The brooklyn W.A.Y. Coalition for drug free communities - riseboro community partnership is proposing a project in tandem with the prevention-based coalition the brooklyn W.A.Y. To support community…

The brooklyn W.A.Y. Coalition for drug free communities - riseboro community partnership is proposing a project in tandem with the prevention-based coalition the brooklyn W.A.Y. To support community centered and informed substance use prevention and anti-violence coalition work in bed stuy, brownsville, east new york, and east flatbush. We will leverage existing coalition work to enhance and expand our efforts towards reducing substance use in youth and young adults while empowering participants through engaged programming, community outreach, and advocacy. The goal is to have significantly reduced prescription and opioid misuse and binge drinking among 16-24 year olds in brooklyn, with a specific focus on meaningfully addressing the root causes of substance misuse as they relate to the criminal legal system and community violence. We will measure our impact via pre and post participant surveys, coalition member focus groups, and establishment and use of community resources for information and engagement. We hope to engage with participants through leveraging partnerships with new and existing coalition members and community stakeholders to create and distribute peer-led educational materials to the wider community and provide workshops. Our aim is to increase awareness and knowledge about the risks and consequences of substance use for this demographic and engage our youth and young adults in advocacy and action to address the complex root causes of risk for use. We are going to continue our work of establishing a network of peer educators, ambassadors, and community support systems that can address these issues and empower young individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being both within the contracted period and beyond. By fostering a sustained culture of collaboration, transparency and education, the long-term outcome is to create a safer and healthier community where young people are empowered to make healthy choices for themselves.