Youth in Action!

Throughout the nation, youth are heavily involved in civic-led change movements in their communities. Youth and young adults trained by CADCA are demonstrating that they can be the leaders of today and for the future in these vital endeavors. To support the leadership development of your youth, CADCA has developed two experiences to equip them with the essential knowledge and skills needed to make significant community-level change. If you're looking for interactive, singular workshops, take advantage of the Summit for Youth Leaders! If you and your youth want to be trained in community problem solving, the intensive National Youth Leadership Initiative is right for you. Each successfully trains youth to be catalysts for change so both are great choices!.

National Youth Leadership Initiative (NYLI)

CADCA’s NYLI is a component of the National Coalition Academy developed by the National Coalition Institute at CADCA. The NYLI helps coalitions build their capacity to foster youth leadership in the design, implementation and evaluation of action strategies addressing community problems. Participants must attend all NYLI sessions. In these sessions, youth and their identified advisors will learn how to help community coalitions be more effective in producing community change. This training builds the relationship between the youth leader and adult coalition coach by focusing on the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and its use in community problem solving to define the strategies that young people will carry out to address the problems and goals that the coalition is striving to effect. This highly acclaimed training teaches what is required to create and nurture the growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions.

REQUIREMENTS: To participate in NYLI, both youth and their adult advisors must attend ALL NYLI sessions throughout Forum week. Adults must attend with at least one youth and pay the adult registration rate. All youth must provide the consent form to CADCA by January 29 via e-mail or fax 703-705-0573.

Summit for Youth Leaders!

The Summit for Youth Leaders is energized with youth from across the county working to keep their communities safe, healthy, and drug-free! Youth and interested adults who chose to attend sessions in this track will have the opportunity to increase their skills and knowledge by listening to plenary speakers, attending interactive workshops and engaging in dialogues that elevate their awareness of issues facing today’s young people.

Video Voice Project

Participating youth will help create and produce a video with staff from CADCA and the Nashville Prevention Partnership that chronicles the dynamic ways that CADCA engages youth, including footage from both the Summit and NYLI, while incorporating the representation of youth voice through the presentation about what they've learned and how they plan to utilize this in their community. The final product will be aired during the Forum Awards Luncheon. This exciting project will serve as a tool for CADCA and community coalitions and will promote a model for getting young people involved in youth-led civic change.

NIDA LIVE Chat: Real Questions--Real Answers & Youth Meet-n-Greet

Monday, February 8  |  1:45pm - 5:15pm

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is bringing its hugely popular teen Chat Day to CADCA's Summit and NYLI. Adults attending the Forum are also welcome to attend this exciting, live chat-style event.

Part 1: The Nation's leading experts on the science of drug abuse and addiction answer your questions and bust commonly believed myths in this town-hall style conversation.

Part 2: CADCA youth brainstorm with NIDA scientists on how to bring this experience to teens around the country at community based events next fall.

Featuring NIDA Deputy Director, Timothy P. Condon, Ph.D., and other NIDA Scientists, Lucinda Miner, Ph.D., Aria Crump, Sc.D., and Ruben Baler, Ph.D.

Special Guest: TJohnE Productions, Inc.
TJohnE Productions, Inc. is a national award winning entertainment and educational production and booking agency. The TJohnE Team will use their highly interactive game show style format, ThinkFast Interactive, and their vast experience in entertainment production to help deliver the message of healthy living without the use of illegal or legal substances to teens. TJohnE Production Team: Tim John, President, TJohnE Productions, Inc.; Jason Luong & David Meyers, Thinkfast Hosts

Questions?

Please contact Nancy Roy at nroy@cadca.org or 1-800-54-CADCA or 703-706-0560 ext. 225.