Engaging Youth One of Many Strategies Presented at CADCA Forum

Time and time again, the most successful community coalitions are ones that have an active youth group to initiate and sustain environmental change. The Gunnison County Substance Abuse Prevention Project in Colorado will share their success with recruiting and partnering with youth at their workshop "Tapping into the Powerful Student Voice: Creative Ways to Engage Youth in Your Community" at CADCA's 21st annual National Leadership Forum Feb. 7-10th.

CADCA and coalition members Brooke Harless, Lily Lambert and Kristin Rochniak designed their presentation to help coalitions better involve and engage youth in their own prevention coalitions.

Using the Crested Butte Youth Council and Gunnison High School Student Leadership Class as models of successful youth organizations, the presentation will highlight organizing youth around three spheres of focus: community service, civic engagement and youth empowerment to provide them with tools to successfully advocate for change in their communities and work to reduce substance abuse among youth. The workshop will offer practical ways in which participants can engage youth, gain support from local governments, and actively participate in policy change using the powerful student voice.

“Tapping into the Powerful Student Voice: Creative Ways to Engage Youth in Your Community” is one of more than 100 workshops taking place at CADCA’s 21st Annual National Leadership Forum. The Forum will take place at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center, right on the banks of the Potomac River and just minutes outside Washington, D.C. on Feb. 7-10, 2011. This year's theme, “Coalitions Moving Forward: Mapping the Future,” builds on the fact that there is a new landscape to navigate with many changes happening, but we as a field can create that roadmap for our future. Register now!

To learn more about this and other workshops at the CADCA Forum, plus awards nominations, exhibit registration, Community Prevention Day, Capitol Hill appointments, and other details, please visit CADCA’s Forum website.