Inclusion Takes Practice

Achieving Cultural Diversity in Your Neighborhood

Recently, the NYC Prevention Resource Center sought the assistance of the remaining five regional PRC's --Suffolk, Mid-Hudson. Western NY, Central NY, and Finger Lakes regarding ways to include the experiences and contributions of the many coalitions throughout the state into Notes from the Meeting Table.   It was our goal to encourage information sharing amongst the groups and provide another active resource for everybody to utilize.

However, creating a fully inclusive atmosphere that welcomes our friends from around NYS to the "Table"  is admittedly a work in progress.   For anyone that has engaged in resolving issues of cultural competency knows...it's always the little things that have the greatest impact.  From ensuring that various ethnic, cultural, and social groups are represented, to providing multi-lingual materials that can be used by the entire community; the ability to become and remain aware of the nuances that can make others feel and stay involved in your work is a key ingredient to achieving and sustaining success.

So, with this in mind, I am asking for your patience an indulgence as I am striving to encourage our coalitions both in NYC and NYS to tell us your ideas, thoughts, and opinions on a number of issues affecting your communities.

I hope that you will all share and use NMT as a forum for discussion, debate, and to raise the awareness of coalition members about the accomplishments and challenges that come with this work (and please excuse an occasional NYC reference instead of the more inclusive "New York" verbiage.)

Until next time...

- Scott M.

PRC Website Gets Makeover

PRC Website Gets Makeover

Launches September 18th

This summer, we have been hard at work giving our website a complete makeover so that it would be more user-friendly and interactive.  Some of the new features include:

• Reader Comments - Share your opinion about breaking news and articles we post & hear from others about what they think should be done to make a difference
• Videos - Compiled from across the web, these drug prevention clips are great visual aids offering solid information
• Drug Facts - Provides a summary of useful facts, data, and  negative effects on a variety of drugs including marijuana, tobacco, pills and alcohol
• Partnerships - view a listing of community anti-drug coalitions in the New York City & New York State
• Helpful Links - Check out a listing of organizations and tools to help strengthen your anti-drug efforts and activities.

You will still receive ongoing coverage of the latest prevention news and happenings on the local and national scene;  Can register for all upcoming workshops; and Obtain downloadable technical assistance briefs addressing many of the common challenges with coalition building/community mobilization.

Check us out today!

Community...CONNECTED!

This September, the NYC Prevention Resource Center is kicking off a brand new campaign called "Community...CONNECTED!" It's purpose is to provide the various communities we've visited over the past three years with a chance to meet each other; share ideas and resources; and  become a collective force for change in New York City.

Looking Back

This past July marked the fourth year of the NYC Prevention Resource Center.  During that time,we've had the opportunity to travel across the speaking with a variety of people about how drugs and alcohol have negatively impacted the quality of life of residents and dampened the future aspirations of young people. We heard story after story of communities at a loss about knowing where to  focus their efforts  in trying to bring about change and a sense of hope.

However, we have been emboldened by the commitment of these champions to stay the course and encouraged by the ideas and creative solutions to grab the attention of the neighborhood and show an alternative to drug use and abuse.

Become Connected

As a part of Community...CONNECTED!,  we will be hosting special events, workshops, and opportunities for you to meet,speak, share, and provide your thoughts on what needs to be done to uplift our youth and change your communities.

I encourage you to be a part of these gatherings; to tell us your opinions on the state of alcohol and drug prevention on both a local and national stage; and network with others that share your passion towards making a lasting change within their neighborhoods.

Stay tuned...there is so much more to come!

The Best is Yet to Come....

Stay Tuned for a brand new
Notes from the Meeting Table 

featuring updates and happenings directly from local coalitions throughout the five boroughs

Working Together for a Drug Free Community

Sometimes is good to be a fly on the wall.  Recently, my antennae picked up a conversation about some possible money that could be available to communities to help fund some work around drug and alcohol prevention. 

Now while the Drug Free Communities grant is usually posted in January, I thought it might be a good idea to give a few of the NYC partnerships the heads up so they could begin working on some of the more specific requirements usually called for in the proposal.

Good News - The grant is for five year at 125,000 per year to fund community partnerships in addressing the community level risk factors of underage drinking and substance abuse.  Communities have been able to apply for no more than ten years. 

The grant is given to established community partnerships around for a minimum of six months of formal activity.  It follows the Strategic Prevention Framework and requires the group to have specific components at the time of applying.  These include:

• The coalition must have at least one representative from the required 12 sectors, as outlined in the RFA and the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997;
• The coalition must maintain meeting minutes that demonstrate that it is a unique entity that has substantial involvement from its members and is working toward to the two goals of the DFC program;
• The coalition must address multiple (more than one) drugs per year in its annual Strategic/Action Plans for each year of funding;
• The coalition must have as its principal mission the reduction of youth substance use;
• The coalition has not already received 10 years of DFC funding; and
• The coalition must capture and provide the data required by the DFC National Evaluation.

So, consider this your six month wake up call.  If you have been looking for another incentive to continue the great work that your partnership has been doing or just looking for an excuse to motivate and galvanize the troops...look no further.   While the DFC grant is not an absolute guarantee, it will help strengthen your group and give members something to strive for.

See...I told you it was good to be a fly on the wall.

Until next time,

-CW

For complete information about the Drug Free Communities grant...click here

Picking the Right Leadership

Recently, someone asked me my thoughts about what characteristics a community leader should possess.  My immediate response was humility.

In order for a person to be a really effective leader, they have to be willing to know their faults, limitations, and weaknesses.  Now, I bet that some people think would have gone in the other direction and said things like "strength", "confidence", and "daring".  While I definitely agree that a leader should have all of those things, I would place the ability to be humble above the others.

Understanding the traits that you don't have allows you to identify and work with those that help compliment your weaker points.  It makes its easier to delegate tasks and empower others to take ownership of what you will need them to do.  It places people into positions of shared powers and allows them to speak more openly and honestly about topics and issues they observe and may have. 

Having this type of equal dynamic is necessary when working as part of a community partnership.  Participants must feel that the role they play is vital to the success and failure of the group and its goal.  Every group is only as important as it members; and the members are every bit as important as its leaders.

Until next time,

-CW

Youth in Washington Height & Inwood Makes Learning A Top Priority (UNIDOS)

Hi all...

Check out this reprinted article from the NYC Prevention Resource Center....

- CW

Fundraiser for Washington Heights & Inwood Youth Council 

Washington Heights/Inwood Youth Representing Agents of Change

The Washington Heights and Inwood Youth Council (WHIYC) is dreaming big and working hard! WHIYC dreamed of creating a free event educating the community about underage drinking and teen pregnancy. They designed flyers and posters as well as speak about personal struggles as teens, how they overcame them, and why teens should make positive decisions for the well-being of their community.

Indeed, they dreamed, worked, and empowered youth to become the agents of change. Now, WHIYC aspires to attend the July 2011 National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI) conference in Orange County, California. This conference is sponsored by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA).  The NYLI is a series of intensive workshops that enhances their abilities to tackle problems in the community. WHIYC needs to raise $13,000 (that's $1300 per member) in order to attend the annual conference.  

The Youth Council has participated in flea markets, written letters to businesses, and soon will coordinate a bake sale at a local Christian academy. The conference helps increase their knowledge on how to identify, address and solve the problems in their community. With these new resources WHIYC will be able to implement what they learned and apply those resources to make evident change. Please help them make the Washington Heights & Inwood community a better and safer place with your donations!
 

Interested in donating...click here
 (Write "UNIDOS Fundraiser" in your donation memo/note)

  

For more information, please contact Othanya Garcia, WHIYC President or Daisy Gil, WHIYC, Vice President at 646-353-4321.  

Attend a Karaoke Night to support the WHIYC