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SFY 2000 Drug Control and System Improvement Formula Grant Program
<br />Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Assistance
<br />local community school and Parent Teacher Associations throughout Indian River County.
<br />The second identified group will be the target audience who will be 100% at high-risk youth, 8 through 18
<br />years of age. We foresee that the TARGET mentors will perform at public schools, community centers,
<br />parks, recreation centers, Boys/Gids Club and any other identified place that youth may gather. The
<br />projected audience will be approximately 1,040 high risk youth. This program will be available to all of
<br />Indian River County.
<br />Despite juveniles' involvement's in adult behaviors and systems, juveniles are not adults and do not posses
<br />the same skills and decision making abilities as adults. Troubled juveniles are often connected to many
<br />different systems within our socieiy, increasing the risk that lack of coordination and advocacy will lead to
<br />failure for the adolescent. The personnel and volunteers committed to implementing the TARGET program
<br />are equipped with the special skills and knowledge that are necessary to effectively reach the community to
<br />ensure coordination of services on the behalf of these youlh.
<br />T.AR.G.E.T. is a tobacco, alcohol, drug, violence, pregnancy and HIV prevention program that involves:
<br />positive peer pressure and skill building
<br />peer teaching
<br />community prevention and information utilization of alternative skills (acting) to build
<br />resistance to drug abuse
<br />Utilizing the Council's networks to target schools, PTAs, parents, community, churches, health and human
<br />service and media agencies to select youth are at high risk ( have repeated failure in school or little
<br />commitment to school, do not have a supportive family environment, demonstrate alienation and
<br />rebelliousness, prone to sexual promiscuity, have a favorable attitude towards tobacco, alcohol and other
<br />drugs and have friends who use tobacco, alcohol and other drugs) and exhibit other high risk behaviors.
<br />The inclusion of the entire spectrum of individuals representing environmental Influences on the health
<br />behaviors of study participants (ie., school, family, church,mediaJ will serve the planning process by
<br />providing valuable suggestions from multi -relevant perspectives. It will serve as a pre -implementation
<br />community education process by providing forums and outlets for informing community opinion leaders
<br />about the problems of tobacco, alcohol, and other drug abuse.
<br />The recognition of the risk factors affecting lifestyle behaviors and definitions of their effects in the targeted
<br />population will provide a basis for developing general themes for the program. This specific information
<br />concerning needs will to be included in the intensive training. A knowledge, attitude, practice and belief
<br />survey (KAPB) will be administered to participating youth as a baseline and after program completion.
<br />The training for the participants will focus on interpersonal, intrapersonal, and improvisational skills. The
<br />activities based on these skills will foster team building„ brainstorming of problems, creation of realistic
<br />scenes around those problems, and preparation of scenes and presentations.
<br />Through the interaction, the youth will learn to become healthy, centered individuals and will in turn, share
<br />these skills with audiences in their schools and communities. As the improvisation skits are developed and
<br />performed by the troupe, cultural relevance is assured. Participants will also be
<br />trained to serve as peer trainers and leaders for the TARGET program. The troupe will present
<br />improvisational scenes to high risk youth audiences. The skits will represent realistic life situations related
<br />to tobacco, alcohol, drug use, HIV infection, pregnancy, and violence prevention issues. After the scene is
<br />performed, the TARGET troupe will leads a discussion that facilitates dialogue that increases problem
<br />identification, problem solving techniques, and interpersonal skills. Audience participants will be asked to
<br />complete an abbreviated knowledge, attitude, practice and belief questionnaire (KAPB).
<br />T.A.R.G.E.T. combines outreach and group support to reach economically disadvantaged youth. These
<br />youth are ages 13-18; who have repeated failure in school andlor little commitment to school: do not have a
<br />supportive environment; and whose lack of decision making skills may lead them to abuse tobacco, alcohol
<br />and other drugs. Once trained, the TARGET troupe will plan and Implement Improvisational scenes to be
<br />presented at a minimum of 15 performances during the grant year. An estimated 1,000 high risk youth will
<br />sutrgFeat Applfcabon sachan 0 - Paye 5 or 16
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