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<br />Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law
<br />Enforcement Assistance Formula Grant Program
<br />The TARGET program will have two distinct categories. In the first group, the identified population
<br />for the TARGET troupe will be youth to serve as mentors. They will be identified by a multitude of
<br />high risk factors, including but not limited to: substance 1 tobacco abuse, violence, 1-111WAIDS, pregnancy,
<br />runaways, school dropout or repeat failure in school, repeat juvenile justice offenders, economically
<br />disadvantaged and parenting teen-agers. This mentorship program will continue to recruit 25.35 youth
<br />that are multi -cultural, between the ages of 13-18, male and female. The youth will be identified
<br />through schools, Parent Teacher Associations, juvenile detention facilities, court referrals, social services
<br />programs, churches, substance abuse programsltreatment centers and individuals. Only 10% of the
<br />youth identified as mentors will not meet the criteria of high-risk youth. The individuals will be student
<br />body leaders who will serve as ,peer role models for high risk youth. These student mentors will be
<br />recruited from focal community school and Parent Teacher Associations throughout Indian River County.
<br />The second identified group will be the target audience who will be at high-risk youth, 6 through 18
<br />years of age. We foresee that the TARGET mentors will perform at public schools, community centers,
<br />parks, recreation centers, BoyslGids Club and any other identified place that youth may gather. The
<br />projected audience will be approximately 1,000 high risk youth. This program will be available to all
<br />of Indian River County.
<br />The training for the participants will focus on interpersonal, intra -personal, and improvisational skills.
<br />The activities based on these skills will foster team building, brainstorming of problems, creation of
<br />realistic 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 tum,
<br />share these skills with audiences in their schools and communities. As the improvisation skits are
<br />developed and 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
<br />related to tobacco, alcohol, drug use, HIV infection, pregnancy, and violence prevention Issues.
<br />After the scene is performed, the TARGET troupe will lead a discussion that facilitates dialogue that
<br />increases problem identification, problem solving techniques, and Interpersonal skills. Audience
<br />participants will be asked to complete an abbreviated knowledge, attitude, practice and belief
<br />questionnaire (KAPB).
<br />The recognition of the risk factors affecting lifestyle behaviors and definitions of their effects in the
<br />targeted population will provide a basis for developing general themes for the program. This specific
<br />information conceming needs will to be Included in the intensive training. A knowledge, attitude,
<br />practice and belief survey (KAPB) will be administered to participating youth as a baseline and after
<br />program completion.
<br />Once trained, the TARGET troupe will plan and implement Improvisational scenes to be presented at a
<br />minimum of 15 performances during the grant year. An estimated 1,000 high risk youth will be
<br />impacted by performances. Finally these youth will provide "skits', peer teaching, peer counseling,
<br />and positive role models for youth ages 6-18.
<br />The PREVENT program is designed to engage and involve high risk youth from the community so
<br />they may gsfn the needed skills to serve as mentors to other possible high risk adolescents. The
<br />primary objection is empowerment. Not only will the youth from the community be empowered
<br />through this highly structured program, but this program has shown to build self-esteem, ethnic pride,
<br />enhance individual strengths, and most important help youth to abstain from negative peer pressures
<br />through prevention information.
<br />UNizing the Council's networks to target schools, PTAs, parents, community, churches, health and
<br />asuman service and media agencies to select youth that are at high risk ( have repeated failure in school or
<br />little 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
<br />other drugs and have friends who use tobacco, alcohol and other drugs) and exhibit other high risk
<br />behaviors.
<br />Despite juveniles' involvement's in adult behaviors and systems, juveniles are not adults and do not
<br />posses the same skills and decision making abilities as adults. Troubled juveniles are often connected
<br />to many different systems within our society, increasing) the risk that tack of coordination and advocacy
<br />Subgrard Apprcaton section 11- Page 6 of 16
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