How to Build a BABES Community
Building a BABES Community is a community-based, comprehensive, primary prevention program designed to prevent substance abuse among youth by engaging the support of all segments of the community. It Is community-based in that, by design, residents of the entire community ate involved In defining the problem, prioritizing the goals and objectives of the project, learning various prevention options, strategies and resources, prioritizing the program content and reviewing the actual results. It Is comprehensive in that the impact is experienced not only by youth, but also nurtured by Individuals and institutions that directly influence or affect youth such as parents; teachers, schools, churches and the juvenile justice system. A Community Action Plan worksheet is available to assist groups. It calls for these steps:
- Develop a Community Action Plan including identifying funding sources.
- Conduct a Community Awareness Campaign Involving various community segments
- Brief educators, police, parents and others in a Prevention Education Training.
- Implement BABES In the P-12 Curriculum In schools.
- Implement Positive Parenting Training.
- Provide BABESTART in treatment setting and BABES KIDS in alternative sites.
- Implement the Community Modules:
- BABES Alive! is an awareness-stimulating sing-along musical with life-size dancing BABES characters.
- BABES in Government offers guidelines for support by various units and agencies of government.
- BABES in Business shows businesses how to participate in building a BABES Community.
- BABES In the Church provides suggestions and guidelines for church group involvement.
- BABES In Social Agencies demonstrates the various ways the mutual efforts of agencies can produce the desired drug-free community.
- BABES In the Media emphasizes the importance of media in creating a BABES Community and how media can help make BABES in the Community a success.
