Words Can Work/HRiA Partnership: Drugs: True Stories and Alcohol: True Stories
At HRiA, we believe a positive youth development approach – that recognizes the strengths of young people and emphasizes peer leadership skills – is essential to capacity-building work. Young people who are engaged, active, and supported are key to creating healthy communities. With an opioid epidemic affecting families across the nation, engaging youth in prevention is critical.
In partnership with Words Can Work, HRiA delivers the Engaging Youth in Preventing Opioid Addiction training to help trusted adults become active prevention partners in their communities.
Words Can Work is known for its research-based curriculum and substance abuse prevention videos. HRiA is providing training on the most effective use of those videos – using a positive youth development approach.
Participants learn best practices for incorporating Words Can Work’s evidence-based DVDs, Drugs: True Stories and Alcohol: True Stories, hosted by Matt Damon, into programming. Both DVDs are included in SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. HRiA offers proven prevention strategies for engaging youth in substance abuse prevention activities, prevention programs and coalitions, and policy change. The training emphasizes active audience participation and practicing activities that teach youth about substance abuse, environmental strategies, and policy change.
