Faith Sector Prevention
ELEVATE SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION
Renew or establish a strong position statement and policies against illicit drug use and underage alcohol and tobacco use.
Take a public stand and make your position about substance abuse prevention known.
Partner with T.R.Y. community-based, private and nonprofit organizations that has substance abuse prevention programs.
Collaborate with local seminaries, divinity schools and other religious institutions.
Encourage them to include youth substance abuse prevention and counseling in their curricula.
PUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION MESSAGES IN THE CONTEXT OF YOUR FAITH AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Incorporate substance abuse prevention messages into your sermon series, homilies, newsletters, media ministries, religious education and parenting classes, retreats, camps, and other youth and parent events.
Launch a local campaign to promote your faith community commitment to substance abuse prevention.
Develop or customize educational materials that put substance abuse prevention information in the context of your religious beliefs.
Select a day, a week or a month to celebrate your faith community commitment to substance abuse prevention.
HELP YOUTH SORT OUT THE MEANING IN MESSAGES
Incorporate media literacy lessons into religious education and youth programs, so that youth can understand the subtle and not-so-subtle messages conveyed in the popculture media of music, television and movies. Help youth become more critical consumers of media information.
Educate parents and others about the importance of helping kids analyze the media.
Include activities that promote critical awareness of the media.
LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SPREAD THE WORD
Develop partnerships with area faith- and community-based organizations as a way of coordinating training programs and sharing information and substance abuse prevention educational resources that have proven to be effective.
Let local media know about your initiatives.
Include special sections on your organizations website to promote youth and parenting outreach and substance abuse prevention programs.
Source: Adapted from Four Ways to Include Drug Prevention Programs in Your Religious Programs, published by The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. Compassmark
