The Youth Committee is one of the oldest standing committees of RYASAP. Over the past twelve years, we have been involved with community service and drug prevention activities.

Every year, we design and implement our own projects. Some examples are:

The Cultural Exchange Project

Over 2,000 students have attended our "Cultural Exchange" workshops since 1991. These workshops are run by the Youth Committee to further understanding among the young people of our region. This project was cited in many publications, including The New York Times.

Youth Advocacy Project

In 1992, the Youth Committee hosted a debate for state legislative candidates. Two hundred young people attended and all the questions focused on youth issues. This project was funded, in part, by Drugs Don't Work.

Youth-Driven Regional Needs Assessment

The Youth Committee developed a Youth-driven Regional Needs Assessment in 1995. The survey data was used to guide the Youth Committee and other groups in developing new programs for young people. The needs assessment was sponsored by a grant from the Near and Far Aid Foundation.

Regional Substance Abuse Prevention Poster Contest

During the 1994-95 school year, the Youth Committee sponsored a regional substance abuse prevention poster contest for elementary school students. Youth Committee members organized the contest, judged the entries and awarded prizes at an awards banquet they hosted.

Public Service Announcements

The Youth Committee has developed several PSA's for both radio and television. The PSA's have focussed on drinking and driving, substance abuse prevention and many other topics.

IMPACT Peer Education Program

The first youth-written peer education program, called IMPACT, was established in 1995-96. The IMPACT Project was developed and chaired by Angelo Colon and Bulbul Gupta. Over 200 students at Trumbull's Hillcrest Middle School participated in the pilot program.

Many of these projects have been formally evaluated and compiled into manuals. If you would like more information on how to duplicate these programs or purchase a manual, send e-mail to Ebony Epps, RYASAP Youth Director