Youth Development Institute of the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion DHWP

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Youth Development Instituteof theDetroit
Department of Health and Wellness Promotion
(DHWP)
Presenter Yvonne E. Anthony, Ph.D., MBA,
MHA Manager, Office of Health Information,
Planning, Policy, Evaluation and Research
(HIPPER) Detroit Department of Health and
Wellness Promotion (DHWP)
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Partnership For a Drug Free DetroitThe
Partnership For a Drug Free Detroit is a
comprehensive coalition of stakeholders committed
to making Detroit a drug-free community. Its
purpose is to reduce substance abuse (alcohol,
tobacco and other drugs) in the city of Detroit.
The coalition comprise of community-based
organizations, businesses, parents, youth,
government, substance abuse prevention and
treatment providers, civic groups, faith-based
organizations and community activists.
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Committees of the Partnership For a Drug Free
Detroit

• Youth Development Institute (YDI)
• Advocacy Committee
• Faith-Based Initiative

• Recovery Committee
• Volunteer Committee
• Speakers Bureau

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The DHWP Youth Development Approach

• Encompasses a broad spectrum of programs
• Takes a holistic viewpoint of adolescents and is
  focused on assets building
• Has five desired outcomes competence,
  confidence, character, connections and
  contributions (engagement in the community).

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The DHWP Youth Development Model

• To sensitize youth about the negative effects
  of drugs through educational and
  awareness-building activities
• Uses group-based drug prevention interventions
  promoting protective factors and discouraging
  involvement in risky behaviors
• Provides individualized services to higher risk
  youth.

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The DHWP Youth Development Model

• To sensitize youth about the negative effects
  of drugs through educational and
  awareness-building activities. These
  interventions increase awareness about risk and
  protective factors associated with drug usage.
  Helps to identify high-risk youth.
• Examples Youth Advisory Teams
• Media Campaigns
• Prevention Walks
• Poster/Essay Contests

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The DHWP Youth Development Model

• Uses group-based prevention interventions. Youth
  participate in groups that meet on a regular
  basis. Groups provide a social support resource
  for learning and/or practicing behaviors that
  support the prevention of drug use. They support
  protective factors and discourage involvement in
  risky behaviors. Groups are facilitated through
  a structured curriculum.
• Examples Youth Ambassador Training Classes
• Monthly Partnership Meetings (Adults Youth)

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The DHWP Youth Development Model

• Provides individualized services to higher risk
  youth. Services are tailored to the individual
  and are provided in a small group format or
  through one-on-one interactions.
• Examples Mentoring Relationships
• Small Group Interactions (Internships)
• One-on-One Advocacy

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What is the Youth Development Institute (YDI)?

• A for and by youth organization
• Youth between 12-18 years
• Train youth to be Youth Ambassadors or Peer
  Mentors at their respective schools and
• Youth are trained to be leaders in the war
  against drugs.

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YDI Activities

• Youth members are invited to attend monthly
  meetings sponsored by the Partnership. Meetings
  are held every 4th Thursday of the month.

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More of YDI Activities

• Youth Advisory Council (YAC)
• Youth Ambassador Corps
• School-Based Drug-Free Clubs
• Substance Abuse Prevention Events
• Leadership Development
• Peer-Based Mentoring
• YDI Basketball Team
• Dance Step Team

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Youth Development Institute (YDI) Chapters

• YDI chapters consist of existing youth
  organizations that collectively work together in
  reducing substance abuse experimentation and drug
  use onset among youth.

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YDI Chapters

• Provide resources to other YDI Chapters.
• Participate in Partnership-sponsored events.
• Participate in training workshops for
  facilitators.

• Provide opportunities for youth to participate in
  more prevention-based activities.
• Plan a city-wide youth conference.

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Youth Advisory Council (YAC)

• The Youth Advisory Council is the governing body
  of the Youth Development Institute.

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Responsibilities of YAC

• Research current events, statistics, youth
  attitudes and behaviors.
• Propose ideas to help resolve problems.
• Plan meetings, events, and activities.
• Promote ideas for budgeting, fund raising, media
  publicity, and hosting events.
• Represent YDI Chapters.

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Youth Ambassadors

• Trained Peer Mentors to be leaders and role
  models for other youth.
• Graduates of an eleven-week substance abuse
  prevention program at the DHWP.
• Responsible for starting drug-free clubs within
  their schools.

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Parents for Youth Volunteer Corp (PYVC)

• Support staff
• Support youth
• Receive training on drug prevention
• through Guiding Good Choices program.

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Benefits of Becoming a YDI Member

• Free workshops and training.
• College application assistance.
• Paid internships.
• Opportunity to give back to the community.
• Meet new people.
• Opportunity to take a stand and speak out against
  drugs.

• Tons of drug-free fun.
• Can join the YDI S.T.E.P team.
• Learn self-defense.
• Can join the YDI basketball team.
• Go on fun filled trips and outings.
• Can join the Dance Troupe.
• Learn leadership skills.

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Building Self-Confidence
What lies behind us and what lies in front of us
are tiny matters compared to what lies within us-
Oliver Wendell Holmes, poet
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Setting Goals
Youth understand the importance of goal setting
and how to set short-term and long-term goals for
themselves.
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Positive Peer Pressure
Youth are able to identify the difference between
friendships that build them up or put them down.
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Diversity

Another key component of youth development is
helping youth to understand self-worth,
self-respect and appreciation of
differences. Youth attend the Charles H. Wright
Museum of African- American History.
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YDI Outcomes Summer 2007

• 60 new members were recruited this summer
• Youth were educated on the deadly effects of ATOD
  and equipped with the necessary skills to refuse
  drugs
• Youth completed HIV/Communicable Disease
  Training

• Youth were trained on how to make positive and
  healthy decisions
• Youth were trained on how to resolve problems or
  differences in a constructive way
• Youth identified strategies on how to run their
  own business through Junior Achievement Program.