Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking in CWC 96744 - “Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking in CWC 96744” goal is to change the community’s belief that underage drinking is acceptable in windward Oahu communities with the 96744 zip code. Community Works Coalition in 96744 (CWC 96744) is a multi-sector collaborative of individuals, businesses, government agencies, political leaders, schools, churches using the Strategic Prevention Framework model to prevent youth substance abuse, strengthen community collaboration, improve the overall health of the community, and strengthening families within the 96744 zip code. CWC change efforts will focus on preventing underage drinking in youth ages 9-17 and young adults ages 18-24, which number approximately over 12,000 total in the region. Current underage drinking rates are higher in the Kaneohe/Windward Oahu region than in Honolulu County and the state of Hawaii. More than 30% of Windward youth and 40% of Kaneohe youth “currently drank alcohol in the past 30 days” as compared to 25% and 27% in Honolulu county and the state, respectively. Youth initiation into alcohol use is as young as 8 years old and before age 13. Adults believe it is acceptable to provide, give, buy alcohol for underage youth (54% of youth reported their parents/guardians are okay with them drinking alcohol under certain circumstances, such as special occasions, if the adult were with them, or if they were at home). Twenty-two percent of Kaneohe/Windward Oahu youth reported getting alcohol from an adult; 12.5% said they took alcohol from an adult; and 10.8% said they gave someone money to buy alcohol for them. To change the permissive attitude that underage alcohol drinking is okay, CWC 96744 will host community events and action projects that engage both youth and adults to foster dialogue, raise awareness, and encourage positive, healthy behaviors within the 96744 communities. The coalition will design educational, engaging, and relevant activities, such as community clean-ups, health fairs, and art contests for youth, and host town halls/community “talk story” events that provide adults the tools and knowledge to understand the consequences of providing underage youth with alcohol and how to effectively communicate with youth about the risks associated with alcohol consumption. CWC 96744 will also leverage the use of social media to disseminate brief, recurring, positive messages that contain educational content and personal stories that lead to the goal of nurturing a safer, healthier future for young people. CWC 96744 will also strengthen and expand its membership to increase its capacity to amplify and sustain its community events, projects, and communication efforts towards changing the drinking environment and preventing underage drinking. The project’s goals and objectives include: 1. Decrease by two percent from 30% the adults who think it is acceptable for underage youth to drink alcohol (CWC Youth Survey); 2. Decrease by two percent from 16% the adults who provide alcohol to underage youth (CWC Youth Survey); and 3. Decrease by two percent from 43%, high school students who report drinking alcohol in the past 30 days (CWC Youth Survey).
