Community Living Above

COMMUNITY OUTREACH, INITIATIVES, AND COLLABORATION, 2021 COMMUNITY LIVING ABOVE'S (CLA) MAIN INITIATIVE IS THE STUDENT-LED VOLUNTEER GROUP, THE TEEN ADVISORY BOARD ("TAB"), AT WEST LINN HIGH SCHOOL IN OREGON. COORDINATED BY CLA THE TAB GROUP IS A STUDENT-LED GROUP CHANGING THE SOCIAL NORMS OF HOW WE SEE AND SPEAK OF SUBSTANCE USE AND MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. STUDENTS OF EACH GRADE LEVEL AT WEST LINN HS COMPRISE THE TEEN ADVISORY BOARD. TAB STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOR PEERS AND LEARN ABOUT RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT MAKE THEM VULNERABLE TO, OR RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF, POTENTIAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES (SUBSTANCE USE CONCERNS). STUDENTS ALSO LEARN ABOUT RESOURCES AND WAYS TO FIND SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHOSE LIVES ARE AFFECTED BY DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND OTHER NEGATIVE INFLUENCES. THE 75+ TAB STUDENTS MET MONTHLY THROUGH 2021, MOSTLY VIRTUALLY. THE GROUP MAINTAINED A SUCCESSFUL LINEUP OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, TOWN HALLS FOCUSED ON LOCAL CONCERNS AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. TOPICS INCLUDED LIVED EXPERIENCE, SCIENCE-BASED RESEARCH LOOKING AT HEALTHY CHOICES, POSITIVE DECISION-MAKING, STRESS MANAGEMENT, SELF-CARE, AND EMPOWERMENT OF THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. THIS YEAR WAS THE SECOND YEAR WHERE MOST ACTIVITIES WERE ONLINE, AND STUDENTS CONTINUED TO GET CREATIVE BY MAINTAINING AND COMMUNICATING THROUGH GOOGLE CLASSROOMS. WE CONTINUED OUR FOCUS ON SELF-CARE AND ADVOCACY AROUND MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS RELATED TO COVID. STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN NATIONAL EVENTS, INCLUDING NATIONAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL FACT WEEK, SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION EVENTS, AND HERREN PROJECT CLUBS. THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE THE HERREN CLUB, STUDENTS CAN INTERACT WITH STUDENTS FROM OTHER STATES, AND WE LOOKED AT THE NEURO WHERE ABOUT PREVENTION CURRICULUM (BRIAN ABOUT) TO BRING TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE CONTINUED SHARING OUR RECORDED STUDENT MEETINGS WITH WELLNESS CLASSES AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND WITH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS. WITH THE SECOND YEAR OF MEETINGS BEING PREDOMINANTLY ONLINE, IT HAS CONTINUED TO ALLOW US TO REACH A VASTER AUDIENCE. THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT ALSO ALLOWED MORE INTERACTION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN CLA AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, CIVIC GROUPS, AND STATE AGENCIES. THESE COLLABORATIONS ALLOWED CLA TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT WORK AND SUPPORT GROUPS FOR PARENTS/ADULTS. WITH THE CONTINUED VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS, PARENTS/ADULTS COULD CONNECT WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS FOR THE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTIONS OF YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. OVERALL, THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS ALLOWED CLA TO HOST AND PARTICIPATE IN NEW EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THAT OPENED NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, OUR YOUTH, AND THE ADULTS/PARENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.