On the Grind for Change in Salinas

Salas Team Action ResearchersSummer 2009

Monterey County Office of Employment Training

Salas Team Action Research Project (STAR)

Youth led research team - summer of 2009

11 youth researchers - ages of 14-24

Collaboration between Monterey County Office of Employment Training, Youth In Focus, and the Boys and Girls Club of Monterey County

Our MISSION: Use research to bring awareness about drug use

& to create solutions for reducing drug use in Salinas

We hope that our research will help funders, city officials, and the Salinas community understand that we need a center geared toward young adults to help reduce drug use

Why are so many youth in Salinas using drugs?

How are youth affected by drug use in Salinas?

Is it easier to find drugs than youth resources or jobs, in Salinas?

What kind of resources are available to young adults in Salinas?

What kind of drugs are youth using? Why?

As young adults, we feel that some drug use is a problem in Salinas

Some of us think that drug use is caused by a lack of things to do

SurveysSurveys Largest number of respondents Anonymous - honest about drug use.

InterviewsInterviews Get story behind question Video recorded, edited, & used for

documentary

Focus GroupFocus Group 9 youth Deeper dialogue

Youth ages of 14-24 - most affected by drug use & the lack of resources

Salinas parents

Paper surveys in English and Spanish to the youth & parents at the mall, Old Town, Sherwood park, some plaza, rodeo, & with friends & family

178 surveys 12 interviews 1 focus group

Youth are affected negatively by drugs in Salinas

• 81% of Salinas youth believe drugs affect negatively

• 92.6 % of Salinas parents believe drug use negatively affects youth

“Drugs are a waist of time besides they get you into many problems and mess with your health”

“Drugs suck and they will send you to the cemetery.”

78.9% of youth said that there are not enough resources in Salinas for youth

“ There isn’t anything to do in Salinas, except for going out to eat and doing drugs”

“ The community centers are only for little kids, like daycare”

“Salinas is a boring town!!!”

Of parents surveyed:

•68.2% believe youth use drugs because of peer pressure

Of youth surveyed:

•75.6% believe youth use drugs for fun

61.5%

Young men use more drugs than young women

• 78.6% young men use drugs as compared to 63.2% of young women

• 52.4% male parents have used drugs compared to 40.0% of female parents

Who Youth Turn to When in Trouble for Drugs? Family

Friends

Does “Juvy” or Jail time help drug users stop from using drugs?

“No, it only makes things worse”

“You just come out and then your on it again”

75.5% of youth reported that more jobs would help reduce the drug use

59% of youth reported that more free Young Adult/Teen Clubs would help reduce drug use

a. Most Salinas Youth are bored and use drugs for fun

b. Youth think that Salinas doesn’t have enough resources geared for young adults

c. Parents do not understand why youth use drugs

We want the city of Salinas to:

• Offer youth led programs that use art to help build leadership skills and decrease drug use

• Offer programs that help place youth with youth jobs and internships

• Offer resources and awareness classes to parents and youth in English and Spanish about drug use

Performing arts Web design Fashion Dance program (hip

pop) Screen printing Radio broadcasting Film & video

production Ceramics Swimming pool Tech center

Art classes Talent showcase Health & wellness Career education College resource

center Tutoring Culinary arts Music production Skate center Sound and beat lab

1. Form a post research action team2. Organize meetings with the student councils of

local high schools of Salinas3. Collect contact information from state funders

so we can have follow up meetings to discuss an action for getting a young adult center started

4. Bring in contractors from other young adult centers (Youth uprising, Vera Project) to assist with the development of youth center

5. Present Salinas City council meeting6. Meet with Funders

Youth in Focus, OET, The Boys and Girls Club, Kizamu Hikida, Friends and Family, & all the participants who took our surveys and interviews

Xandra, Tristan and Joe Aguirre

Everyone in our group for participating, for being patient, and sharing your skills!