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Unity In The Community 2024
Hosted by:
Renewed Covenant Outreach Foundation
Please briefly describe your Communities Talk activity.
We had a Unity In The Community event in partnership with the local police department. They provided education on underage drinking and impaired driving, including allowing the students to use visual impairment goggles as a demonstration of the dangers of drinking and driving. The website is https://www.renewedcovenant.org .
How does alcohol and other drug misuse affect your community?
Each year there is a concern about underage drinking in our area. We currently live a few miles from major universities, and the college students are cautioned not to drive while impaired. Here's a link to an article of an interview with someone who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina: https://abc11.com/underage-drinking-talk-it-out-nc-alcohol-survey-addiction-programs/13827229/. Our organization is located in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, which is not far from there.
Which prevention strategy(ies), as defined by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, best fit your Communities Talk activity?
- Environmental Strategy - focuses on establishing or changing community standards, codes, and attitudes thereby influencing incidence and prevalence of alcohol and other drug use within the community. The strategy depends on engaging a broad base of community partners, focuses on places and specific problems, and emphasizes public policy.
- Education Strategy - focuses on “two-way” communication between the facilitator and participants and aims to improve life/social skills such as decision making, refusal skills, and critical analysis.
What goal(s) did you hope to accomplish with your Communities Talk activity?
- Develop strategic plans to reduce and prevent alcohol and/or other drug misuse.
- Build coalitions with other agencies or programs to reduce and prevent alcohol and/or other drug misuse.
- Reduce or limit alcohol and/or other drugs outlet density.
- Increase sobriety and traffic safety checkpoints.
Did you accomplish your goal(s)?
Yes
What challenge(s) did you face in planning your activity this year?
- Change in organizational structure or staff
How did you overcome these challenges?
The local police department has a new police chief, and our group had to develop rapport with the new police chief. We needed to touch base with the new leadership much more frequently than in years prior. We hope to continue to develop the relationship.
What are your next steps?
- Host follow-up meetings or activities
If you’ve conducted Communities Talk activities in prior years, how has your repeated participation contributed to progress in achieving your prevention goals?
These events have aided in our ability to maintain visibility in our community. We are fostering relationships with the local high school and middle school. This allows us to keep a pulse on the community. We use youth sports to attract the students to participate in the events.
Organizations that conduct Communities Talk activities often involve other organizations in the planning and execution of events. Please indicate which type(s) of organizations you involved in your activity planning.
- Faith-based based organizations
- Law enforcement
- Colleges or universities
Which of the following best describes the primary audience(s) for your Communities Talk activity?
- Youth
- Parents
- Law enforcement officials
- Clergy
How did you reach and engage your primary audience(s) to encourage them to participate in your activity?
Youth sports participation through the town of Fuquay Varina.
Which Communities Talk resources (or other SAMHSA resources) were most helpful for your activity?
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