Union County Community Prevention Alliance Workgroup
Bringing together community partners with the common goal of reducing substance use among youth in Union County.
What we do:
- Work in schools to better understand youth risk perceptions, usage, and access to drugs and alcohol (surveys and focus groups)
- Mentorship Progam to provide a caring adult role model to a student that could use a friend
- Provide adventure programing to students
Messaging/Education
- Community outreach and messaging (billboards, radio PSAs, and social media)
- Provide information to educate caregivers and students on the effects of substance use (brochures, flyers, social media)
Youth Involvement
- Community Environmental Scans (going to local businesses to see how they market tobacco and alcohol to youth)
- SADD Club Partnership at Union County Middle and High School
- Other events to engage students in prevention messaging (art competition, youth poster designs, sticker shock campaigns)
Community Collaboration
- Coalition meetings that incorporate community stakeholders and influencers
- Community Outreach (distributing good, necessities, and finding out what other needs the community members and our youth might have)
- Resource Fairs and Speaking events that provide insight to substance situations in our community
- Department of Education, youth supplemental, pre-post program, caregiver, and volunteer surveys conducted to ensure accurate messages are communicated and youth needs are met
What you can do:
Bring new ideas and implementation strategies to our diverse group of coalition members
Help with community outreach (provide ideas for other ways to assist with our community needs)
Engage in a focus group with the Program Coordinator and students
Share community education idea (PSAs, Billboards)
Be a MENTOR!
Attend Coalition Meetings (every other month)
Help establish engagement ideas for parents and students regarding anti-drug or alcohol initiatives
"Guiding Light"
Mentor Spotlight
Marcie and Larry Culpepper
Seeing kids respond to love and attention is rewarding to us. Realizing that many children do not have stability in their lives, we can be a constant source for them. Kids can rely on us as a mentor to be with them and love them on a regular basis and to give them encouragement and guidance when problems arise. Marcie and I work as a couple, and we hope that seeing us team together, share together and laugh together to accomplish a task will have meaning for our boys. Whether we all work together, building with Lego's, playing ball or cleaning up our space in the library we do it together with kindness and repsect for each other. We encourage them to respect each other, praise each other, listen and learn from each other and sometimes, apologizing to each other. We hope to give them confidence to dream big while accepting responsibility and to be kind to others along the way.
"Work hard, have fun, but never at the expense of others!"
"Never let anyone chop your tree down to make their bush look bigger."
"Bright Light"
Community Member Spotlight
Susan Stahlcup
I accepted the job as Athletic Director because I love sports and love my county. This job allows me to directly impact the lives of community members by promoting physical activity, fostering sportsmanship, and providing accessible athletic opportunities for people of all ages. What nobody prepares you for in this job is the love you grow to have for the kids, athletes or not, they have become my own. Each one of these kids has a story and as they age out and spread their wings, I truly hope they take with them something we have poured into them at the UC Rec Department.
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Substance Abuse Program Coordinator
Dawn Sharp
Phone: 706-835-4351
Email: dsharp@ucschools.org
Union County Family Connection
Katy Jones
Phone: 706-835-4351
Email: kjones@ucschools.org