- The YAC is a diverse group of students age 12 to 18 that represent both the Athol Royalston School District and the Ralph C. Mahar School District.
- The YAC was created under the Drug Free Communities Program, which is a project of the North Quabbin Community Coalition (NQCC).
- The YAC is a youth led group, with a focus on prevention and delaying the age of first substance use.
- Some of the projects/campaigns that the youth have focused on include:
- Partnering with a local school district to host a drawing contest focusing on Prevention Messaging. There was a first, second, and third place prize, judged by our YAC members.
- Partnering with local providers to participate in a sticker shock campaign. Youth go into local liquor stores and place stickers on the bags stating that it is illegal to buy or sell to anyone under the age of 21.
- Creating a Youth Mapping Project where youth members interviewed and gathered information from local agencies in the North Quabbin area to create a resource link for teens who live in the community. Youth tend to feel that there is not much to do and this helps give teens ideas of activities that are available.
- Participating in annual River Rat Race activities by carrying prevention messages that they had created in the River Rat Parade. There were also members who ran in the 5K road race.
- Volunteering to help with various NQCC events including Family Fun Day, Munch and Move, National Night Out, and the Thanksgiving Meal Delivery program, along with others.
- Participating in the Haunted Hayride fundraiser at Silver Lake. This created an opportunity for youth to connect, have fun, and be a part of the community.
- Partnering with a local school district to host a drawing contest focusing on Prevention Messaging. There was a first, second, and third place prize, judged by our YAC members.
- YAC members attended the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) Forum in Washington D.C. They were able to attend trainings, which created an opportunity to learn about prevention initiatives that they can apply to our community.
- The Youth Action Council gives youth the opportunity to build their resume and develop leadership skills, promote and educate a healthy lifestyle, reduce stress for themselves and peers, while making a difference in our community.
If you would like to nominate a student age 12 to 18 to participate in the Youth Action Council, you can submit a a Youth Nomination Form. For questions, contact Sarah Collins, Drug Free Communities Coordinator at 978-249-3703 or at sarah@nqcc.org.
Click here for YAC’s Youth Mapping.
Meeting Dates:
2022: August 8, September 12, November 14, December 12
2023: January 9, February 13, March 13, April 10, May 8, June 12
