ON ISLAND
The Martha's Vineyard Youth Task Force
Working to Help Keep Island Kids Safe
by Amelia Smith
The Martha’s Vineyard Youth Task Force (YTF) takes on teen substance abuse as a community issue. It’s not just a matter of individuals making bad choices. The YTF works to strengthen factors in the community which help teens make better, safer choices. The task force is, according to their website, “a cooperative integrated network of youth, parents, health practitioners, health and social service organizations, public officials, educators, law enforcement officers, and other community members.” Their success hinges on the relationships built through this broad-based coalition.
“The purpose is to create a safety net for the kids,” says Cindy Doyle, secretary of the steering committee and member of the Dukes County Health Council. The Health Council founded the YTF after studies in 2000 and 2002 showed that rates of teen substance abuse and other risky behaviors were higher here than off-island. Since then, the YTF has conducted regular surveys to find out what’s happening, what’s working, and what they can do next.
“The foundation, when we started our work, was called social norm marketing,” says Theresa Manning, Coalition Coordinator. “We promote the positive choices that kids are making, to counteract the perception that alcohol use is more widespread than it really is.” Since the task force was founded, alcohol use and drunk driving by island teens has declined significantly, and the surveys provide data which lets kids know that they won’t be alone in choosing not to indulge in alcohol and drugs.
“Our goal was to shift those unspoken standards,” says Mike Joyce, a retired school guidance counselor on the YTF’s steering committee. “We want to change the habit of thinking that everyone drinks, to get to a point where the majority says that no, you don’t have to drink.” Part of this is helping parents talk to each other through their children’s teen years. Communication among island parents is good through middle school, because they’ve known each other since their kids were in kindergarten together, but when kids go to the regional high school, that changes. Suddenly parents don’t know the parents of their kids’ peers as well, and there’s a risk of just letting the kids go at an age when they still benefit from parental guidance and oversight. The YTF helps facilitate communication among those parents through class dinners and the Safe Home project.
The coalition also works with restaurants, bars, liquor stores, and law enforcement to encourage practices which create a safer environment. They put stickers on alcohol in stores to remind adults of the penalties for providing alcohol to underage youth. On VTA buses, posters advertise an anonymous tip line, which alerts the task force about underage drinking parties. The police can then use those tips to help prevent illegal parties from getting off the ground, before anyone gets hurt. "We’re not out to get people arrested, we just want to keep kids safe,” says Mike.
The task force has made steady progress, but still face challenges. Marijuana is widely available and often seen as harmless, despite research showing its serious detrimental effects on developing brains. In the community at large, as well as among teens, abuse of prescription drugs is a small but growing problem. Despite publicity campaigns, most high school students say that alcohol remains easy to get. “Kids start working at a young age here, so they have a lot of their own income, which gives them a lot of access,” says Theresa. “They have independence, which is great, but it poses a risk.”
Creating a safe environment for youth is something that involves everyone, including parents, schools, law enforcement, businesses, and bus drivers. It’s about communication, accurate information, and supporting young people as they make better choices. Youth Task Force helps the island community work together, to give our youth the support they need to make safe choices.
For more information click on: mvyouthtaskforce.org
“The purpose is to create a safety net for the kids,” says Cindy Doyle, secretary of the steering committee and member of the Dukes County Health Council. The Health Council founded the YTF after studies in 2000 and 2002 showed that rates of teen substance abuse and other risky behaviors were higher here than off-island. Since then, the YTF has conducted regular surveys to find out what’s happening, what’s working, and what they can do next.
“The foundation, when we started our work, was called social norm marketing,” says Theresa Manning, Coalition Coordinator. “We promote the positive choices that kids are making, to counteract the perception that alcohol use is more widespread than it really is.” Since the task force was founded, alcohol use and drunk driving by island teens has declined significantly, and the surveys provide data which lets kids know that they won’t be alone in choosing not to indulge in alcohol and drugs.
“Our goal was to shift those unspoken standards,” says Mike Joyce, a retired school guidance counselor on the YTF’s steering committee. “We want to change the habit of thinking that everyone drinks, to get to a point where the majority says that no, you don’t have to drink.” Part of this is helping parents talk to each other through their children’s teen years. Communication among island parents is good through middle school, because they’ve known each other since their kids were in kindergarten together, but when kids go to the regional high school, that changes. Suddenly parents don’t know the parents of their kids’ peers as well, and there’s a risk of just letting the kids go at an age when they still benefit from parental guidance and oversight. The YTF helps facilitate communication among those parents through class dinners and the Safe Home project.
The coalition also works with restaurants, bars, liquor stores, and law enforcement to encourage practices which create a safer environment. They put stickers on alcohol in stores to remind adults of the penalties for providing alcohol to underage youth. On VTA buses, posters advertise an anonymous tip line, which alerts the task force about underage drinking parties. The police can then use those tips to help prevent illegal parties from getting off the ground, before anyone gets hurt. "We’re not out to get people arrested, we just want to keep kids safe,” says Mike.
The task force has made steady progress, but still face challenges. Marijuana is widely available and often seen as harmless, despite research showing its serious detrimental effects on developing brains. In the community at large, as well as among teens, abuse of prescription drugs is a small but growing problem. Despite publicity campaigns, most high school students say that alcohol remains easy to get. “Kids start working at a young age here, so they have a lot of their own income, which gives them a lot of access,” says Theresa. “They have independence, which is great, but it poses a risk.”
Creating a safe environment for youth is something that involves everyone, including parents, schools, law enforcement, businesses, and bus drivers. It’s about communication, accurate information, and supporting young people as they make better choices. Youth Task Force helps the island community work together, to give our youth the support they need to make safe choices.
For more information click on: mvyouthtaskforce.org