Studies have shown that active, engaged youth are less likely to participate in risky behaviors such as substance use. Now, one regional organization is digging into possible factors that could be keeping some young people from getting involved.
West Virginia Prevention Solutions is seeking public input to better understand barriers to youth engagement and why some young people turn to risky behaviors like using drugs and alcohol. The Clarksburg-based non-profit agency is distributing a survey that explores these topics across the 13 north central West Virginia counties that the organization serves.
They are asking parents and guardians of middle and high school aged students to complete the survey if they reside in Barbour, Braxton, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, or Upshur counties.
“Staying on top of these kinds of trends in the region is a major priority for us,” said Jonnie Kifer, project coordinator and community programs manager at West Virginia Prevention Solutions.
“We know that the counties we serve are quite diverse, ranging from cities like Morgantown and Fairmont all the way to the most rural parts of Tucker and Gilmer counties, and everywhere in between,” Kifer said. “It’s important for us to understand the unique challenges that parents and guardians are facing in all these places in trying to get their youth involved.”
Kifer pointed out that the online survey is short and only takes around five minutes to complete. It is being distributed digitally through various channels, including on the West Virginia Prevention Solutions’ Facebook page. Flyers with the website address and a QR code that takes people directly to the survey are also being distributed throughout the region. The survey is open to anyone raising middle and high school aged youth, including grandparent guardians, foster parents, and adoptive parents.
“We want as many eligible folks to take this survey as we can,” Kifer stressed. “The more we know about this issue, the better we’ll be able to match future programming and to direct resources to communities to help make a difference.”
“For us, youth involvement is an important piece in the puzzle of substance use prevention. That’s why we want to make sure that the work we do every day is informed by the lived experiences of the parents and guardians who are on the ground and see these issues firsthand. Filling out this survey is one simple way for those voices to be heard,” she added.
The survey is available on the West Virginia Prevention Solutions Facebook page. It can also be found at https://yourvoiceneeded.com/
