Idaho Drug-Free Youth Inc

IDAHO DRUG FREE YOUTH'S MISSION IS TO EMPOWER YOUTH TO LEAD HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIVES.

IDAHO YOUTH SUMMIT: IN JUNE 2017, 221 PARTICIPANTS ATTENDED THE IDAHO YOUTH SUMMIT IN COEUR D'ALENE. THE SUPPORT OF SPONSORS AND OVER 60 VOLUNTEERS MADE THIS FOUR-DAY PREVENTION-FOCUSED CONFERENCE POSSIBLE. THERE ARE FIVE BASIC ELEMENTS THAT MAKE UP THE CONFERENCE FORMAT. FIRST ARE PRESENTATIONS ON RELEVANT TOPICS INCLUDING BREAK-OUT SESSIONS TAUGHT BY EXPERTS AND KEYNOTE ADDRESSES BY NATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED SPEAKERS. SECOND ARE EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES WHERE PARTICIPANTS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN BY DOING WHICH SPARKS THEIR INTEREST AND GENERATES MOTIVATION TO SELF-DISCOVER. THIRD ARE INFORMAL NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE IDEAS, HAVE FUN WITHOUT DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. FOURTH, TRAINING SESSIONS TEACH PARTICIPANTS STRATEGIES AND METHODS TO IMPLEMENT PRODUCTIVE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. LASTLY, GUIDED SMALL GROUP SHARING SESSIONS ALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE WITH OTHERS IN WAYS THAT ENCOURAGE TALKING, QUESTIONING, OR STIMULATING CONVERSATION WHICH HELP THE REFLECTIVE PROCESS BY PLACING THE LEARNER IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH SELF-REVELATION CAN TAKE PLACE.

IDAHO DRUG FREE YOUTH ("IDFY") FULFILLS ITS MISSION THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS GUIDED BY ITS FOUR CORE VALUES:EMPOWERMENT - TO FULFILL THE NEED FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO DISCOVER THEIR FULL POTENTIAL THROUGH MEANINGFUL LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO CREATE POWERFUL CHANGE IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.FUN - TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN POSITIVE, COMMUNITY-BUILDING EVENTS AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES THAT STRENGTHEN CHARACTER AND INSPIRE INGENUITY.KNOWLEDGE - TO EDUCATE YOUTH, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE RISKS OF USING DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO.SUPPORT - TO BUILD A STATEWIDE COMMUNITY OF YOUTH AND ADULTS WHO PROMOTE A DRUG FREE WAY OF LIFE FOR ALL STUDENTS BY ENCOURAGING POSITIVE PEER INFLUENCE AND RECOGNIZING THOSE WHO ARE MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES.

IDFY CHAPTER PROGRAM: IDAHO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS ARE ELIGIBLE TO CONTRACT WITH IDFY TO IMPLEMENT A CHAPTER PROGRAM. SCHOOL STAFF SERVE AS ADVISORS TO OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO APPLY TO BECOME MEMBERS. YOUTH WHO CHOOSE TO JOIN AN IDFY CHAPTER VOLUNTARILY TAKE A DRUG TEST AS A WAY TO OUTWARDLY SHOW THEIR COMMITMENT TO BE AND STAY DRUG, ALCOHOL, AND TOBACCO FREE. THIS COMMITMENT IS MAINTAINED THROUGH THEIR AGREEENT TO RANDOM DRUG SCREENING THROUGHOUT THEIR JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. AS OF JULY 2017, THERE WERE OVER 1,800 STUDENT MEMBERS FROM 26 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTERS ACROSS IDAHO.