(Recruitment and Educational Assistance for Careers in Health)

Service Learning Projects2008 - 2010

I can say N I can say N

CAN YOU?CAN YOU? 2008-09 Project2008-09 Project

Massachusetts Youth Against Massachusetts Youth Against TobaccoTobacco

Taking Back Our CommunitiesTaking Back Our Communities

Project SummaryProject Summary

REACH youth and PVAHEC staff worked together to write a REACH youth and PVAHEC staff worked together to write a mini-grant proposalmini-grant proposal

The main focus of the project was to gain an understanding The main focus of the project was to gain an understanding of the perceptions held by Springfield teens of color towards of the perceptions held by Springfield teens of color towards tobacco advertising, target marketing and the use of tobacco.tobacco advertising, target marketing and the use of tobacco.

The REACH youth developed a survey which they used to The REACH youth developed a survey which they used to collect data for use in a presentation to community collect data for use in a presentation to community stakeholdersstakeholders

The REACH youth created a multi-faceted presentation The REACH youth created a multi-faceted presentation incorporating artistic elements with dataincorporating artistic elements with data

About the Survey:About the Survey:Youth who took the survey were residents of Springfield Youth who took the survey were residents of Springfield between the ages of 13-18.between the ages of 13-18.

The survey was created by the REACH after school program The survey was created by the REACH after school program participants.participants.

The survey was created to help us learn what Springfield The survey was created to help us learn what Springfield youth of color think about tobacco ad’s, smoking & chewing youth of color think about tobacco ad’s, smoking & chewing tobacco.tobacco.

Tobacco in the survey referred to cigarettes, chewing Tobacco in the survey referred to cigarettes, chewing tobacco and cigars.tobacco and cigars.

The survey was completely confidential and names were not The survey was completely confidential and names were not associated with the answers.associated with the answers.

Observations made based on their Observations made based on their survey datasurvey data

Most of the youth surveyed claimed that they were not Most of the youth surveyed claimed that they were not currently smokers and did not plan to start smoking in currently smokers and did not plan to start smoking in the futurethe future

On average they had very few friends that used tobacco On average they had very few friends that used tobacco products products

Yet most of the youth surveyed believed more than half Yet most of the youth surveyed believed more than half of the youth in the state were smokersof the youth in the state were smokers

The REACH youth believed that the difference of youth The REACH youth believed that the difference of youth perception to the reality (that less 16% of youth in MA perception to the reality (that less 16% of youth in MA smoke) was in part related to the billions of dollars a year smoke) was in part related to the billions of dollars a year that tobacco companies spend on advertising.that tobacco companies spend on advertising.

Research & Creating the SurveysResearch & Creating the Surveys

Practicing Collecting Surveys Practicing Collecting Surveys and Surveying and Surveying

Putting it all together for a Putting it all together for a PresentationPresentation

Stepping it up Stepping it up (Tobacco 101 with Dance)(Tobacco 101 with Dance)

Promoting the EventPromoting the Event(Local radio & print media – flyers and email blasts)(Local radio & print media – flyers and email blasts)

The Presentation at City HallThe Presentation at City Hall

The Presentation at City Hall The Presentation at City Hall (REACH youth with Mayor Sarno)(REACH youth with Mayor Sarno)

I can say N I can say N

CAN YOU?CAN YOU? 2009-10 Project2009-10 Project84 Movement84 Movement

Taking Back Our CommunitiesTaking Back Our Communities

Project SummaryProject Summary

REACH youth and PVAHEC staff worked together to the REACH youth and PVAHEC staff worked together to the write the mini-grant proposalwrite the mini-grant proposal

The main focus of the project was to conduct community The main focus of the project was to conduct community surveys of the retail advertising and availability of “other surveys of the retail advertising and availability of “other tobacco products”tobacco products”

Other Tobacco Products, or OTP’s are tobacco products Other Tobacco Products, or OTP’s are tobacco products other than cigarettes. Big Tobacco has introduced a rash other than cigarettes. Big Tobacco has introduced a rash of new products over the past decade, often in flavors of new products over the past decade, often in flavors that attract youth and younger children that attract youth and younger children

Project SummaryProject Summary

The REACH youth surveyed over 40 tobacco retail The REACH youth surveyed over 40 tobacco retail stores in their communitystores in their community

The REACH youth then took the data from the surveys The REACH youth then took the data from the surveys and held 3 presentations of the results to stakeholders – and held 3 presentations of the results to stakeholders – most notably on Kick Butts Day at the Statehouse in most notably on Kick Butts Day at the Statehouse in Boston with over 200 other youth from around the stateBoston with over 200 other youth from around the state

Our youth shared their information with legislators – Our youth shared their information with legislators – visiting the offices of our local State Representatives, visiting the offices of our local State Representatives, State Senators and Governor Deval PatrickState Senators and Governor Deval Patrick

Collecting the SurveysCollecting the Surveys

Sharing Information with the Sharing Information with the CommunityCommunity

Kick Butts DayKick Butts DayThe March & The PresentationThe March & The Presentation

On the Grand Staircase and with On the Grand Staircase and with Legislators at the main eventLegislators at the main event

Speaking to the MediaSpeaking to the Media

Making HeadlinesMaking Headlines

Building on the ResearchBuilding on the Research

The results from the surveys the last two years had The results from the surveys the last two years had shown us that the most widely used tobacco products in shown us that the most widely used tobacco products in Springfield by youth were Blunt Cigars, Tip Cigars and Springfield by youth were Blunt Cigars, Tip Cigars and CigarillosCigarillos

These products were available at 95% of the stores we These products were available at 95% of the stores we surveyed (over 80% of the time with flavored options) surveyed (over 80% of the time with flavored options) and advertised frequently on their storefrontsand advertised frequently on their storefronts

These products are very cheap all ranging from $0.75 to These products are very cheap all ranging from $0.75 to $1.50$1.50

With this information in mind we as a movement came With this information in mind we as a movement came up with our next steps for this upcoming yearup with our next steps for this upcoming year

Service Learning Project 2010-11Service Learning Project 2010-11Expected DeliverablesExpected Deliverables

We will go out into the community and conduct We will go out into the community and conduct community surveys on Other Tobacco Products by community surveys on Other Tobacco Products by the middle of December 2010the middle of December 2010

We will ask youth and adults about their opinions We will ask youth and adults about their opinions around the pricing and packaging of around the pricing and packaging of blunt cigars, blunt cigars, tip cigars tip cigars and and cigarilloscigarillos. .

– We will record their answers to the survey We will record their answers to the survey questions on a form provided to us by the 84 questions on a form provided to us by the 84 MovementMovement

We will then send in the completed surveys to the We will then send in the completed surveys to the 84 Movement and they will compile the data and 84 Movement and they will compile the data and give us the resultsgive us the results

Resolution PresentationsResolution PresentationsExpected Deliverables (continued)Expected Deliverables (continued)

With the survey data we will create a presentationWith the survey data we will create a presentationWe will make TWO presentations of the survey We will make TWO presentations of the survey results to stakeholdersresults to stakeholders

One will be with the Public Health Council One will be with the Public Health Council and the other to the City Council and the other to the City Council

We will also make a presentation of the survey We will also make a presentation of the survey results at the Kick Butts Day event at the results at the Kick Butts Day event at the Statehouse in Boston in MarchStatehouse in Boston in March

We will also meet with state legislators to We will also meet with state legislators to inform him/her of our efforts while at the inform him/her of our efforts while at the Statehouse on Kick Butts DayStatehouse on Kick Butts Day