the community.” Team Mita strives to improve the health of Jamaica Plain and Boston by providing interactive, youth-lead health education. Team Mita also engages with our peers in youth led community organizing initiatives.

Team Mita Retreat

Supporters: We receive support from the Brigham and Women's Hospital Office of Community Benefits, which is dedicated to working with its affiliated community-based health centers in forming partnerships with other community groups, agencies and residents.

Welcome

About Us:

Started in 1998, The South Street Initiative (SSI) is a collaboration between the Tree of Life, the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center (SJPHC)/Brigham and Women's Hospital, residents of the South Street Development and neighbors of South Street . The original goal of the SSI was to assist the residents to feel ownership of the South Street Development and to create a safe and healthy neighborhood.

In addition to running a community center (The South Street Youth Center) for younger kids at the Development staffed by a youth worker named Joanna Taylor, SSI also provides jobs for South Street 's teen residents ages 14-18. (click here to learn more about the community center). The Peer Leadership program, Team Mita, was started six years ago. Currently members of Team Mita are offering comprehensive health education workshops to their peers on sexuality and other important health topics and are involved in a number of community organizing efforts focusing on decreasing youth violence in JP.