Engaging Youth in Prevention by Partnering with Faith Based Organizations OJJDP 12 th National EUDL Leadership Conference August 20, 2010 Community Service Programs, Inc. Project Faith in Youth EVALCORP Research & Consulting
Presented by Lisa Garbrecht, Ph.D. EVALCORP Research & Consulting Lourdes Gutierrez, M.S. Stephan Lambert Community Service Programs, Inc. Project Faith in Youth This presentation was made possible through funding from the County of Orange Health Care Agency Alcohol and Drug Education Prevention Team
Overview of Presentation Why partner with Faith Based Organizations (FBOs)? The FAITH Coalition Project Faith in Youth Program model and strategies Example of past mini grantee Evaluation findings from 2009 2010 Impacts of Mini Grant Program Challenges and lessons learned
Program Background Partnering with FBOs & FAITH Coalition
Why Partner with FBOs? Challenge of engaging and sustaining youth involvement in prevention Faith communities are in a powerful position to affect attitudes toward illicit drugs and alcohol use by youth The values that FBOs promote and maintain are a solid foundation upon which effective prevention programs can be built
A young person who spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution is less likely to be involved with drug use and violence and more likely to maintain good health and succeed in school. Developmental Asset #19 Search Institute
FAITH Coalition FAITH: Faiths And Institutions Together for Health A partnership of diverse faith leaders and AOD prevention providers in Orange County, California Formed in 2000 as a result of Involving the Faith Community in Prevention, a training facilitated by Michael Cunningham
FAITH Coalition Serves as: A monthly meeting place for Orange County faith leaders and prevention providers to discuss AOD related issues and exchange information and resources A conduit for faith communities to access existing prevention resources in government and community organizations to enrich their own congregational programs
FAITH Coalition Offers: Resources and support for youth workers to facilitate prevention training (in areas such as youth development, asset building and media literacy) in their own congregations and to cross train youth in other faith communities
FAITH Coalition Offers: Free, interactive presentations for diverse congregational groups Guidance for empowering and organizing youth to undertake school and community service projects Assistance with grant writing to access funds for prevention programs
FAITH Coalition Accomplishments: Contributed to the development of Project Faith in Youth, funded by the Orange County Health Care Agency Received a Drug Free Communities Support Program grant from ONDCP/SAMHSA in 2008
Project Faith in Youth Overview, Mini-Grant Program Model & Case Example
Project Faith in Youth Founded in 2005 Seeks to strengthen the capacities of FBOs to integrate AOD prevention into their programs by building on the structures and practices promoting positive youth development already in place Works with diverse faith communities to empower young people to make positive choices
Mini Grant Program Funds FBOs to build their capacity to provide AOD prevention to youth groups Provides training, technical assistance and resources Objective is to increase the following protective factors among youth: Meaningful participation in the community Connectedness to the faith community Positive relationships with adults and peers
Mini Grant Program Model Market program to diverse FBOs Review applications via independent panel Contract with mini grantees requiring: Prevention activities with youth groups Participation in trainings, technical assistance and FAITH Coalition meetings Action Plan and Expenditure Report Sustainability Plan
Mini Grant Program Funded 17 FBOs to date Total of $68,000 granted In first year (2005 06), 8 grantees each received $1,000 to conduct youth assessment Measured AOD prevalence and attitudes among youth in FBOs Received training and technical assistance
Mini Grant Program In subsequent years (06 07 to 09 10): 3 grantees per year each received $5,000 Provided training, technical assistance and resources Participated in FAITH Coalition Meetings Conducted at least 3 structured prevention activities with youth
Prevention Activities Education Town Hall Meetings Media Literacy Trainings Environmental Sticker Shock Merchant Education Photo Voice Community Assessments
Prevention Activities Alternative Activities Community Service Projects Food distribution programs Fasting to raise funds for the homeless A car wash to raise funds for a youth shelter Participating in Red Ribbon Week activities Sports programs and basketball tournaments T shirt design projects Intergenerational Family Fun nights Youth retreats and camping trips Prevention video game
Mini Grantee Case Example Santiago de Compostela Church Funded in 2005 for $1,000 to conduct youth assessment Received $5,000 mini grant in 2006 07 Serves as a model program, mentoring new grantees
Santiago de Compostela Church Prevention Efforts Developed Friday Night Live Chapter Advocated for tax reclassification of alcopops as distilled spirits before a representative of the California Board of Equalization Successfully advocated for Social Host Ordinance in Mission Viejo, California
Santiago de Compostela Church Prevention Efforts Merchant education campaigns Sticker Shock Minor decoy operations Town Hall meetings Parish festival resource table
Santiago de Compostela Church Ongoing Prevention Efforts: Friday Night Live Chapter Sticker Shock Town Hall meetings Youth Mentoring and Peer Leadership Programs
Evaluation of 09 10 Project Faith in Youth Evaluation Methods & Findings
Evaluation Methods Assessing program outcomes: Youth Survey of Protective Factors Pre, Post 1 and 2 Survey administrations Tracking tools Key informant interviews with mini grantees Staff interviews
Evaluating Impacts on Youth Youth Survey of Protective Factors: Similar Pre and Post Surveys Socio demographic and identification items (for unique IDs) Youth indicated on Likert scale the extent to which they possessed protection factors Derived from Search Institute Additional evaluative items on post surveys
Evaluating Impacts on Youth Youth Survey of Protective Factors: Administered to at least 40 youth at each FBO Challenges of obtaining sufficient number of youth surveys Pre Post Administration Pre Survey administered at onset of program Post 1 Survey administered immediately following a prevention activity Post 2 Survey administered at end of program year
Youth Survey of Protective Factors Factor: Meaningful Participation in the Community Survey Items Not at all true A little true Some what true Pretty much true Very true I am encouraged to participate in community service projects. I participate in community service projects. I place high value on helping other people. I do things that make a difference.
Youth Survey of Protective Factors Factor: Connectedness to Faith Community Survey Items Not at all true A little true Some what true Pretty much true Very true I am given a useful role in my faith community. I am a part of a youth ministry/youth group at my church or place of worship. I help decide/plan youth oriented church activities. I participate in religious services.
Youth Survey of Protective Factors Factor: Positive Adult Relationships Survey Items At home, school, and/or faith community there is an adult Not at all true A little true Some what true Pretty much true Very true who really cares about me. who tells me when I do a good job. who always want me to do my best. who listens to me when I have something to say. who I can go to for help with a problem.
Youth Survey of Protective Factors Factor: Positive Peer Relationships Survey Items I have a friend about my age Not at all true A little true Some what true Pretty much true Very true who really cares about me. who I can talk to about my problems. who helps me when I am having a hard time.
Youth Survey of Protective Factors Factor: Positive Peer Relationships Survey Items My friends Not at all true A little true Some what true Pretty much true Very true try to do what is right. do well in school. would disapprove of me using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs. participate in community service projects. participate in youth ministry/youth group at a church or place of worship. participate in religious services.
Youth Survey Findings Youth Survey Findings: From pre to post surveys, youth at the 3 FBOs increased protective factors of: Meaningful participation in the community Connectedness to community Positive relationships with adults and peers On post surveys, all youth at the 3 FBOs agreed that as a result of the program they increased the above protective factors
Youth Survey Findings Youth Survey Findings: Most valuable aspect of program: All aspects AOD information/consequences of AOD use Sense of community and belonging Stronger bonds with faith community, parents and peers Community service/satisfaction from helping others Encouragement and support Personal growth and leadership skills
Evaluating Impacts on FBOs Interviews with Mini Grantees: Key informant interviews conducted with four representatives from the three 09 10 mini grantees Protocol included questions about: Why they applied for the mini grant How the program impacted their organization What challenges they experienced How they overcame challenges
Mini Grantee Interview Findings Reasons for Applying for Mini Grant: Need for prevention due to increased AOD problems To increase awareness and knowledge about AOD addiction within the faith community To integrate youth in the faith community with the community at large To increase the number of youth attending church functions and getting them off of the streets
Mini Grantee Interview Findings Impacts of Program: Brought parents and youth closer together Youth seeing themselves as role models and want to help more in the community Increased participation in youth programs at FBOs Empowerment of youth The kids feel good about themselves and feel that they have made a mark and an impact. Mini Grantee
Mini Grantee Interview Findings Challenges: Obtaining youth participation Overcome by reframing participation in a positive light and by providing fun activities Difficulties integrating faith and community youth groups Overcome by teaching communication skills and having youth communicate with each other during activities Language and cultural barriers Overcome by translating materials and providing parental education
Challenges & Lessons Learned Overcoming Challenges and Lessons Learned by Program Staff
Challenges Culture of denial in faith communities Quick turnover of youth workers Some youth workers work only part time Current curriculum followed by youth workers does not contain section on AOD prevention Difficulty developing Action Plans and Sustainability Plans
Overcoming Challenges Collaborate with faith curriculum developers to include AOD prevention in manuals for youth workers Conduct trainings for youth ministry workers, volunteers and faith community Provide technical assistance and examples from previous mini grantees to assist with Action Plans and Sustainability Plans Pilot/provide mentoring program linking past grantees with current grantees
Lessons Learned Key lessons: How to market prevention to FBOs How to build capacity of FBOs to integrate prevention How to sustain faith based prevention efforts
Lessons Learned: Marketing Find youth ministers who: Have passion for helping young people make healthy choices Can make a paradigm shift to integrate prevention into every aspect of their ministry Emphasize that youth ministers/fbos have freedom to develop their own prevention action plan to meet their needs
Lessons Learned: Marketing Promote ATOD prevention not as a program that you re laying on top of their existing youth development program but as a component that will do the following for their programs: Strengthen Enrich Enliven
Lessons Learned: Marketing Demonstrate that prevention works by holding up model FBO prevention programs Show that primary prevention is more cost effective than secondary or tertiary prevention Emphasize the free resources they can access, including training, technical assistance and mini grants Attend meetings of OC Interfaith Councils
Lessons Learned: Capacity Build on structures and practices already in place to elevate prevention on their faith agenda Youth ministry programs Religious education classes Show how prevention messages can be integrated into the beliefs and traditions of faith communities.
Lessons Learned: Capacity Provide on site training: AOD Prevention 101 Research based prevention strategies Examples of feasible AOD prevention activities that easily be incorporated into their programs Asset building Encourage participation in other AOD related trainings given by other organizations
Lessons Learned: Capacity Provide technical assistance on: Developing their own action plan Creating their own prevention materials Accessing prevention resources and funding opportunities Sustaining prevention efforts Provide membership in the Faith and Institutions Together for Health (FAITH) Coalition Empower youth leadership teams to do cross faith training in prevention (e.g., Media Literacy)
Lessons Learned: Sustainability Build Sustainability Plan into faith based prevention Action Plan Provide technical assistance in grant writing for developing a more detailed sustainability plan beyond grant period Provide access to youth programs that provide continuity (i.e., FNL) Facilitate community events to showcase sustained prevention efforts
Questions & Answers
For Additional Information, Please Contact: Dr. Lisa Garbrecht lgarbrecht@evalcorp.com EVALCORP Research & Consulting 15615 Alton Parkway, Suite 450 Irvine, CA 29618 Tel: 949.271.6437 Fax: 949.271.6301 info@evalcorp.com www.evalcorp.com Lourdes Gutierrez lgutierrez@cspinc.org Stephan Lambert slambert@cspinc.org CSP Project Faith in Youth 1821 E. Dyer Road, Suite 200 Santa Ana, CA 92705 Tel: 949.757.1096 Fax: 949.251.1659 www.cspinc.org