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Youth Development

The Youth Development Office has a team of dedicated staff that deliver programs, training and resources to students, staff, families and the community in the areas of tobacco, alcohol and other drug use prevention and intervention; pregnant and parenting teen services; LGBTQIA+ programs; bullying and violence prevention; suicide prevention and Youth Mental Health First Aid training.
 
 

What is Youth Development?

Youth development is an approach to working with young people that intentionally helps youth meet developmental needs, builds their capacity and provides relationships and connections needed for their success. The youth development approach is based on over 40 years of research in the youth and child development, asset development and resiliency fields.
 
  • Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE)
  • Bullying Prevention Program
  • Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR)
  • Care Pairs
  • Bullying Prevention Workshops
  • Bullying Prevention Resources
  • Training for Staff, Parent and Students
  • LGBTQIA+ Programs and Services 
Youth Development Office Logo
 
Chelsie Vasquez – Project Implementor (Rio Cazadero High School)
 
Phone: (916) 686-7568
Fax: (916) 686-7596
 
Mailing Address:
Student Support and Health Services
Youth Development Office
Elk Grove Unified School District
9510 Elk Grove Florin Road
Elk Grove, CA  95624

Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE)

The Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) Program provides funding for programs in grades six through twelve through a competitive grant process for tobacco-specific student instruction, reinforcement activities, special events, and intervention and cessation programs for students. The purpose of the TUPE program is to reduce youth tobacco use by helping young people make healthful tobacco-related decisions through tobacco-specific, research-validated educational instruction and activities that build knowledge as well as social skills and youth development assets. Collaboration with community-based tobacco control programs is an integral part of program planning. The Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program is funded by Proposition 99 and Proposition 56 Tobacco Tax funds.
 
The following programs and strategies are implemented through the EGUSD TUPE program. For more information on the TUPE program please contact the Youth Development Office at (916) 686-7568.
 
Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit
The Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit is a theory-based and evidence-informed educational program created by educators and researchers at Stanford Medicine. The Toolkit is aimed at preventing student use of tobacco and nicotine products. The Toolkit will be implemented in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades. TUPE staff provides all curriculum materials and training for teachers implementing the Toolkit.
 
The goals of the Toolkit are for students to:
  • Understand basic information about tobacco products, including e-cigarettes/vape pens, and the harm they cause
  • Gain awareness of strategies manufacturers of tobacco, including e-cigarettes/vape pens, employ to increase use among adolescents through deceptive and creative marketing strategies
  • Gain skills to refuse experimentation and use of tobacco
 
For more information on the Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit visit their website: https://med.stanford.edu/tobaccopreventiontoolkit.html
 
Project SUCCESS (Schools Using Coordinated Community Efforts to Strengthen Students)
Project SUCCESS, is a highly effective, school-based substance abuse prevention and early intervention program. Project SUCCESS works to prevent and reduce adolescent substance use and abuse.
 
TUPE Project Implementors at each of EGUSD’s three Continuation High Schools, Calvine, Rio Cazadero and William Daylor, support the implementation of Project SUCCESS. TUPE staff conduct classroom lessons on tobacco and other drug use prevention; facilitate support groups for students using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; make referrals to community agencies; and implement a variety of other outreach activities on campus to promote substance use prevention and intervention services.
 
For more information on Project SUCCESS please visit their website: http://www.sascorp.org/success.html
 
Brief Intervention for Substance Using Adolescents Program
Brief Intervention for Substance Using Adolescents (BI) is a research-validated program designed to help young people make healthier choices surrounding tobacco, alcohol and drug abuse. Brief Intervention is a three session, individualized program. Identified students meet one on one with a trained staff person at their school during school hours. Parents are invited to join an optional third session to address substance abuse as a family. During these sessions, YDO staff help students identify the reasons they use, examine the effects of their choices on their lives and learn to make healthier choices. If further intervention or treatment support is needed YDO staff will make appropriate referrals to community services.
 
Brief Intervention is designed for students that:
  • are experiencing mild to moderate problems at school or home associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drug use;
  • may have violated Education Code regarding use or possession of these substances on school property;
  • school staff are concerned about because they have seen telltale signs such as decline in academics, displaced behavior and attendance issues.
 
How Are Students Referred to Brief Intervention?
Any EGUSD staff, student or parent can refer a student by contacting the Youth Development Office at (916) 686-7568.
 
Friday Night Live and Club Live
The EGUSD TUPE program supports Friday Night Live and Club Live (FNL/CL) programs at the middle and high school level. The Friday Night Live and Club Live programs are designed to build leadership skills, provide opportunities for community engagement, and prevent alcohol, tobacco and drug use among teenagers. School chapters are the core of FNL/CL. Chapter activities are designed to encourage positive peer influence and provide opportunities for youth to build skills, advocate for issues that matter to them, and connect with peers and adults. The SCOE Prevention & Early Intervention Department staff members provide support for FNL and CL chapters; community service opportunities; student and advisor trainings; and support; and countywide and regional special events.
 
For more information on FNL and Club Live please visit their website: https://www.scoe.net/divisions/ed_services/prevention/fnl_cl/
 
Helpful Resource Links:
  • Tobacco Free Kids – Promotes public policy reducing smoking rates of minors.
  • National Institute for Drug Abuse  – National Institute for Drug Abuse; Information and resources regarding drug abuse.
  • MADD  – Mothers Against Drunk Driving; Resources to reduce drunk driving and help the victims.
  • The Truth Initiative – Truth Initiative is America’s largest nonprofit public health organization committed to making tobacco use and nicotine addiction a thing of the past.

Bullying Prevention Program

The EGUSD Youth Development Office receives funding from and works in conjunction with SCOE as part of their Bullying Prevention Project. The goal of SCOE’s project is to support Sacramento County school districts and their school sites as they implement bullying prevention programs and strategies. This initial project of the countywide Student Mental Health and Wellness Plan will allow each district to focus on a school-based bullying prevention program, provide staff training, promote student mental health and provide early interventions for students and families who need them.
 
Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR)
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer — the 3 simple steps anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide.  Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
 
QPR can be learned in our Gatekeeper course in about 90 minutes.  According to the Surgeon General’s National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (2001), a gatekeeper is someone in a position to recognize a crisis and the warning signs that someone may be contemplating suicide.
 
As a QPR-trained Gatekeeper, participants will learn to:
  • Recognize the warning signs of suicide.
    • Know how to offer hope.
    • Know how to get help and save a life.
 
Care Pairs
Care Pairs is a program designed to bring a diverse group of elementary school students together to build confidence and self-esteem, learn anti-bullying techniques and upstander values, manage conflicts, become well-rounded leaders, and avoid substance abuse. Youth Development staff partner with ASES programs to visit participating elementary sites weekly for the Care Pairs lessons and activities.
 
Student, Staff and Family Bullying Prevention Workshops
The YDO team provides workshops in addition to QPR for students, staff and families to learn about the difference between peer conflict and bullying. We also provide workshops and information to help us all learn more about all the members of our community in Elk Grove and beyond. Gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation for one another is the best way to prevent bullying and build safer, more connected schools and communities.
 
Bullying Prevention Resources

Training for Staff, Parent and Students

YDO staff can facilitate or arrange training and technical assistance in the areas of tobacco and other drug use prevention and intervention, LGBTQ+ awareness, bullying and cyberbullying prevention. If you would like to schedule an educational presentation or learn more about any of the programs and services YDO provides please contact the Youth Development Office at (916) 686-7568.
LGBTQIA+ Programs and Services

LGBTQIA+ Programs and Services

The Youth Development Office provides district-wide support to EGUSD’s LGBTQIA+ students, staff and families. The Youth Development Office staff facilitate awareness building training on LGBTQIA+ issues, provide district-level coordination and support for campus Gender Sexuality Alliance Clubs (GSA) and other site-based LGBTQ programs, and consult with EGUSD school staff on creating LGBTQIA+ inclusive and affirming campuses and classrooms. These services are funded in part through Kaiser Permanente’s Community Benefits Program Project STARS (Strategies to Advance the Reduction of Stigma) grant, and through the California Department of Education’s Tobacco Use Prevention Education grant.
 
Student Success and Opportunity Act (AB1266) and Gender Support Plans
Under the Student Success and Opportunity Act (AB1266) students have the right to participate in sex-segregated school programs, activities, and use facilities consistent with their gender identity, without respect to the gender listed in a pupil’s records. Additionally, it is the policy of the State of California to afford all persons in public schools, regardless of their disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code, equal rights and opportunities in the educational institutions of the state. (Education Code Section 200.)
 
Any student or family, regardless of age and grade, can request a Gender Support Plan. Gender Support Plans create shared understandings about the ways in which the student’s authentic gender will be accounted for and supported at school. School staff, caregivers and the student work together to complete the plan. Any student or family who would like to discuss a Gender Support Plan should reach out to their school Principal or a Counselor to request a meeting.
If you have questions about Gender Support Plans or any other LGBTQIA+ programs please contact the Youth Development Office at (916) 686-7568.
 
Project STARS (Strategies to Advance the Reduction of Stigma)
Project STARS is funded through the Kaiser Permanente Mental Health and Stigma Reduction Initiative. Project STARS provides coordinated mental health and stigma reduction programming to identified Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning students in the EGUSD. Youth Development Office staff coordinate training on issues that LGBTQ students face, support campus GSA/LGBTQ programs, and work with student leaders to develop peer-based outreach on mental health and stigma reduction.
 

EGUSD Board Policy
The Elk Grove Unified School District prohibits discrimination against, nor will it tolerate the intimidation, harassment or bullying of, any student by a student, employee, or any other person from or in the District, on the basis of the student’s actual or perceived disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
EGUSD Board Policy – BP 5145.18 – Nondiscrimination/Harassment/Intimidation/Bullying

 

Resources
Pregnant/Parenting Support

Pregnant/Parenting Support

EGUSD’s Teen Parent Program (TPP) provides resources, education and case management support to pregnant and parenting students within the district. The Teen Parent Program operates out of the Student and Family Empowerment Office.

Learn more about EGUSD's Teen Parent Program (TPP)