HEART Coalition for a Drug Free Rochester
Led by Youth Voice One Vision and the Metro Council for Teen Potential, The HEART Coalition for a Drug Free Rochester works to reduce substance abuse among youth and families by raising awareness and by increasing the support youth need to make healthy choices. The HEART Coalition brings together a diverse group of community organizations, youth leaders, schools, parents, faith groups and business under the leadership of the City of Rochester.
The name HEART was chosen to reflect hopes for Rochester: Health, Excellence, Achievement, Responsibility and Truth. The HEART Coalition engages youth leaders in all aspects of its work. Representatives of YVOV participate in HEART and help analyze community needs, develop strategies, represent HEART in the community, and assess results. HEART's projects and initiatives include: Numbers Speak the Truth About City Youth Peer Educators Positive Tickets See the June HEART Calendar
Did you know that the majority of city youth are mature and motivated citizens that do good things for themselves and their community?
The City of Rochester Bureau of Recreation's Youth Voice One Vision program, in collaboration with the Metro Council for Teen Potential and several other community partners, have conducted research and outreach to show this truth about city youth. This Numbers Speak the Truth initiative is a component of the HEART Coalition for a Drug-Free Rochester.
See the 2012 Youth Risk Behavior Survey
See the youth produced Numbers Speak the Truth video
Check out the Numbers Speak the Truth posters below!
For more information, or for copies of the posters, call Brandi Remington at 585-428-9342, or email her.
HEART's Peer Educators initiative hires youth 14-20 to work up to 10 hours per week with fellow youth to help them make healthy choices, and establish and maintain healthy lifestyles.
Peer Educators Job Description
For every negative act someone is inspired to do a positive act.” -youth participating in Positive Tickets
Positive Tickets is a program to recognize those who do good deeds for their neighbors, neighborhoods, and for our city as a whole.
With all due respect to the quote above, we at the City know that there are many more positive than negative acts that occur in the City of Rochester.
Accentuating the Positive
In 2008, the Youth Voice, One Vision initiative of the City's Bureau of Recreation launched Positive Tickets. With city youth taking the lead, youth-adult teams organized to patrol select neighborhoods to catch residents doing something good. Some of these good deeds were small but important actions that would normally go unnoticed (for example, helping children cross a busy street, organizing a block party)! These individuals received Positive Tickets to thank them for their contribution to the community. These tickets include various discounts or free admissions, activities, or services for youth and families. Recipients are also honored during Youth Voice, One Vision’s Annual Salute to Youth awards ceremony. Since the campaign’s inception, Positive Tickets have been issued to over 250 youth and adults across Rochester.
Spreading the Positive
In Spring 2009, Youth Voice, One Vision began to reach out to other community agencies to start Positive Tickets in their own neighborhoods and communities. Youth Voice, One Vision also partnered with the Rochester-Monroe County Youth Bureau and the Community Asset Partner Network to start Positive Tickets in suburban neighborhoods and communities.
Learn more about Positive Tickets
Download the Positive Tickets Brochure
Check out the December 2011 Positive Tickets Newsletter
Contact
contact Brandi Remington at (585) 428-7371 or remingb@cityofrochester.gov