JTED graduates lead workshops for high schoolers through Circles of Peace
Nogales-based Youth Against Drugs & Alcohol (YADA) group, holding their
Project REAL Certificates of Completion.
Introduction
Throughout July, recent highschool graduates interning with SEAHEC hosted a variety of workshops for youth in Nogales through Project Responding to and Empowering Adolescents through Learning (a.k.a. Project R.E.A.L.). These workshops were designed to encourage youth to support their peers in the community, and to break the stigma surrounding the issue of substance misuse. The curriculum implemented in these workshops is called the The Youth Recovery Coach Curriculum, and it covers a variety of topics including: recovery coaching/peer support, leadership styles, active listening, relationship building, stigma surrounding Substance Use Disorder, drugs & their side effects, and Naloxone.
Why Youth Instructors?
Being taught by other youth allowed a greater connection to be made with the local Nogales-based Youth Against Drugs & Alcohol, YADA group. The JTED interns spent time with them after sessions playing basketball and volleyball; building a rapport with the group that may not have been so easily made with older instructors.
Two members of the YADA group, preparing
to present their Teach-Back activity to their families.
In addition, educational presentations were mixed with fun physical activities keeping the
group engaged and entertained throughout the 1-2 hour sessions. These activities were created by the JTED interns to make the workshops an enjoyable and memorable experience, so that the students would be more likely to apply the lessons to their own life and future. Andrea Vasquez, one of the JTED interns who lead the workshops, comments on her experience working on this project:
Two members of the YADA group,
demonstrating how to administer Naloxone.
“This is important for my professional development! It gave me the chance to experience and gain knowledge on why peer recovery/support was important to the community, and how we can teach it to other individuals,” she explained. “Peer to Peer works because it gives you a chance to share and respect other ideas or opinions from others.”
What is Circles of Peace?
Since 2004 Circles of Peace has been at the forefront of restorative justice programming inside the justice systems and in the Nogales community. Their mission is to offer treatment options that contribute to ending the cycle of abuse for individuals, families, and communities. Inside this group, there are many resources and support any individual can access.
What is JTED?
JTED is a public career and technical school district in Arizona. Their programs allow high school students to explore a vast variety of career paths, build their professional skills, and set themselves up for success in their chosen field. The workshop leaders in this project completed the Community Health/Direct Care Worker Program in May 2024.
When asked about her experience interning for SEAHEC through JTED, Sabrina Gutierrez answered:
JTED interns Andrea Vasquez and Rachael Dominguez,
opening the first session for Project REAL.
“I did the internship with SEAHEC because I knew it would be a great opportunity, and could open many doors for me and my future career. What I take away from this experience is the relationships I made, and the new people I have met that have been guiding me through this internship!”
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