audioc

Who I'd like to meet:

.. Audio C is a brand new coalition whose goal is to protect our youth by standing against underage drinking in Cleveland and Bradley County. A recent survey showed that 70.2% of all 11th graders in Bradley County believe that underage drinking is a problem in our schools. Audio C was formed as a result of a training program enacted by the Bradley Initiative for Church and Community (BICC) and Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative. This training program is called Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) and its goal is to reduce adolescent (13-20 years old) access to alcohol by changing community policies and practices. Audio C has partnered with GRAAB (Going Respectfully Against Addictive Behaviors), our local anti-drug coalition, in an effort to unite forces and oppose the damaging and even deadly effects that drugs and alcohol have on our youth and our community. The Mission Statement of Audio C is “Changing our environment by educating Cleveland / Bradley County about the continuing problems of underage drinking and by helping reduce those problems through prevention, intervention, awareness and community resources”. One Objective is to increase awareness of the clear and present problems and health risks associated with underage drinking among students in Cleveland and Bradley County. Audio C is partnering with several local organizations in an effort to provide a support network for students and families facing the problems associated with underage drinking. Our hope is to reach parents and students, beginning in the middle schools, with the message that underage drinking can cause our students permanent damage physically, developmentally and emotionally. There is strength in numbers and we need all the support and participation we can muster to address these issues in our community. Partnering with our youth is crucial. The belief of Audio C is that an agenda should not be “pushed” on our youth. Rather we should engage them in the process. Audio C has embraced the idea of working with our youth rather than working for our youth. Audio C will work with students, school counselors, teachers, administrators and local mentoring programs to establish a support network for students who need help with these issues. Current partners includes: Behavioral Research Institute, Bradley County Coordinated School Health, Bradley County Juvenile Court, Bradley Initiative for Church and Community (BICC), Bradford Health Services, Bridging The Gap Mentoring (BTG), Cleveland Coordinated School Health, Cleveland First Church of the Nazarene, GRAAB, Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders Today (ITLT), Mount Olive East Church of God, Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS), Students Taking A Right Stand (STARS), Teen Learning Center and Youth Leadership Institute (YLI).