ENGAGING COMMUNITIES IN ADVOCACY AND POLICY
individuals. families. communities
Our advocacy and social change activities aim to create long-term, systemic change in the systems and structures that negatively impact the health of young people and families. These advocacy projects are all youth and community-driven organizing efforts.
MONUMENT YOUTH DRUG AND COALITION
MYDAC's mission is to reduce youth alcohol and other drug use in the Monument Community through community education and engagement, policy change, and advocacy
DISCOVERING THE REALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY
DROC is a youth-activated, youth-focused alcohol and other drugs prevention program offered at several high schools in West Contra Costa and other East Bay communities. Using an environmental prevention and equity lens, DROC youth engage in projects surrounding substance misuse issues they see in their community.
WEST CONTRA COSTA ALCOHOL POLICY COALITION
The West Contra Costa Alcohol Policy Coalition's mission is to reduce youth alcohol and cannabis use in West Contra Costa County through education and engagement, policy change and advocacy.
ALCOHOL, CANNABIS, AND
PRESCRIPTION DRUG COALITION
Reducing underage substance use through prevention education, awareness, training, policy, and enforcement by building a collaborative, respectful coalition to:
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Reduce alcohol, marijuana, prescription drug, and opiate use
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Limit sales of youth-oriented alcohol and/or single-serve cans
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Form youth and adult partnerships
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Use community education to further the work of environmental prevention strategies
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Build youth leadership
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Promote culturally competent and inclusive communities
TOBACCO & VAPING
BACR’s services boost awareness and help individuals quit smoking/vaping. Core services include education, advocacy, and cessation (quitting) support. These services are offered in Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Joaquin, and Solano counties in partnership with schools, community-based organizations, and public health agencies.
YOUTH EDUCATOR - NORTH BAY
SAYRA SORIANO | MESSAGE SAYRA
PROGRAM DIRECTOR - EAST BAY
ALISON WOHLGEMUTH | MESSAGE ALISON
TOBACCO USE PREVENTION
AND ADVOCACY
There are a number of tobacco prevention programs including the YTAPP, YPL, API-CHAT, and SMOOTH that mobilize youth leaders to address tobacco-related health disparity issues in their communities. These programs serve cities and counties throughout the Bay Area and the Central Valley. Using a community participatory action research model youth leader the work fighting targeted tobacco marketing efforts, promoting smoke-free mutli-unit housing, advocating for tobacco retail licenses, and addressing smokefree outdoor air.
The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) stimulates positive community change by promoting awareness, education, and legislative action regarding substance use and misuse.
ADULT
CESSATION
BACR provides four adult tobacco cessation services:
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We assist agencies and clinics in developing systems for screening, advising, and treating clients/patients and staff members who use tobacco;
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We provide tobacco education and referral resources for community groups;
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We conduct customized off-site tobacco cessation/reduction groups at various community locations; and
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We provide training and ongoing support for peer cessation groups and peer participation in healthy activities, speaking engagements, and webinars/conferences.
YOUTH EDUCATOR
SAYRA SORIANO | MESSAGE SAYRA
Personal health and wellness are integral components of BACR’s mission. One way we address these components is through promoting healthy eating and active living. At many of our school and community programs, we offer a range of activities for students, with some offerings for families as well. Activities include cooking and nutrition classes, physical fitness, sports, and recreation activities, mindfulness exercises, parent education classes, school-wide health and wellness promotions, and health screenings and referrals. We also facilitate student-led advocacy and public education efforts aimed at helping people make better decisions about their nutrition and overall well-being. By adding these components to our existing counseling services and support services, our school programs align with the Whole School Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model, the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) framework for addressing health in schools.
NUTRITION
Almost all of our school programs offer a rich menu of activities to promote nutrition, such as cooking and nutrition education classes. Many schools also conduct school-wide healthy eating promotions such as fruit and vegetable distribution programs and a “Rethink Your Drink” and “Healthy Snack” campaign. In the community, our First 5 Centers provide nutrition classes for parents and caregivers, and our youth-led advocacy programs include the Urban Nutrition Initiative and Healthy Options at Point of Sale projects.
URBAN NUTRITION INITIATIVE
The Urban Nutrition Initiative (UNI) is a youth leadership program that empowers high school students in Richmond elementary schools to address issues of poor nutrition among young people, such as promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Youth-driven strategies include gathering local data, providing peer education, and changing media messaging to inform and advance the Smarter Lunchroom movement.
RICHMOND, BERKELEY AND OAKLAND HEALTHY CHECKOUT
BACR’s Healthy Options at Point of Sale is a community advocacy and research project that aims to remove high-sugar, high-sodium foods and beverages from checkout aisles in large stores in Richmond, Berkeley, and Oakland. Students carry out strategies such as gathering store data, conducting focus groups and interviews with community members and retailers, educating the public, and advocating for policies to reduce unhealthy food and drink from checkout.
GET INVOLVED - VOLUNTEER or JOIN OUR TEAM
