straight up ventura county - conejo valley unified school ... · straight up ventura county ......
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Straight Up Ventura County Engaging Youth and Young Adults
in Community Change
Ventura County Behavioral Health Department, Alcohol and Drug Programs
Ventura Unified School District, Ventura County AIDS Partnership
Straight Up Staff
Becky Haycox Jim Kasmir
Jace Meadows Roland Roberts Staci Brown
Katherine Kasmir
Straight Up Office
Above Ventura Improv Company
34 N. Palm Street Downtown Ventura
Countywide Program
(Smaller contracts outside
the county & state)
Improvisation!
Comedy Improv Reality Improv Applied Improv
Social Change Theatre Reality Improv Techniques
Underage and binge drinking in Ventura County
Now also:
Impaired Driving Marijuana Use
RX Drug Misuse HIV/AIDS Tobacco Bullying
Holding young people solely responsible for underage
drinking is like holding fish responsible for dying in a
polluted stream.
Environmental Prevention
Straight Up Workshops
On high school, middle school and college campuses and with youth groups
Exploring local realities
• Community norms • Access and Availability • What happens at
parties? • What’s going on between
parents and teens? • Social and media
messages
• Risky behaviors
Identifying Desired Changes
What concerns teens and young adults? What do they want to change?
• Too easy for kids to get • Extreme drinking levels • Drinking & driving • Culture of unsafe sex • Parties out of control • Adult denial & hypocrisy
Youth Projects Action Teams
and Volunteers
• Ongoing Recruitment
• Flexibility
• Go to the youth
• Make it fun
• Many options available
• Communicate their way
• Community Service Hours
• Collaborate with other organizations
Social Change Theatre
Presentations, performances,
interactive events and public speaking
to support social change
Example: Ventura College Fundamentals of Acting students develop interactive presentations
for Health Classes
Presentations for Meetings Performance and community discussion about
Underage Drinking
Video & Audio Production
Engaging youth in Video production to support prevention initiatives
• PSAs & videos
• Podcasts
• Multimedia presentations
• Video Documentation www.youtube.com/straightupvc/
Tri-Advocate
• Video PSA • Poster • 1 Minute Speech
Writing and Video Contests
www.straightupvc.org/contest
Katherine with Haley Paul, one of the winners of the 2010 Straight Up writing contest
See past video contest entries online
2012-2013 video contest
(in progress)
Community Assessments
Interviews, Focus groups, Surveys Store Assessments, Bar Risk & Special Event Assessments
Media Advocacy
Youth Spokespersons Training & Support
• speak to media
representatives about events & news
• support law enforcement use of Social Host Ordinance, responsible alcohol sales
• Challenge local drinking norms
• Community discussion
Policy Advocacy Straight Up youth spokesperson
Daniel Goodkin-Gold appeared in front of the Ventura Planning Commission to protest the new alcohol licenses under consideration.
Brandon Freiberg also appeared in front of the Commission to protest the new alcohol license under consideration for the Target store. Thanks in part to his efforts, the license was denied.
Results: Nearly 40% Fewer DUI
arrests!
Straight Up Leadership Summits Change of Heart Retreats
Tri-Advocate
Prevention Game Show and survey tools
Website: Straightupvc.org
Straight Up Blog
www.straightupvc.org/blog
Social Networking
Reality Parties for Parents
Photo courtesy Iris Smoot / The Acorn Newspaper
Reality Parties for Parents
Increase adult understanding of the culture and environments
Suggest family policies and change among adults to support change for our youth
Social Host Ordinance
How do youth find out about
parties and get away with going to them?
Access and availability
Drinking games
Marijuana, Rx & other drugs
Risky Behaviors
Passed out pranks
Alcohol & Sex
We need your help
• Stop accepting underage drinking as a right of passage • Stop providing alcohol to youth, knowingly or ignorantly • Stop hosting teen drinking parties or allowing them to happen
while you’re away • Stop allowing other adults to host teen drinking parties • Set clear expectations and check up on your teens • Get to know other parents and talk to them about what your
teens are doing together
• To change this dangerous youth culture, we need your help to change the attitudes, perceptions and behaviors of adults.
Debrief & Discussion
