Increasing Community Capacity to Reduce Youth Substance Abuse and At-Risk Behaviors

In 2003 ARCH Institute was awarded a one year Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) Mini-Grant. The goals and objectives for that grant were to increase capacity in the community to address the vital need for the reduction of substance use and at-risk sexual behaviors in youth.

This Compassion Capital Fund Mini grant established a successful outreach program in the Richmond Estate, in partnership with the St. Croix Ebenezer Methodist Church and their youth ministry. The participating elementary through high school age youth and their parents included those most in need in this community.

The primary focus of this after-school mentoring and tutoring program was to develop positive behavioral alternatives that could ultimately reduce substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors.

Participation in the Church's Steel Orchestra was a great recruitment incentive for the young people participating in the tutorial and peer mentorship program. It also helped build the participation of parents in the required substance abuse and HIV prevention communication trainings.

This after-school outreach program consisted of math and reading tutoring and Computer classes. Peer mentors also taught the participating students how to perform in the steel orchestra. This grant allowed many of the neighborhood children -- who had heard or watched the Church's members youth play -- participate for the first time, since the Church was able to purchase the instruments and equipment needed to include them.

For those youngsters not interested or capable of participating in the steel orchestra, other activities were provided for them in the form of table games and arts and crafts that they enjoyed.

Parental involvement was critical to the consistency of the children's participation in this tutoring/mentoring program. The project also had four parent workshops that focused on parenting skills and the challenges faced by today's youth. The parent workshops included discussions, questions and role playing of effective parenting. They also outlined a learning process that would help them and their children engage in effective communication about the various consequences and overall dangers of engaging in drug use or risky sexual behavior.