HOW DOES YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PREVENT OUR YOUTH FROM ABUSING DRUGS?
Youth engagement plays an important role in preventing substance abuse amoung youth. Youth engagement is defined as the sustained and meaningful involvement of youth in an activity focusing outside him or herself. A broad range of activities are effective in engaging youth; including but not limited to school or community volunteering, sports, the arts, music and politics. The benefits of engaging youth are significant. Positive outcomes of engagement include a decrease in the rate of substance abuse, a decrease in rate of crime, an increase in academic performance and a more meaningful connection with a youth’s community.
Several studies prove that the engagement of youth has a significant impact in the healthy development of a youth’s life. One study found that grade 7 students who were involved in planning alcohol-free activities for their schools reduced their drinking significantly more than students who only participated in the activities. Another study proved that students in grades 8, 10 and 12 who reported being involved in extra-curricular activities were less likely to use both soft drugs, such as marijuana, and hard drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, than students who were less involved. The academic performance of youth was significantly impacted, where students who were involved in extra-curricular activities were less likely to drop out of school than students who were not. This was particularly true for youth from poor families and youth with poor social and academic skills. These young people were 5 times less likely to drop out than similar youth who weren't engaged. Another study showed that girls who were involved in a national volunteer program were 41% less likely to become pregnant as teens, when compared with girls who were not involved in the program. Boys and girls who were more involved in extra-curricular activities were less likely to be arrested for criminal offenses as young adults than those who did not participate in extra-curricular activities. Finally, eighth graders who participated in structured after-school activities had significantly lower levels of depression than those who did not participate in such activities.
How do we engage our youth? Communities that play an active role in engaging their youth are increasingly likely to prevent their youth from risky behaviour, such as the use of drugs. Youth that are involved in important decision making that affect their lives, youth that are encouraged and supported to reach their full potential and youth who receive mutual respect from adults, parents, educators and peers are more likely to live a healthy lifestyle. The following provides examples of successful community strategies that prevent substance abuse and other risky behaviour:
- Participating in sports-related activities
- Being involved in art projects, such as creating anti-drug messages through video production, newspaper ads and mural designs
- Attending career fairs
- Presentations from colleges and universities
- Drug awareness projects such as a battle of the bands or an all-night celebration with a “no drugs needed” theme
- Opportunities for leadership, including teaching younger children or other peers about drug use prevention
- Active involvement of parents, which may include forming mutual-support groups, assisting with school curricula, monitoring youths’ activities, and otherwise participating in the lives of young people. Recent research shows that youth who feel emotionally connected with parents and family are less likely to use cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana.
- School policies and school-based services that serve all youth, including those who may be thinking about trying drugs and those worried about others’ use. Recent research suggests that youths’ feeling of connectedness with school is a protective factor against risky behavior.
- The engagement of local media by sponsoring and promoting alcohol-free events and creating prevention messages
- Community-wide engagement (businesses, health care providers, and civic organizations) in changing norms regarding substance use, developing youth assets, and providing youth with links to opportunities in careers, further education, and service to the community
- A community website that provides sources of help for youth who have a problem and information on how to be involved in their community
Providing youth with a positive activity will decrease the probability of them participating in risky behaviour, such as using drugs. Many youth have a need to fit in with their peers, they are discovering themselves and creating their own identity. The excessive amount of information they receive daily affects their decision making. Discussions about drugs and their consequences are extremely important. Adults especially have to remember how they impact a youth’s decision. Adults need to provide youth the emotional support they need and be the best role model they can. Evidence proves that youth engagement strongly affects a youth’s decision to use drugs. When positive outlets are available to youth healthy behaviour will result. The prevention of drug abuse amoung youth is a battle but efforts such as youth engagement will make it easier to accomplish.
Anonymous. Community action on drug abuse prevention. Alberta Health Services. http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/AddictionsSubstanceAbuse/if-com-community-action-manual.pdf
Anonymous. Preventing youth substance abuse in your community. Vermont Agency of Human Services. November, 1998. http://humanservices.vermont.gov/publications/reports-whatworks/ww-subabu
Anonymous. Research on Community and Social Change. Search Institute. http://www.search-institute.org/research/community
Anonymous. What is youth engagement? Centres of excellence for children’s well-being. http://www.tgmag.ca/aorg/pdf/Whatis_WEB_e.pdf
Burney L, Nissen. Community-Directed Engagement and Positive Youth Development.
Children and Youth Services Review, 33(S1), pp.S23-S28. September, 2011. http://www.rwjf.org/vulnerablepopulations/product.jsp?id=73781
Krystel Carrier-Sabourin, Sandy Chu, and Joe Rogal. A Drug Prevention Strategy for Canada’s Youth. Issues of Substance Conference. November 18, 2009. http://www.issuesofsubstance.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/2009%20IOS%20Documents/PHP6_Carrier-Sabourin.pdf