Community Coalition Trains Young Volunteers to Talk to Campers about Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

The Winton Woods Community Coalition in Ohio trains youth leaders to effectively communicate the negative health effects of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco to youth.

The coalition has lead a prevention and awareness campaign in Greenhills, Springfield Township, and Forest Park for five years, reaching over 2,000 young people and distributing over 120,000 pamphlets helping parents talk to their children about drugs. The coalition also provides small grants to support local efforts, such as one church that opened a substance abuse resource library for students.

As part of its prevention efforts, the coalition holds training sessions for youth leaders, including those who organize the Explorer Camp for children in Forest Park, Ohio.

"I thought it would be neat and interesting to hear from teens and have them talk to the kids," said Geoff Wahl, 24, who received training from the Coalition and helped organize the high school volunteer program. "It's one thing for me to say that it's a great program, but for the kids to come up to me and show me what they learned or what they made is just great."

"Drugs and guns are so available to kids, you know, they need to do something to keep them occupied, do something fun and make them feel safe," said one high school volunteer. "I want to make a difference. It's a good feeling."

Since the coalition began, the age of first use of drugs, alcohol or tobacco has risen from ten to twelve years old in area youth, according to Patricia Clegg, coalition director.

(7/29/2005)