PROGRAM STRATEGY
The Governor's Prevention Partnership has identified four major categories of
assistance strategies that research has proven to be effective in helping young
people get back on track and grow up to be safe, successful and drug-free:
- Positive adult connections
- Positive peer connections
- Fun, meaningful and/or altruistic activities
- Working in groups
These strategies are drawn from the research on the 40 Development Assets, resiliency,
and the Social Development Strategy. These strategies are not only research-based,
they are common sense. When young people have positive adults in their lives
as role models, they are more likely to live up to the high expectations and values
of those adults. Young people who spend time with positive peers are less likely
to get involved in risky behaviors than those who spend most of their time with
friends who exhibit behaviors of concern.
Involvement in altruistic activities is one of the most powerful, yet underutilized,
strategies available. Like all of us, young people want to feel important, capable
and needed and those feelings can be fulfilled when they help others in a meaningful
way. The element of fun is crucial even in serious undertakings.
Groups provide an opportunity to combine all the strategies. Whether they are
recreational in nature such as scouts, sports, clubs or arts groups or psycho-educational
groups, they can be structured to include an adult leader and peers engaged in
fun, meaningful and/or altruistic activities.