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Straight Up Ventura County Engaging Youth and Young Adults

in Community Change

Ventura County Behavioral Health Department, Alcohol and Drug Programs

Ventura Unified School District, Ventura County AIDS Partnership

Straight Up Staff

Becky Haycox Jim Kasmir

Jace Meadows Roland Roberts Staci Brown

Katherine Kasmir

Straight Up Office

Above Ventura Improv Company

34 N. Palm Street Downtown Ventura

Countywide Program

(Smaller contracts outside

the county & state)

Improvisation!

Comedy Improv Reality Improv Applied Improv

Social Change Theatre Reality Improv Techniques

Underage and binge drinking in Ventura County

Now also:

Impaired Driving Marijuana Use

RX Drug Misuse HIV/AIDS Tobacco Bullying

Holding young people solely responsible for underage

drinking is like holding fish responsible for dying in a

polluted stream.

Environmental Prevention

Straight Up Workshops

On high school, middle school and college campuses and with youth groups

Exploring local realities

• Community norms • Access and Availability • What happens at

parties? • What’s going on between

parents and teens? • Social and media

messages

• Risky behaviors

Identifying Desired Changes

What concerns teens and young adults? What do they want to change?

• Too easy for kids to get • Extreme drinking levels • Drinking & driving • Culture of unsafe sex • Parties out of control • Adult denial & hypocrisy

Youth Projects Action Teams

and Volunteers

• Ongoing Recruitment

• Flexibility

• Go to the youth

• Make it fun

• Many options available

• Communicate their way

• Community Service Hours

• Collaborate with other organizations

Social Change Theatre

Presentations, performances,

interactive events and public speaking

to support social change

Example: Ventura College Fundamentals of Acting students develop interactive presentations

for Health Classes

Presentations for Meetings Performance and community discussion about

Underage Drinking

Video & Audio Production

Engaging youth in Video production to support prevention initiatives

• PSAs & videos

• Podcasts

• Multimedia presentations

• Video Documentation www.youtube.com/straightupvc/

Tri-Advocate

• Video PSA • Poster • 1 Minute Speech

Writing and Video Contests

www.straightupvc.org/contest

Katherine with Haley Paul, one of the winners of the 2010 Straight Up writing contest

See past video contest entries online

2012-2013 video contest

(in progress)

Community Assessments

Interviews, Focus groups, Surveys Store Assessments, Bar Risk & Special Event Assessments

Media Advocacy

Youth Spokespersons Training & Support

• speak to media

representatives about events & news

• support law enforcement use of Social Host Ordinance, responsible alcohol sales

• Challenge local drinking norms

• Community discussion

Policy Advocacy Straight Up youth spokesperson

Daniel Goodkin-Gold appeared in front of the Ventura Planning Commission to protest the new alcohol licenses under consideration.

Brandon Freiberg also appeared in front of the Commission to protest the new alcohol license under consideration for the Target store. Thanks in part to his efforts, the license was denied.

Results: Nearly 40% Fewer DUI

arrests!

Straight Up Leadership Summits Change of Heart Retreats

Tri-Advocate

Prevention Game Show and survey tools

Website: Straightupvc.org

Straight Up Blog

www.straightupvc.org/blog

Social Networking

Reality Parties for Parents

Photo courtesy Iris Smoot / The Acorn Newspaper

Reality Parties for Parents

Increase adult understanding of the culture and environments

Suggest family policies and change among adults to support change for our youth

Social Host Ordinance

How do youth find out about

parties and get away with going to them?

Access and availability

Drinking games

Marijuana, Rx & other drugs

Risky Behaviors

Passed out pranks

Alcohol & Sex

We need your help

• Stop accepting underage drinking as a right of passage • Stop providing alcohol to youth, knowingly or ignorantly • Stop hosting teen drinking parties or allowing them to happen

while you’re away • Stop allowing other adults to host teen drinking parties • Set clear expectations and check up on your teens • Get to know other parents and talk to them about what your

teens are doing together

• To change this dangerous youth culture, we need your help to change the attitudes, perceptions and behaviors of adults.

Debrief & Discussion

THANK YOU!

Katherine Kasmir (805) 647-4622

info@straightupvc.org www.straightupvc.org