Involving Families and Communities

The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention make the important point that children experience risk and protective factors across the domains of individual, family, peer, school and community. In other words, many of young people's "worlds" collide to pressure or protect them from tobacco, drugs, alcohol and other risks.

Several studies indicate that parents especially play an important role in prevention. Since children learn the vast majority of their social skills at home, it makes sense that the quality of relationships within the family influence whether children use tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs. Seek to involve families in Health Rocks! programming at every opportunity.

It's important that families and communities rally together to support life skills and decision-making development in their future citizens and leaders. Many activities in the curriculum contain a section called Homes and Communities that give you ideas for extending learning.

Two important resources are Mary Lee Wood's Community Action Guide and Barbara A. Lewis's The Kid's Guide to Social Action. Both contain excellent ideas and activities for involving communities and homes in the task of keeping youth healthy and substance free!

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