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Highlights & Annoucements
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It's Not Too Late -- Registration is Live for the 2018 Youth Leadership Conference!
We are less than a month away from the 2018 Alexandria Youth Leadership Conference!
This free opportunity for rising ninth through twelfth grade
students that live in Alexandria will feature a networking session where participants will learn about lea
dership opportunities for Alexandria youth.
Please help us spread the word and nominate teens you work with or encourage them to apply.
Interested students can apply to participate by completing
this form.
Parents and community members may nominate youth to participate using
this form.
Please
click here to view a PDF of the flyer.
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Community Leaders, Join us at the Youth Leadership Conference Networking Session!
The Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP) and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA) cordially invite you to a very special networking event with some of Alexandria's rising youth leaders, on Wednesday, August 15, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Lee Center Exhibit Hall, 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Several Alexandria boards, commissions and community groups have space reserved for youth representatives or could be stronger if youth voices were included in the group. Unfortunately, many youth spaces remain consistently unfilled, or organizations do not think of including youth leaders on their boards. Our aim is to help build a network of youth leaders who can serve effectively and to help boards, commissions and community groups understand how to benefit from youth voices. We believe the first step is to have our community leaders network with youth to learn about their abilities and interests and to see where their voices and skills could fit with your community work. To accomplish this, ACAP and SAPCA will work with you to:
- Meet Alexandria's youth leaders at this networking event and throughout the year.
- Help orient you as to why it is important or beneficial to have youth leaders on Alexandria's boards, commissions and work groups, and
- Work with you to make sure that our city's boards and commissions know how to engage youth who serve with your adult leadership.
To RSVP for this networking session, please contact Emma Beall at
[email protected].
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Meet SAPCA's Summer Assistant!
Please welcome Lizzie Andres, Assistant to the SAPCA Coordinator!
Lizzie Andres is an undergraduate student at University College Dublin pursuing a Bachelors of Science. Lizzie attended high school locally and helped lead the Unified Prevention Coalition, where she acted as Social Media Director to bring awareness to community efforts to prevent drug and alcohol
use among youth. As a member, she worked to further programs such as "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" and drug take back days. Lizzie is passionate about
supporting her community and excited to
work in Alexandria
with the SAPCA
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Youth Empowerment Work Group Kickoff Features Youth Panel
The first Youth Empowerment Work Group was held on Tuesday, July 10. An initiative of the Children and Youth Master Plan,
this work group, of which SAPCA is a member, aims to increase youth engagement and safety across the city. This is an opportunity for adults and youth to build a partnership and work together to develop and implement strategies.
Five youth, including some of ACAP's
Peer Educators, participated in a youth panel and shared their experiences about being a teen in the city.
The panel was followed by
a community mapping activity, in which the adults mapped their youth engagement activities across Alexandria
, and youth identified the places where they feel safe.
Interested in joining this work group and contributing to conversations about meaningful youth involvement? Contact Chelsea Eickert at
[email protected].
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Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth Awards Grant to SCAN For Partnership With ACPS and DCHS
The
Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth has awarded a three-year, $150,000 grant to SCAN of Northern Virginia to support parent education and engagement that facilitates youth tobacco use prevention in the City of Alexandria. SCAN of Northern Virginia, Alexandria City Public Schools and Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services will work together over the next three years to provide a series of Strengthening Families trainings in ACPS schools, Healthy Conversation forums for parents -- an initiative co-sponsored by SAPCA and ACAP -- and a variety of other public education and outreach events.
"We are thrilled that VFHY is continuing to support our work educating families about more effective parenting and the role it plays in reducing risk factors, as well as directly educating students about the dangers of tobacco and drug use," said Marisol Morales, Parent Education Program Manager at SCAN of Northern Virginia. SCAN received a similar grant from VFHY in 2015 to launch the program. During the first three years of the grant, SCAN reached 205 youth and 152 families with 12 series in both elementary and secondary schools throughout ACPS.
The Family and Community Engagement Center (FACE) at Alexandria City Public Schools will once again provide access to schools and outreach to parents in the district, as well as staff support during trainings. Alexandria DCHS will be responsible for implementing community awareness initiatives that build a school environment against youth tobacco use.
"Working with community partners like ACPS and DCHS, we have seen how our coordinated work can have an even greater impact on families in our community," said Morales. "This grant is a valuable opportunity to reach students-where they are-as well as parents and other adults in the community who can connect with kids to make a difference."
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Upcoming Community Events
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Prescription Drug Take Back Day
When: Saturday, July 28, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
What: Safely and properly dispose of expired and unused prescription medications
Where: Alexandria Fire Station 210, Alexandria Police Department Headquarters, First Baptist Church, and The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray
Can't make it? The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray has a Permanent 24/7 Medicine Drop Box.
Please
click here to view a PDF of the flyer in English.
Please
click here
to view a PDF of the flyer in Spanish.
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RSVP to the Upcoming Community Health Meeting!
Do you want to help give everyone in Alexandria a chance to live the healthiest life possible? Join the Alexandria Health Department on July 26, 6:30 - 8:15 p.m. at the Durant Rec Center (1605 Cameron Street) for a Community Health Meeting open to ALL Alexandria residents, including teens!
During this meeting, the Alexandria Health Department will introduce one method for gathering information to understand health in Alexandria. Attendees will learn how to develop a complete picture of health in their communities using qualitative and quantitative data and all will be invited to help build this picture by collecting key information on their smartphones. Light refreshments will be served and live translation will be provided in Spanish, Arabic, and Amharic.
Click here to RSVP to this event!
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Register for Youth Mental Health First Aid
There are still spots available for individuals interested in attending the Youth Mental Health First Aid Training on July 24 and 25 from 8:30am-1pm at 4480 King Street, Room 514.
Youth Mental Health First Aid is a two-half day training and certification on skills to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers and other caring residents how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. This training is not recommended for mental health professionals.
This course teaches risk factors, warning signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use disorders, the effects of the illnesses, an overview of treatments and a five-step action plan for helping.
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Interested in getting involved with SAPCA?
Click here to complete our membership form! |
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Contact Us:
Emma Beall, SAPCA Coordinator
Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria
123 N Pitt St, Suite 225
Alexandria, VA 22314
O: 703.746.3670
C: 571.302.1022
www.PreventItAlexandria.org
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