What We Do
The School Community Youth Coalition undertakes a wide variety of activities
and programs, listed here, that meet the needs of youth in our community.
Coalition Building
We hold monthly meetings on the third Monday of the month as part of
our coalition building work, so members and guests can learn about
our projects, connect with each other, share information, and develop
solutions to community issues. At these meetings visitors and partners
might request assistance on issues, learn about committee work and
progress on local topics, and discuss the policies and practices of
the local health and human service system.
Data Collection
The School Community Youth Coalition works to collect extensive survey
data on what our teens and our community are doing with regards to
drug and alcohol use. We use this data to inform the services we offer
and the projects we undertake.
STUDS (Students Taking Action Against Underage Drinking)
STUDS is team of high school students who work to prevent underage
drinking. Teens working with STUDS have been involved in establishing
their program in Dolores County, Colorado, as part of the youth community
there. During their first year, STUDS worked with local youth with campaigns
during Red Ribbon Week (http://www.nfp.org/redribbon.htm), work on
making safe holiday choices, promoting a drug and alcohol free after-prom
party and hosting a town hall meeting. STUDS is in the process of conducting
a community survey about drug and alcohol use and will compile those
results by the end of September, 2008. STUDS team members hope to positively
affect the norms within their community.
High School Leadership Montezuma
Engages high school students in a community leadership program that
connects them with key resources in Montezuma County. This year, youth
in the leadership program will be identifying needs and issues that directly
affect youth in Montezuma and Dolores Counties, which will inform the
strategic planning and capacity building of the School Community Youth
Coalition. The youth involved in the High School Leadership Montezuma
program are active advisors to the School Community Youth Coalition.
Teen Maze Interactive Health Fair
The Teen Maze is a life-size game board where teenagers are the pawns
and life's choices are the dice. Teen Maze is designed to help teens
better understand potential outcomes to life decisions concerning sex,
substance abuse, and vocational/educational issues. Realistic scenarios
help teens navigate their way through the Maze and find out about consequences
of behaviors. The Maze is held yearly and open to youth in Southwest
Colorado.
Family 4’em
The family 4’em brings together parents and youth in Montezuma
County to host conversations about underage drinking and the solutions
to that problem. The family 4’em is invested in parenting and
positive youth engagement. This program is part of the Regional
Substance Abuse Prevention Program funded by the El Pomar Foundation.
Southwest Colorado Prevention Policy Network
The SCPPN bridges policy to people, uniting community leaders to
take action and improve the overall health of Montezuma and Dolores
Counties. Networks
work by joining dynamic community decision makers to increase their
influence collectively in the community.
The network meets quarterly to receive training, define issues, develop
policy and recognize windows for change. Policy is grounded in
the experience and knowledge of our community partners and it works
because it creates long term, healthy change. This program is partnered
with the W.K. Kellogg Rural
People, Rural Policy Initiative and Colorado
Prevention Partners.
Meth Action Committee
This committee is a coalition of local leaders who work to educate
the people of Montezuma and Dolores counties about methamphetamine
issues. It aims to create tougher consequences for methamphetamine
users, cooks, and dealers. The action committee works through social
advertising and informational billboards to accomplish its goals.
Horizons Newsletter
This is a periodic newsletter of hope and health in Montezuma and
Dolores Counties. Download newsletters
here.
Horizons Radio Show
Horizons Radio Show is held the fourth Wednesday of every month from
8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on KSJD,
our local community radio station. The aim of our radio show is
to reflect, dialogue and connect our listeners to our community resources.
Past shows have included features on the Bridge Community Shelter,
resources for back to school, resources available at the Piñon
Project Family Resource Center, community service projects for youth,
recreation resources in the community, and information on how to access
social services in Montezuma County.
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