On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to join our next webinar: Youth Leadership in Substance Use Prevention.
Adolescents and young adults are vulnerable to being exposed to drug use, often in school environments. Impacted by developmental changes and external pressure, youth are at risk of experiencing the myriad health issues accompanying substance use. Fortunately, young people have the unique potential to lead transformative change in their schools and communities. Given the first-hand experiences youth have, they are uniquely capable of bringing awareness to substance use issues and creating school-based prevention interventions. Engaging youth in these efforts is not as challenging as some may believe and can help foster safer, healthier, and more connected school environments.
This webinar highlighted the experiences and insights of youth leaders from drug-free community coalitions across the United States. Having risen to leadership roles, they shared their journeys in prevention, and the challenges they faced along the way. They also described key strategies to empower youth and jumpstart grassroots campaigns to address substance use in your schools and districts.
Speakers & Panelists
Moderator: Vinayak Menon, Summer Intern, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Suwanee, GA
- Alencya Dotch, Freshman, Ohio Youth Led Prevention Network, OH
- Jerria Martin, Executive Director, Drug Free Communities of Dallas County, Trainer, National Coalition Institute, AL
- Ana C. Borbolla Menare, Junior, Head of Community Outreach, Youth Leadership Council, Community in Crisis, NJ
- Sydney Pritchett, Senior, Jr. Hope Dealer, Drug Free Communities of Dallas County, AL
Webinar Materials
Related Resources
- Meaningful Youth Engagement OPA
- Rural Youth Engagement Toolkit, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
- Growing up Drug Free: A Parent’s Guide to Prevention, DEA and OSHS
- Voices of Youth, SAMHSA
- Youth.gov, SAMHSA
- Rural Youth Engagement Toolkit, National Coalition Institute
- Educator Lessons, The Real Deal on Fentanyl
Resources from CDC
- Drug-Free Communities (DFC)
- Evidence-Based Strategies for Prevention Opioid Overdose: What’s Working in the United States
- [Video] Help keep yourself and others safe from overdose
- Preventing an Opioid Overdose: Know the Signs. Save a Life
- Signs of Opioid Misuse, Opioid Use Disorder, and Overdose: Know the Signs and Symptoms
- Drug-Free Communities Support Program: Local Problems. Local Solutions
- [Video] Naloxone PSA
- High-Risk Substance Use Among Youth
- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
- Parent Engagement Overview
More on the Lessons from the Field Series
To access archived materials from previous webinars and to find out what is coming next, go here.
In Case You Missed It
Want more strategies to engage students in substance use prevention? Check out the Meaningful Youth Engagement webpage of the Office of Population Affairs, Rural Youth Engagement Toolkit from Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, or Voices of Youth webpage from SAMHSA.
Please contact NCSSLE if you have any questions.