Connecting Youth to Their Community

 One powerful way to steer youth toward healthy choices is to get them involved in community service. After seeing how an entire community can be affected by one tragic impaired-driving incident, it’s a great time to reinforce the value of community connection and responsibility. Volunteering locally – whether through a charity drive, neighborhood clean-up, or helping at a community event – gives teens a sense of purpose and belonging. It also fills idle summer hours with positive activities, reducing boredom (which can lead to risky behavior). Research shows that when schools, families, and communities actively engage young people, it serves as a protective factor that helps them avoid drug use and other problem behaviorspmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. By serving others, teens often develop empathy and leadership skills, strengthening their resolve to make good choices (they see firsthand the impact one person can have on many). Kristi Lance’s message highlighted how the community grieves together after a loss; through service, our youth can be part of a community working together to prevent such losses. In short, volunteering isn’t just altruistic – it’s a fun and constructive way for youth to build confidence, stay drug-free, and feel valued by their community.

Practical Tips for Parents:

  • Find Family Volunteer Opportunities: Look for local causes you can do as a family. For example, participate in a Lemhi County community clean-up day, help serve meals at a shelter or church event, or volunteer at the summer reading program at the Salmon library. Working side-by-side with your teen shows them you walk the talk on giving back.

  • Encourage Peer Involvement: Help your teen and their friends organize a small community project – like a car wash fundraiser for a cause, or a benefit in memory of victims of impaired driving. This channels their energy into something positive and raises awareness among peers. SSAPCO or the Salmon school might have service clubs (like SADD or Key Club) – encourage your teen to join.

  • Connect Service to Prevention: Take opportunities to subtly connect the dots: for instance, if your teen volunteers with younger kids or seniors, point out how staying substance-free allows them to be reliable and helpful to others. Emphasize that being a leader in the community (even in small ways) comes with the responsibility to make healthy choices, reinforcing the prevention message.

  • Celebrate Their Contributions: When your teen does community service, recognize it! Highlight the good they’ve done (“You helped make a difference today, I’m proud of you.”). Positive reinforcement makes them more likely to keep seeking out constructive activities rather than risky thrills.

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