Question Why Guide

Youth Empowerment for Tobacco Control
N C D e p a r t m e n t o f H e a l t h a n d H u m a n S e r v i c e s To b a c c o P r e v e n t i o n a n d C o n t r o l B r a n c h

Artwork by Marvin Manigault, 16.
SeeSaw Studio © 2001
Graphic design by
8 4 7 . 7 6 3 . 1 3 0 3
www.randio.com

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TABLEOFCONTENTS
A
FOREWORD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . d
Part 1: YOUTH EMPOWERMENT OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
WHAT'S THE DEAL? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT ?Y STYLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Part 2: SYNERGY THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
STATE LEVEL SUPPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
LOCAL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT COMPONENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Part 3: CREATING & NURTURING LOCAL GROUPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
GETTING STARTED LOCALLY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
• Selecting Local Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
• Hiring Adult Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
• Providing Stipends to Youths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
TIPS ON GROUP FORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
• Establishing Group Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
• Recruiting and Retention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
• Shifting Adult Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
• Running Meetings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
• Moving from Ideas to Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
• Publicizing Your Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
• Maintaining Momentum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
SENSITIVE ISSUES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
• Catering to Age Appropriate Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
• Working with Diverse Youths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
• Overseeing Transportation and Liability Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
• Connecting with Parents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
• Addressing Group Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Part 4: ROADMAP FOR PROGRAM PLANNING & EVALUATION . . . . . . . 35
SIZING UP THE COMMUNITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
• Creating Baselines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
• Conducting Community or School Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
PLANNING COMMUNITY INTERVENTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
• ?Y Youth Empowerment Logic Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
EVALUATING PROGRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
• Sharing Your Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLEOFCONTENTS
PART 5: TOOLKIT OF FORMS & WORKSHEETS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
SKILL & GROUP DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
h Sample Parental Consent Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
h Sample School Release Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
h Sample Conduct Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
h Sample Photo Release Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
h Sample Transportation and Overnight Night Permission Form. . 54
h Sample Youth Employment Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
h Sample Youth Timesheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
h Sample Peer/Team Evaluation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
h Sample Self Evaluation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
h Sample Probationary Period Review Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
h Tobacco Fact Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
h Tobacco Knowledge Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
h Media Squares. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
h Tobacco Jeopardy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
h Commercial Count Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
h Secondhand Smoke Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
CRITICAL AWARENESS RESOURCES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
h Skills and Opportunities Inventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
h Critical Awareness Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
h Community Changes Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
h Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
Observation and Inspection Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
h Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
(SWOT)Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
h Sample Group Annual Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
h Sample Action Planning Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
h Progress Tracking Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
h Tobacco Activity Evaluation Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
OPPORTUNITY & ADVOCACY RESOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
h Sample Press Release. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
h Sample Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
h Sample School Opinion Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
h Sample Restaurant Opinion Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
h Sample Cigarette Tax Opinion Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
h Sample Petition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
h Sample Youth Tobacco Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
h Denotes Form or Worksheet
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APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
State, Regional & County Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
National Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Media Literacy Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
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TABLEOFCONTENTS
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FOREWORD
The great story of the tobacco control movement continues to evolve each day, especially with the
focus on the important role of young North Carolinians. This guide is designed principally for
adults who are relatively new to this innovative public health campaign as well as staff and
volunteers at youth-serving organizations. Jump into any section of this guide at whatever stage
you are now, for instance, the beginning of creating a youth group or stepping up efforts to reduce
exposure to secondhand smoke.
• Part 1 provides a glimpse of the rising tide of tobacco abuse in a state where the tobacco leaf is
still revered, along with an overview of North Carolina’s Question Why Youth Empowerment
initiative, more commonly abbreviated as ?Y.
• Part 2 identifies the multi-tiered infrastructure ready to support and strengthen the role of young
advocates who are trying to change community norms and policies to make tobacco addiction
unacceptable.
• Part 3 provides numerous suggestions about building and guiding a youth group as well as
other pointers.
• Part 4 outlines a user-friendly approach for youth groups to integrate the process of assessment
with action planning and ongoing evaluation.
• Part 5 includes over two dozen templates, surveys and other tools designed for youth groups and
coordinators. These worksheets can be reproduced and adapted to your needs. Additional
information as well as this guide can be downloaded from the website, www.StepUpNC.com.
• Appendix includes contact information for dozens of organizations as well as a bibliography.
This resource guide is the product of intergenerational teamwork. The North Carolina Department
of Health and Human Services Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch Youth Empowerment
Director, Delmonte Jefferson, and 19-year-old ?Y Evaluator Doug Paletta, developed the outline
and overall framework. They provided information on the theoretical model of ?Y and promising
practices from across the state. Sheryl Scott, the ?Y Youth Empowerment Center’s Evaluator,
contributed Part IV that maps out an interactive and intelligent method for youth groups to assess
their community, design an advocacy campaign, and evaluate their effort. Project ASSIST Local
Coordinators and other staff provided expertise and shared valuable tools that are effective in
engaging youths in this synergistic movement. Ann Houston, the Media and Communications
Director for the NC Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, provided valuable information on
media and public relations as well as thorough editing. Wendy Lesko of the Activism 2000 Project
(www.youthactivism.com), who presented at the Governor's Teen Tobacco Summit and tracks
many youth-led tobacco control advocacy campaigns nationwide, wove together this quilt of
theory and practice that continues to unfold in every North Carolina community. Some additional
material in this guide is adapted from Lesko's Youth Infusion: Intergenerational Advocacy Toolkit.
Diligent editing and the graphic design were contributed by Randi Ostro of Randio, Inc.
(www.randio.com), in Chicago.
d
FOREWORD

For more information and to receive future updates of this guide, please contact:
NORTH CAROLINA TOBACCO PREVENTION AND CONTROL BRANCH
Sally Herndon Malek, M.P.H., Branch Head
Mailing address:
1932 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1932
Street address:
1318 Dale Street, Suite 100
Raleigh, NC 27605
Phone: (919) 733-1881
Fax: (919) 715-4410
Contact: Delmonte Jefferson
Director of Youth Empowerment Programs
Email: Delmonte.Jefferson@ncmail.net
www.StepUpNC.com
The development of North Carolina's ?Y model as well as this publication
was made possible thanks to a generous grant
by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
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FOREWORD
A

YOUTHEMPOWERMENTOVERVIEW:INTRODUCTION|WHAT’STHEDEAL|YOUTHEMPOWERMENT?YSTYLE
INTRODUCTION
Tobacco use still ranks as the leading
preventable cause of premature death and
disease in the United States, causing more
than 400,000 deaths annually. Each year
smoking kills more people than AIDS,
alcohol, drug abuse, car crashes, murders,
suicides, and fires combined!
Tobacco use almost always begins in the teen
years. In fact, 90% of smokers first light up
before the age of 20. Reaching teens is
essential in combating the staggering death
rates associated with tobacco. In North
Carolina alone, more than 15,000 lives are lost
each year. Statewide high school teen
tobacco use rates climbed 22% in the mid
1990’s and currently hover around 36%,
slightly higher than the national average.
The good news is that public health
advocates are being joined by recruits of all
ages and backgrounds to join this movement
to decrease teen tobacco use. And young
people are turning out in record numbers to
become involved as architects in building
tobacco-free communities. Every day the
concept of teen empowerment and adopting
a tobacco-free lifestyle is gaining ground.
That is no small achievement in a state that
feels the influence of tobacco farming
and manufacturing throughout its economy
and culture.
One important note about the term "tobacco-
free." This relates to preventing and
reducing the health effects of all tobacco
products including cigarettes, chew, dip,
cigars, etc. This term is not meant to
disparage in any way the sacred traditions
surrounding tobacco among American
Indian communities in North Carolina.
Through multiple strategies and by engaging
people of all ages and backgrounds, the state
is forging ahead to enhance existing local and
regional programs through schools, community
groups and faith-based organizations. Rather
than individual behavior change, the focus is
to pursue community policies and programs,
and young people are advocating for
environmental changes to denormalize and
deglamorize tobacco addiction.
Promising practices are emerging from North
Carolina's comprehensive approach to
preventing and reducing tobacco abuse.
Here are a few examples of the crucial role
young people have played in the movement:
- educated teachers, fellow students and
school administrators on the benefits of
tobacco-free schools
- recorded radio commercials promoting
tobacco-free schools and attended tobacco-
free schools regional trainings
- participated in friendly restaurant
takeovers;
- hosted a "Smoke-free Bowling Bash"
- developed and conducted public surveys to
determine attitudes about smoking in
public places
- produced television commercials on
secondhand smoke for a local cable access
station
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PART 1: YOUTH EMPOWERMENT OVERVIEW

- created a video on
the history of
tobacco in the
American Indian
community
- conducted merchant
education and youth
buy operations with
law enforcement
agencies on the
Cherokee
Reservation
- planned and
conducted youth
rallies and summits
North Carolina’s program bases its
activities on the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) recommended "Best
Practices" for comprehensive tobacco
control programs. The Tobacco Prevention
and Control Branch (TPCB) of the NC
Department of Health and Human Services
located in Raleigh, in collaboration with
public and private organizations, has four
overarching goals:
• Prevent the initiation and promote quitting
of tobacco use among youths
• Eliminate exposure to environmental
(secondhand) tobacco smoke
• Promote quitting of tobacco use among
adults
• Eliminate disparities by improving the health-
related norms of vulnerable and underserved
racial, ethnic, and income groups more
adversely affected by tobacco use
This statewide effort is funded with grants
from the federal government, state
contributions, and private foundations.
TPCB’s approach
focuses on both short-
term and long-term
approaches. For as
long as the majority of
youths see tobacco use
as a common behavior,
a fashionable trend or
cultural norm, the cycle
of the societal
addiction will continue.
Therefore, engaging
young people to find
and implement ways to surmount individual,
political and societal obstacles can promote
a new attitude built on personal and
collective power.
This approach represents a seismic shift:
teens are no longer passive participants;
instead they are central players in this
multi-faceted campaign. The underlying
concepts, motivating factors and
manifestations of effective youth-adult
partnership in tobacco control are
highlighted in this guide. Also, it introduces
the guiding principles and infrastructure
necessary to create and sustain this youth
empowerment process. North Carolina’s
program serves as one model; however,
many of the concepts and strategies can be
tailored to other programs and causes. Youth
Empowerment for Tobacco Control is
designed to serve as a roadmap that can be
adapted to each unique community. As with
any innovative project, this guide will be
updated to reflect new lessons learned.
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WHAT’S THE DEAL?
It’s not news that tobacco use is a
common practice among today’s teens,
but there is a story in the way young
people are beginning to combat the
powerful forces that have advanced the
nicotine-addiction epidemic. These
graphs underscore the need to stem this
persistent trend among both middle
school and high school students. The
data demonstrate the fact that North
Carolina teen tobacco rates are slightly
higher than the national statistics. These
state figures on tobacco use are from the
2000 National Youth Tobacco Survey
(YTS) and the North Carolina YTS. For
the latest statistics, visit the TPCB
website at
www.communityhealth.dhhs.state.nc.us/
tobacco.htm as well as
www.StepUpNC.com.
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Percentage of North Carolina Students Reporting
Current* Tobacco Use, by Tobacco Product: 2001
* Used cigarettes or cigars or smokeless tobacco or bidis or pipe on 1 or more
of the past 30 days preceding the survey SOURCE: 2001 NC YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY
Percentage of High School Students
Reporting Current* Cigarette Smoking,
by Race and Ethnicity: 2000-2001
*Used cigarettes on 1 or more of the past 30 days preceding the survey
SOURCE: 2001 NC YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY AND 2000 CDC NATIONAL YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY
Percentage of Students Reporting
Current* Tobacco Use, US and NC: 2000-2001
*Used cigarettes or cigars or smokeless tobacco or pipes or bidis or kreteks
on 1 or more of the past 30 days preceding the survey
SOURCE: 2001 NC YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY AND 2000 CDC NATIONAL YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Any
Tobacco
Cigarette Cigar Smokeless
Tobacco
Bidi Pipe
17.4
35.8
27.8
11.3
7.1
16.4
2.3
8.8
4.5
7.4
3.7
5.9
Middle School
High School
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Middle School High School
North Carolina
United States
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
North Carolina United States
African American
Hispanic
While
17.4
12.8
35.8
34.3
18.1
30.2 30.5
16.8
22.6
31.8

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT ?Y STYLE
The basis of empowerment is self-
determination. This is a revolutionary
concept for most young people who are
accustomed to living in a society that
discourages them from becoming
independent problem solvers and decision
makers. Youth empowerment refers to the
individual’s process of gaining influence
over events and outcomes that impact them.
To produce a society of young people with
the ability to understand, critically analyze,
and act to improve social conditions is the
guiding mission of the North Carolina ?Y
Youth Empowerment model.
Besides positive youth development, there
are other solid reasons why youth
empowerment makes sense. Adolescents
and even pre-teens can enhance a
synergistic, advocacy campaign in
remarkably unique ways. Young people offer
an array of perspectives and their firsthand
experiences lend credibility to advancing
the tobacco-free movement. And even though
most are not yet old enough to vote, young
activists wield significant clout in the public
policy arena. The Activism 2000 Project, a
national organization promoting maximum
youth involvement, identifies six spheres
where youths demonstrate surprising power:
• peers and younger peers
• parents and family members
• principals and school administrators
• private sector (retailers, restaurants, etc.)
• press/news media (newspapers, radio and
television, etc.)
• public officials, politicians, and other
policy-makers
Organizations play a crucial role in
empowering youths. First, factors on several
levels affect empowerment, both personally
and collectively. Individually, empowerment
manifests itself through confidence and
efficacy, a sense of mastery and control, a
sense of "shared fate" or group solidarity, and
participation in the collective process to
impact the social environment. In the context
of an organization, empowerment results in
shared decision-making, cooperative
planning and implementation, reflective
group dialogue, and a respectful environment
for airing viewpoints or addressing conflict.
And within a community, empowerment
refers to a responsive process that embraces
the input of young people in shaping the
community to represent all its constituents.
Researchers make a distinction between
empowering processes and empowering
outcomes. Empowering processes are
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attempts to gain control, obtain needed
resources and critically understand one's
social environment. A process is empowering
if it helps youths, organizations, or
communities develop skills to become
problem solvers, decision-makers, and active
participants toward creating change.
Empowering outcomes refer to the
consequences of attempts to gain greater
control in the community and the impacts
realized because of such interventions.
The core of the ?Y Youth Empowerment
approach is built on these principles of
empowerment. Although an organization
can have some influence over individual or
community behavior, it can exert far more
control over the way it ‘does business’
through sharing leadership and decision-
making with young people. An organization,
whether it is a community coalition, an
adult-guided school team, or a community-
based youth group, can use its financial and
experiential ‘clout’ to provide young people
with training to build skills, knowledge on
how to analyze powerful forces in society,
and opportunities to create change. It can be
an "empowering organization." What an
organization does (process) can lead to
important changes (outcomes) for the
individual, organization and community.
Individual Change:
• Provide opportunities for positive
involvement within a nurturing
environment
• Showcase positive, creative role models
• Present information on cultural diversity,
sensitivity, and structural oppression
• Create opportunities to engage in critical
analysis of race, class, gender, age, sexual
orientation, and other discriminatory practices
• Role-modeling of cultural competence by
adults and older youth mentors
• Provide skill-building on tobacco and
related issues through training, coaching,
mentoring and opportunities to use skills
in the community
• Increase self-efficacy through skills such as
sharing opinions and analyzing information
• Offer opportunities for self-reflection and
understanding of challenges
Organizational Change:
• Structure decision-making to include
youths
• Develop fair, clear rules of conduct and
enforcement in collaboration with youths
• Institute policies that place youths in
leadership roles and encourage visibility
• Create policies that reward young
advocates for leadership
• Design a structure that incorporates
critical reflection and dialogue about
strategy/tactics/evaluation, including
power dynamics and political pressure
• Foster a structure that informs but rewards
dissenting voices and creative thinking
• Create a recruitment strategy and policies
that promote and respect diversity
• Educate adult leaders in nurturing and
empowering youths from all walks of life
Community Change:
• Create opportunities and prepare youths
for visible roles (such as media advocacy,
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testifying before politicians, meeting with
business owners, etc.)
• Bring youth partners to the table and
involve them in providing opportunities
(mini-grants)
• Educate community/media leaders to
listen and respect the ideas proposed by
youths
The outside of the ?Y logo pictured above
identifies three components necessary for
empowerment. The inside of the triangle list
individual empowerment indicators.
Specifically, the three interlocking sides of
the triangle are:
• Skill Development (learning): Acquiring
critical skills for action in particular
subject areas. This includes gathering
information about the area of concern and
enhancing the skills necessary for
disseminating that information. For
example, understanding the hazards of
secondhand smoke and other facts related
to tobacco, learning diplomacy and
presentation skills, and knowing how to
advocate for policy changes are some of
the critical skills needed for any tobacco
control advocate.
• Critical Awareness (reflecting): Analyzing
the social and political environment which
includes identifying power structures,
allies and adversaries as well as being
able to influence the media. A successful
critical analysis will help determine the
strategic approach (e.g., advocacy,
diplomacy or activism).
• Opportunities (taking action): Determining
options for actions to engage and change
the community to be safer and healthier.
For example, meeting with school officials
to create new policies, writing opinion
pieces for the community newspapers, and
making presentations to diverse
community groups.
Of course, many experiences trigger the
need to gain additional skills and lead to
further reflecting on next steps.
?Y Skill Development covers an infinite
number of areas, for example:
- Attending a youth summit on tobacco
control
- Presenting age appropriate peer education
to younger students
- Learning about how to form a youth group
and run meetings
- Practicing presentation techniques for
different audiences
- Comparing various advocacy tactics such
as petitions
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SkillDevelopment
CriticalAwareness
Opportunities
?
YEducating Peers • Making Decisions
Increased Motivation • Feeling of Mastery & Control
Increased Knowledge • Socially Conscious
Positive Value System • Desire to Create Change
Self-confidence • Awareness of Limitations

- Browsing tobacco-related websites
- Obtaining media literacy skills
A few examples of ?Y Critical Awareness
include:
- Documenting tobacco issues using
photographs, etc.
- Researching tobacco policies
- Evaluating proposed tobacco control
initiatives
- Investigating individual school board
member’s positions on tobacco
- Counting the number of smoke-free
hangouts in town
- Identifying local and state politicians
- Cultivating a media contact
?Y Opportunities can be just about
everything one can imagine:
- Testifying at a public hearing on cigarette
tax increases
- Recruiting youths to attend a summit
- Creating a public service announcement
- Meeting with local restaurant owners
- Planning youth summits and other tobacco
control events
- Speaking to diverse audiences
- Producing videos and documentaries on
tobacco usage
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1
An illustration that captures all three outcomes:
"We convinced the Northside Grill & Pub to go smoke-free
for one of the dinners during our ?Y Advocacy Conference.
In order to thank the managers, we got North Carolina
Senator Stephen Metcalf to present them with a thank-
you plaque. I was able to talk with Senator Metcalf after
the plaque presentation about making the schools go
tobacco-free in my county. I asked for his support and he
said that he supports tobacco-free schools. I even invited
him to attend the school board meeting when I requested the tobacco-free schools policy, and he said he would attend! I was
really glad to hear that, because the school board will listen to adults as well as children." - Katelyn Brahmer

Case Study: Part 1
To further illustrate the relationship between the three
components, a major training for youth and adult ?Y
staff took place in Wilmington. Interactive exercises
were devoted primarily to learning about the health
hazards of environmental tobacco smoke. The next day
after additional training, participants began strategizing
and preparing for the evening event that involved
Alleigh’s Restaurant & Entertainment Complex, which
agreed to make its main dining facility off-limits to
smoking for the day. Alongside the mayor and several
health officials, ?Y youths set up a booth at the entrance
and passed out handouts about ETS and conducted
interviews with patrons. The wait staff also distributed
a customer survey developed by the youth team and
program evaluator on smoke-free dining and
environmental tobacco smoke. TV and newspaper
reporters interviewed youths during the event. A media
advocacy training was given the next day to reinforce
and augment skills. The overall experience at the
restaurant/arcade led to greater critical awareness that
has prompted other opportunities for action focused on
other family-oriented restaurants and publicizing these
efforts. (The story continues . . . )
The ?Y approach of engaging young people
in ways that respect their ideas, foster their
initiative, and involve them in significant
organizational and strategic decisions
dovetail with the "5Cs" rubric for positive
youth development as outlined by Karen
Pittman of the Forum for Youth Investment:
• confidence (a sense of purpose/future, self-
worth, usefulness)
• character (a sense of responsibility,
empathy, spirituality)
• competence (a sense of mastery,
resourcefulness)
• connection (a sense of belonging,
membership, safety)
• contribution (a sense of sharing, power,
ownership)
Empowered young advocates experience
individual growth; moreover, their
leadership contributes to short-term and
intermediate gains - albeit gradual and at
times painfully slow - toward the goal in
North Carolina of reducing teen tobacco use
from nearly 40% to just under 20% by the
year 2010. (see Vision 2010 Guide on the web
at www.communityhealth.dhhs.
state.nc.us/tobacco.htm)
page 8
1
"A Henderson County group was making plans for encouraging a tobacco-free community. I attended this meeting and
met many professional people, like doctors, nurses, and business people. I got a chance to be heard by the professional
adults and was able to give suggestions to them about their plans. I felt really encouraged that even though I was a teen, I
was able to speak out to my community and that I could help influence decisions. I felt like I gave a positive perspective
on tobacco-free communities and on other teens."
- Brandon Pickens

As you can see, this youth empowerment
theory incorporates traditional youth
leadership development approaches by
balancing skill building and knowledge
development with meaningful and varied
opportunities to pursue public action on real
world issues. Research shows that a person's
sense of self and identity develops by
demonstrating initiative to take on
challenges and make meaningful
contributions. That's why this ?Y approach is
destined to show positive outcomes in the
individual, the organization, and the
community.
page 9
1
Case Study: Part 2
In the case of the Alleigh’s Restaurant & Entertainment Complex effort, there were indicators of short-term change,
even though this community intervention did not convince the owner to adopt a permanent smoke-free policy at
the time of the event. Based on a thorough evaluation, the youth participants overwhelmingly reported higher skill
levels both in terms of conducting community interventions and working with the news media to promote clean
indoor air policies. The collaboration with the mayor and others on this one-day event elevated the importance of
this public health issue and provided added momentum for other restaurants to reconsider their policies. As a result,
these young advocates became even more committed to continue their work and the youth evaluator met with the
owner to share survey and interview results, and discussed ways to address the obstacles to going smoke-free.
Three months later, the owner chose to make his establishment the first smoke-free bar in Wilmington!

SYNERGYTHROUGHOUTNORTHCAROLINA:STATELEVELSUPPORTS|REGIONALINFRASTRUCTURE|LOCALYOUTHEMPOWERMENTCOMPONENTS
North Carolina continues to demonstrate
great persistence in its comprehensive
campaign to combat teen tobacco use. In
fact, it is the only state in the country that
has both an American Legacy Foundation
Statewide Youth Empowerment Program
Grant and a Youth Empowerment Project
research study. Although various youth
groups and coalitions across North Carolina
have been engaged in tobacco prevention
activities since the early 1990s, a major boost
occurred with the Governor’s Youth Summit
on Tobacco Prevention in January 2000. In
addition to resources devoted to this effort
through the acquisition of grants from the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the
American Legacy Foundation, many local
schools and communities took the initiative
to create youth groups that would address
the ongoing problem of tobacco use on
school grounds. By working collaboratively
on policy issues and by pooling limited
resources, North Carolina’s youth
empowerment movement continues to grow
stronger due to a synergistic infrastructure.
STATE LEVEL SUPPORT
As a statewide agency, the Tobacco
Prevention and Control Branch (TPCB) at the
Department of Health and Human Services
assumes the lead role in coordinating the
youth empowerment movement. In addition
to existing staff and support, the creation of
several new positions at the state level
provide:
- guidance and direction to youth initiatives
- technical assistance, training and
resources to new and existing youth
groups
- increased communication and solidarity
among youth groups
- coordination of North Carolina’s youth
empowerment evaluation
North Carolina has infused youths in both its
strategic planning and decision-making
efforts at the state level. The TPCB hired two
youth leaders, age 19 and 20, who staff the
Youth Empowerment Project. These young
adults, both of whom have over six years of
experience in tobacco prevention and
control, head up the North Carolina
Statewide Youth Coalition, an umbrella
organization consisting of approximately 20
youth groups that focus on changing
community norms and policies. Another
component at the state level is the North
Carolina Youth Empowerment Study (NC
YES) and its Advisory Board that analyzes
data and clues about what is working and
not working. This Board is comprised of nine
adults and nine youths from diverse
page 10
2
Part 2: SYNERGY THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA

SYNERGYTHROUGHOUTNORTHCAROLINA:STATELEVELSUPPORT|REGIONALINFRASTRUCTURE|LOCALYOUTHEMPOWERMENTCOMPONENTS
populations across the
state. NC YES is
responsible for
evaluating the
effectiveness and
impact of various youth
empowerment
initiatives in tobacco
control across the state.
REGIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
North Carolina’s three Regional ?Y Youth
Empowerment Centers are designed to
provide ongoing support for the state’s
comprehensive youth-led program. The sites
for these hubs are strategically located to
draw youths from diverse geographical and
ethnic backgrounds.
• Eastern Region: Wilmington Health Access
for Teens, also known as WHAT, in
Wilmington
• Central Region: Durham Youth Center in
Durham
• Western Region: Buncombe County Health
Department in Asheville
Each center has a proven track record of
engaging youths in health education and
health policy along with a commitment to
youth-led adult-supported tobacco-free
campaigns. The paid staff of each center
includes a full-time project coordinator plus
five or six highly skilled teen advocates who
work at least three afternoons per week.
Some youth staff are booked several months
in advance to do
presentations and
trainings. Hiring
considerations included
the need to create a staff
that was balanced
between veterans who
have experience with
tobacco
prevention/control and
newcomers with a fresh
perspective. All three
centers share the identical priority goal “to
strengthen youth involvement and
leadership in tobacco use prevention and
policy changes."
Each of the three ?Y Centers collaborate
closely with the Project ASSIST Local
Coordinators in each region. These 10
ASSIST coalitions, which operate out of
county health departments, have been
working for about a decade to reduce
tobacco abuse in North Carolina. Together
the ?Y Centers and Project ASSIST staff
provide technical assistance, training and
resources to youth groups and local
coalitions and other agencies within their
geographical area. (A complete list of
contacts is included in the Appendix.)
Sample trainings include but are not limited
to: Merchant Education, Public Speaking,
Tobacco-Free Schools Policy, ETS Policy
Training, Not On Tobacco Facilitator
Training.
page 11
2

Structure - providing staff, meeting location,
networking
Support - responding with technical
assistance, resources
Rewards - offering new opportunities, media
coverage, recognition
Reinforcement - providing positive feedback
to youth for their actions and efforts
Youth Development - nurturing individual
growth
Shared Leadership - promoting teamwork
and group decision-making
Facilitation - enhancing group dynamics,
addressing conflicts
Training - offering skill building workshops
Role Modeling - welcoming everyone,
celebrating diversity
Group Cohesion - striving for consensus and
unity
Encouragement - maintaining a positive "can
do" attitude
page 12
2
GroupCohes
ion
Encouragement Structure Support Rewards
Rein
forcement
RoleMo
deling
Training Facilitation Shared Leadership
Youth
Development
Empowering Organization
SkillDevelopment
CriticalAwareness
?
YOpportunities
LOCAL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT COMPONENTS
At the heart of the state’s youth empowerment movement is a vast network of local school or
community-based youth groups. These groups are diverse in their demographic and ethnic
makeup but they all share the common goal of eliminating tobacco abuse among young people.
The host agencies or organizations also embrace a common philosophy and provide resources to
empower youths to help lead the movement.

Each of the 10 local ASSIST coalitions adds
another dimension at the grassroots level by
helping to maximize youth involvement.
These coalitions spur the creation and
expansion of youth-led tobacco control
initiatives from many different sectors of the
community. They encourage teens to reach
large numbers of students through peer
education and advocacy activities. Young
advocates also are tapped from churches,
Boys and Girls Clubs, housing authorities,
summer and after-school mentoring
initiatives, gay and lesbian programs as well
as young people who are homeless. Certain
initiatives such as increasing the number of
tobacco-free schools or pushing for more teen
cessation services have been achieved by
intergenerational collaboration between the
adult coalitions and youth groups.
In addition, there are a number of school-
based groups that operate independently
from ASSIST coalitions such as TRUTH,
SWAT, WHAT and START along with
community-based initiatives such as Teen
Spirit, FIGHTING BACK and Project STEAM.
A growing number of youth-serving
organizations are joining the North Carolina
tobacco-free movement that also provides
various supports so crucial for youth-led
advocacy. Adult advisors of these youth
groups applying for mini-grants embrace
this empowerment approach of shared
leadership and facilitation where youths are
instrumental in crafting action plans and
mini-grant applications or RFPs. Similarly,
page 13
2
"?Y had an information booth at the Asheville Tourists
baseball game which had a display board about
environmental tobacco smoke, petitions for tobacco-
free schools, and a fun cigarette knock-out game.
What I thought was great was seeing all of the
parents, teens, and adults come up to see what the
information was all about. Many of them offered to
help in any way to make their schools go tobacco-free.
Teens were asking where they could sign to make
schools smoke-free so that they could use the
bathrooms without breathing in second-hand smoke.
Adults were even wanting to attend school board
meetings to help pass a tobacco-free school policy! I felt
like I wasn’t the only one tired of second-hand smoke
and it gave me more hope that a tobacco-free school
policy could be passed."
- Tasha Henry

young people in these
groups advise and
guide local and
regional media
campaigns. This is
mirrored at the state
level where
students from each of
the regional ?Y hubs
are involved in
designing RFPs and
making bid-award
decisions for the
statewide marketing
campaign.
The ?Y empowerment
process is thriving in
ways that are difficult
to measure
quantitatively and
qualitatively at this
stage. But the
successes in spite of
significant cultural and
political barriers
demonstrate that future
progress lies in the
capable hands of well-
trained and empowered young people
everywhere. In North Carolina, all 100
counties soon will be networked into this
statewide movement. As the campaign gains
strength through this strong web of
collaboration, supports and local initiatives,
the 2010 Vision of "historic opportunities for
improved health" becomes more attainable
in this decade.
page 14
2

CREATING&NURTURINGLOCALGROUPS:GETTINGSTARTEDLOCALLY|TIPSONGROUPFORMATION|SENSITIVEISSUES
GETTING STARTED LOCALLY
Selecting Local Partners
Initial decisions about whether to start or
expand a youth group in a school-based or
community-based setting deserve careful
consideration. Some youth-serving
institutions will not be a compatible fit to
promote youth empowerment. A great deal
depends on whether the organizational
culture views young people as equal
partners in tobacco prevention efforts. The
personality and philosophy exhibited by the
executive director, principal or designated
adult leader is equally important.
No two organizations are alike, but here are
a few possible pros and cons of school-based
and community-based groups including
religious organizations.
• A school club may mean free meeting
space, steady attendance, an adult advisor
and connections to school administration.
These potential advantages can also prove
to be disadvantages. A principal may exert
considerable power over the club and
hinder the group advisor as well as
student activities. The time and location of
club meetings may cut out students who
have after school jobs.
• A community-based group may carry such
benefits as owning a van that can reduce
transportation hassles, having prior
involvement in other advocacy campaigns,
and experience in fulfilling grant
requirements. On the other hand, the
overall mission of the organization may
not make tobacco control a top priority and
this critical health issue could be
sidelined.
• Another option to explore is whether
school clubs, or perhaps a faith-based
group, could coexist with another
community-based youth organization.
Again, give considerable weight to the
individual personalities in both the school
setting and an independent nonprofit that
will help determine what entity would
make the best partner.
Prior to making a decision, talk directly with
the principal, the executive director or youth
group leader to discuss the degree of
latitude young people will have in various
tobacco prevention and intervention efforts.
It is wise to be candid about specific
parameters predetermined by federal funds
or foundation grants. If a tobacco control
goal already has been agreed upon, this
may make the selection more obvious. For
example, a group advocating for tobacco-
free schools might be headquartered in a
school whereas a group concentrating on
page 15
PART 3: CREATING & NURTURING LOCAL GROUPS
3

ETS issues might be community-based. On
the other hand, a countywide group can also
be effective in advocating for tobacco-free
policies for the entire school district.
Adult Leader Qualities
Some traditional youth development
programming where adults set the agenda
and expect teens to do what they are told is
markedly different from youth
empowerment. This approach is neither
about deferring to nor commandeering
young people. It represents a new mindset
and delicate balancing act: adults show
respect and share power with youths, and
younger people respect the experience,
ideas, and skills of their elders. A tug of war
is replaced with give and take. Trust is a
major factor in this equation. There needs to
be spirited support for young people to test
their intuitive ideas. Similar to most adult-
driven plans, mixed results and mistakes are
to be expected. Adults need to be the
catalyst for this gradual process of young
people taking leadership roles. Providing
resources, guidance, and training mean
these novices won’t be set up to fail.
The most talented adult collaborators enjoy
spending time with young people and aren't
afraid to challenge the status quo.
Experience in community organizing is a
major bonus. In numerous studies, the most
highly rated characteristics of effective
initiatives all involved characteristics of
staff who:
• relate well to youths
• care about young people
• demonstrate honesty and are comfortable
in talking about issues
• have a good overall understanding of
adolescent development
• are sufficiently trained to implement the
program
• support and understand the program's
goals
Other traits include being passionate,
energetic, open minded, adventurous,
humorous, and patient. Unlike acquiring
advocacy skills, establishing rapport with
youths is best when it is not a learned
behavior. In other words, supportive
relationships are based less on professional
qualifications and more on adult leaders’
attitudes toward young people.
There is no one perfect person to assume this
role because every young person will
respond to an adult in his/her own way. This
is one reason to consider having at least two
adult leaders to reduce isolation and gain
greater synergy. Working together, they can
share frustrations rather than dumping
internal office politics and other problems on
those volunteering their time for the cause.
They can process situations together and re-
energize. Also, if one adult leader moves on,
some continuity can be maintained.
Also refer to "Shifting Adult Responsibilities"
in the next section.
page 16
3

Providing Stipends to Youths
The Regional ?Y Youth Empowerment
Centers have a significant number of young
people who are paid staff. These youths run
workshops, create web sites, manage
volunteers, implement programs, conduct
focus groups, serve as consultants, and
perform numerous duties that ordinarily
would be the responsibility of adult staff
who receive a paycheck.
These usually are part-time positions and
can complement full-time staff but have
many job responsibilities. Furthermore, the
opportunity for a volunteer to move into a
paid position also symbolizes the continuum
between youth development and youth
empowerment as well as the important role
young people play in North Carolina's
tobacco-free movement.
One option is to offer minimum wage with
incremental raises based on experience and
responsibilities. Sometimes young people
will be paid for each meeting and training
they attend, plus reimbursement for
transportation. Honoraria or stipends may be
more advantageous than a paycheck to
avoid the impact on SSI or other income-
based benefits that the family may receive.
Thorough training and ongoing mentoring
are crucial to help these new hires perform
well and earn the respect of adult staff as
well as their peers. If these paid youth don't
seem to be fulfilling their responsibilities, a
rift can develop especially with other youth
who are devoting lots of time and energy
and not receiving any compensation. Paid
staff--regardless of age--should be held
accountable and evaluated by those for
whom they work. A probation period may be
wise to consider.
Sample Youth Employment Application and
other related forms are included in Part 5.
page 17
3

TIPS ON GROUP FORMATION
This section does not attempt to describe in
detail a step-by-step process for building
local youth groups. For one reason, there is
no one right or wrong way, and each
campaign needs to be created by the unique
individuals involved who take into account
local circumstances and prevailing attitudes
about tobacco. Moreover, preparation and
flexibility are necessary at every stage
especially because of the continually
changing roles for both young people and
their adult allies.
Part 4 maps out a user-friendly process for
your group to determine community
interventions. Some forms and worksheets
described here include the icon h which
means these templates are included in Part
5. Also refer to the Appendix for contact
information for numerous organizations that
are mentioned in this section that provide
trainings and resources.
Establishing Group Norms
Determining group norms begins early but
needs to be revisited as more people join.
Similarly, expect to reintroduce the overall
vision of the organization as the group grows
with new members. One emphasis is to
provide a welcoming attitude to everyone
who is interested in being involved.
Achieving diversity may take time, but it is an
important principle to reinforce from the start.
The group may also want to devote some
time to reaching a consensus on
expectations for all members. Various
ground rules might include: be open-minded,
listen even if you disagree, respect everyone,
attend meetings, be punctual, accept
criticism, no put-downs, what’s said in the
group remains confidential, etc. Usually
these group policies remain informal
understandings.
A statement declaring the overall vision
serves several purposes. It can keep the
team heading in the same direction. It may
make it easier for the group to move forward
on goals and objectives designed to achieve
the mission. The process of crafting a
mission should not be minimized. Just as
young people are involved with each ?Y
Youth Empowerment Center in determining
each region’s mission and priorities, young
people need to be at the table as full-fledged
participants in this defining act. We
recommend that the group pay close
page 18
3

attention to any language that could be
interpreted as vilifying or otherwise
defaming those who smoke, dip or chew.
Equally important is respect for the sacred
traditions surrounding tobacco among
American Indians.
Deciding on a set of goals instills a greater
sense of legitimacy for the group itself and
with the public at large. Another dimension
of the group’s identity to explore is the use of
names such as "club" or "crew" which can
influence how other youths as well as adults
perceive the group.
Until the recruiting phase is complete, the
group may want to delay deciding whether
to create a formal structure with a president,
treasurer, and other officers. Another option
for the group to consider is a less
hierarchical structure such as a research
committee, event planning committee, media
committee, etc. One other recommendation is
to discuss responsibilities for youth and
adult members and plan to review these
roles periodically.
Recruiting and Retention
It’s great if there is a core group of young
people to lead the recruitment process. One
approach might be to reach consensus on
the overall recruiting goal and then break
into subcommittees to consider factors such
as the age range and specific skills (writer,
spokesperson, illustrator, webmaster, etc.). In
addition, careful consideration to the group’s
diversity should be given. Clubs should
represent their unique demographic
population and should demonstrate
openness and interest in collaborating with
other youth groups committed to reducing
teen tobacco use.
Another important task is to figure out how
to sell the idea of the youth group. The first
challenge is to come up with reasons why
young people would want to be a part of
your campaign. The second step is using
this message in flyers, posters and a variety
of other outreach tactics. Never
underestimate the effectiveness of word-of-
mouth recruiting, especially asking people
on a one-on-one basis. Incentives such as
having free pizza at the introductory
meeting can be a draw but some people
may be attracted by the food not the issue.
Others may see your group as a way to
enhance their resume. However, youth who
may lack commitment initially can become
motivated as they learn more about the
range of activities and opportunities.
If you have limited contact with young
people, cultivate relationships with youth
workers at community-based organizations.
These include social service agencies, youth
ministers, and others who can be
intermediaries. Just as anthropologists seek
out a community guide, it is important to
find scouts who can navigate a variety of
social networks in both school settings and
around town.
page 19
3

Certainly, teachers and school
administrators can provide leads to
individual students, but this strategy should
complement peer-to-peer recruiting and
broader community outreach. For example,
target places where young people hang out
such as malls, teen centers, video arcades
which may result in attracting non-
traditional leaders that will make the club or
group more diverse.
Recruitment needs to be an ongoing process
because of natural attrition as young people
age out. In most advocacy campaigns, it is
ideal to have about one third of young
activists be veterans, one third with varying
degrees of experience and understanding
about the issue, and the rest newcomers.
Consider holding an orientation event
monthly or a brief session before regular
meetings so that new folks find out the
history, guiding principles and goals of the
group.
Action-oriented activities that are
challenging and fun are key to retention.
Short-term initiatives offer better odds of
making concrete headway. A rally and other
adrenaline-pumping experiences recharge
everyone’s batteries. A variety of events
engage the talents of different people. Each
situation can provide a welcome change to
experiment with new roles and
responsibilities. Similarly, letting different
people take turns facilitating meetings and
coordinating actions also provides fresh
opportunities. Equally important, rotating
power minimizes the impact when young
activists age out. Continually building
capacity improves the effectiveness of the
initiative, and success breeds success.
Recognition should not be overlooked or
overused. Pizza parties, gift certificates to
video or music stores as well as non-
monetary awards such as meeting an athlete,
mayor, etc. are just a few possibilities.
Offering to write letters of recommendation
that praise an individual’s leadership
represents a very important gesture. In
addition, dozens of local, state, national, and
international organizations champion
ordinary young people who are doing
extraordinary things. But give careful
thought to nominating a single young
advocate rather than the group for an award.
Shifting Adult Responsibilities
In the early stages of forming a youth group,
adult partners are apt to play more
significant roles as recruiters, facilitators,
and planners. As youths gain skills and
critical awareness, adults tend to step back
and let go of many responsibilities such as
setting the agenda, running meetings, public
speaking, grant writing, etc. To varying
degrees, adults are likely to remain very
active in the following areas:
• Help with overall coordination and
logistics
• Arrange trainings and oversee funding
• Encourage individual youth to assume
active roles
• Suggest ways to break down challenging
page 20
3

tasks into discrete and more manageable
pieces (i.e., conducting a survey would
include brainstorming questions, tallying
data, publicizing results, presenting
findings, etc.)
• Attend community meetings and network
with other tobacco control coalitions and
share updates with youths
• Identify possible joint projects and other
opportunities to pursue tobacco control
projects
The transformation from youth participation to
youth empowerment shifts adult responsibilities
but never eliminates adults from the picture. A
typical day may mean getting equipment ready
for an event, making final edits on a survey and
arranging to have copies made, confirming a
meeting between a youth delegation and
restaurant owner, taking care of transportation
and other logistics. Ongoing intergenerational
teamwork and shared decision-making are
hallmarks of successful youth groups. One
page 21
3
This true story reveals a multi-pronged
strategy by a teen tobacco control team
that sheds light on the role of the group's
adult coordinator
A group of concerned students at Asheville High School
zeroed in on their football stadium. They drafted a petition
and quickly realized that collecting signatures between
classes was not very effective. After changing strategies,
they got 300 names in less than two hours at the first
home football game
Out of the student body of 1200, the students had 617
signatures. The students also won support from the principal,
football coach, the booster's club president and band director.
In one quick brainstorming session, the group came up with
three main points including how important it is for adult to
model healthy behavior on the school campus. These
arguments formed the basis of the speech presented by one
student who had only two minutes to make the case to the
school board. Other short statements were made by a local
asthma/allergy specialist and a man with an electronic
larynx due to tobacco-related throat cancer. The school board
members were impressed by "the most poised, well-prepared
and articulate
group of students."
The board wanted
to find out more
about school
districts that had
policies similar to
what the students
were proposing.
The adult coordinator for the group already had prepared
folders for each board member that contained sample policies
from 100% tobacco-free schools excerpted from the NC
Grassroots Guide for Tobacco-Free Schools. Maintaining a
low-key profile, she introduced herself to the board, offering
herself as a resource and ally rather than outsider. The
newspaper covered the student's presentation. Several weeks
later after the allotted time for public comment, the board
unanimously passed a 100% tobacco-free policy for the
Asheville City School District. Then a favorable article
appeared in the local paper followed by a negative column.
The adult coordinator asked coalition members to submit a
letter to the editor and an op-ed praising the students'
efforts, both of which were published.

county coalition coordinator
described her role using this
metaphor: "I keep the boat afloat
while the students steer and propel
us to shore."
Here are a few other pointers for
adult advisors:
• Offer enough information to
inform the discussion but leave
plenty of room for young people
to reach consensus themselves.
• Avoid being too much of a
participant. The primary role is
to remain on the sidelines,
share information, and toss out
options.
• Contribute but don't dominate
the discussion.
• Ask questions about tactics and
strategies that will stimulate
thoughts about new directions
and approaches.
• Don’t be afraid to disagree with
opinions and ideas expressed
while simultaneously treating
young people with respect.
• Identify possible community connections
and opportunities.
• Sometimes pick up the pieces and act as
the glue, providing historical context and
continuity.
• Be patient and demonstrate persistence.
Running Meetings
In the very beginning, adult partners probably
need to take the lead in setting the agenda
and moderating discussions. It takes extra
time to get input from youths on deciding the
aim for each meeting, but this collaboration
helps establish the youth-led adult-supported
approach. See which members can take a
leadership role in the following areas:
• Handouts - Find a volunteer to type up the
agenda and decide what if any materials
(fact sheets, articles about other young
activists, etc.) should be distributed to
everyone in the group.
• Icebreakers - Many youths have favorite get-
acquainted activities that increase the
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3
DO’s
Listen
Be open-minded
Build on ideas
Be honest and authentic
See everyone as individuals
Show respect
Trust
Experiment
Be energetic
Offer a safe space
Be flexible
Share skills and information
Engage everyone
Provide support
Curb your ego
Keep your promise
Hold people to their commitments
Walk the talk
Be patient and persistent
Be consistent and dependable
Demonstrate your passion
Laugh and have fun
DON’Ts
Lecture
Be closed-minded
Co-opt or redirect ideas
Pretend to agree
Stereotype
Show favoritism
Fear failure
Stifle creativity
Be passive
Be judgmental
Force anyone to participate
Selectively share certain information
Ignore personality conflicts
Control everything
Be power hungry
Make half-hearted commitments
Expect more from teens than adults
Be a hypocrite
Act uptight
Be unreliable
Whine
Be too serious
"Youth Infusion: Intergenerational Advocacy Toolkit" by Activism 2000 Project
The reminders in this list of Do’s & Don’ts from the
Activism 2000 Project may help everyone collaborate
together more effectively.

comfort level and incorporate the all-
important "fun" element to meetings.
• Facilitation techniques - Students who are
trained as mediators in conflict resolution
can adapt these skills to the group.
• Parliamentary procedures - If the group wants
a more formal format, see if there is a
young person familiar with the basics of
Robert's Rules of Order.
• Food - Besides "fun," food is another
essential. Let the group know how much
money is budgeted for refreshments.
Perhaps a couple of members can solicit
donations from a local pizzeria, grocery
store, etc.
• Training - The entire group can assess and
prioritize training needs. An Inventory of
Skills and Opportunities h is included in
Part 5 for this purpose. In addition, several
youth members can contact the Regional
Empowerment Center and learn more
about the range of trainings available.
The interactions and relationships that result
from learning about everyone's individual
interests and talents as well as sharing
responsibilities are as critical to mastering
skills. "Hang time" and fun experiences
combined with advocacy training all are
necessary to build the T.E.A.M. which can be
translated as Together Everyone Achieves More!
Moving from Ideas to Action
An in-depth methodology for designing and
evaluating community interventions is described
in Part 4 but here are a few
general suggestions as
they relate to creating and
nurturing a local youth
group. Usually the
members will benefit from
a Tobacco 101 workshop,
media literacy and other
introductory trainings
before forging ahead with
an action plan. Regional ?Y
Youth Empowerment
Center staff can provide
trainers and materials.
Besides gaining
knowledge about many
aspects of tobacco,
additional skill building
workshops such as media
advocacy, can be
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3
"During one of the trainings the
youth and youth leaders had
when ?Y was first getting
established, one activity really
sticks out in my mind. At the
training we were asked to do
different things--one of them
being an activity for team
building and patterns. The youth
were all asked to take off their
shoes and arrange them in a way that meant something. The youth took all the
shoes and arranged them from darkest color to lightest color which signified ?Y
and how right now we were in the dark about what our goals and the position
were all about. In the years to come we would come into the light and ?Y would be
fully established. It taught me team building as well as how ?Y is going to be and
what it has already become."
- Jamie Borowski

introduced immediately or arranged at
opportune times at critical stages as the group
implements its action plan.
With a foundation of skill development and
critical awareness, the brainstorming phase
can get underway. Out-of-the-box thinking
should be encouraged, yet at the same time,
any restrictions such as state preemption
laws or grants that provide financial
support to the group should be explained
thoroughly. It can be disheartening to dream
up an innovative teen tobacco control
campaign and then have those imaginative
ideas shelved.
To stimulate discussion, one possibility is to
review some true stories of what has been
accomplished in different parts of North
Carolina and elsewhere in the country. For
instance, knowledge that the Hanes Mall in
Winston-Salem is smoke-free might influence
the local shopping center to follow suit.
Similarly the Bisquitville restaurant chain
adopted a smoke-free policy statewide which
could prompt other dining establishments to
follow suit. Besides the examples
mentioned throughout this guide, the
Regional ?Y Empowerment Centers and the
TPCB can share lessons about other youth-
led campaigns.
If the group decides to adopt the goal of
reducing ETS, it may be best to then focus on
a specific target, for instance:
• School bathrooms or athletic events
• School cessation program for students as
well as staff
• Popular restaurant or chain
• Bowling alley
• Community center and other government
buildings
• Ballpark
• Entertainment or sports arena
• Homes and common areas of apartment
buildings
After one or several ideas have been
identified, the group can venture ahead in
mapping out a game plan on how to proceed.
Sample action planning templates h in Part
5 can be adapted to your group. Emphasis
should be given to achievable short-term
goals to help establish a track record which
also provide an opportunity for the group to
test how well specific tasks get accomplished.
It is wise to prepare in advance on how to
counter apathy or outright opposition. Have
the group devote some time to identifying
potential allies and adversaries and the
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SWOT Analysis h can help (see page 79).
Some students have devised many effective
strategies to increase public awareness and
mobilize support in order to be in a stronger
position before approaching decision makers:
• gain an endorsement or official resolution
from PTAs, Rotary Clubs, Health Boards
and other influential organizations
• document the extent of tobacco use, for
example, smoking on school grounds
based on the TPCB's photovoice training
• conduct an opinion survey of shoppers at a
mall and publicize the findings
• sponsor a poster contest and the winning
entries wind up as billboards
• sponsor a rap contest and the winning
vocals are played at concerts or on radio
stations
• arrange for a one-time tobacco-free night at
a ballpark to attract media attention
Positive recognition for smoke-free
restaurants in the city through dining
guides, certificates, public service
announcements, etc. also can motivate other
eating establishment to do the same.
Two free resources that are available from
TPCB provide a comprehensive step-by-step
plan that can be useful to any youth group:
• The Grassroots Guide for Tobacco-Free
Schools in North Carolina includes a
sample petition, model policy, eight step
checklist for creating and maintaining
tobacco-free school policy
• ETS Policy Manual: An A to Z Toolbox for
Community Change includes information
about schools as well as just about every
public place from businesses, ballparks,
summer camps, etc.
Instead of completing an action plan chart
that resembles a worksheet for a class
assignment, another approach for
orchestrating an event is for everyone in the
group to write down specific tasks on
separate index cards. The duplicates are
combined or discarded and the rest of the
cards are arranged in the proper sequence.
The next step is to figure out who will do
what and put the names on the cards. Have
everyone recap what they promise to do and
decide on the date for the next meeting.
Provide everyone with a one-month calendar
to help keep track of upcoming dates.
Of course, the timeline should take into
account school events such as exams and
homecoming as well as holidays and
vacations. A game plan should be regarded
as an evolving strategy, one that constantly
will be revised as more information is
obtained, as more people join the effort, as
competing proposals emerge, and as the
political wind shifts. Ongoing assessment
and evaluation also are essential and this
participatory process is described in Part 4.
Even if a member of the group volunteered to
keep everyone on track with their individual
responsibilities in preparing for a
community intervention, the adult partner
should expect to be making additional
phone calls and sending out emails.
Some suggestions on dealing with difficult
group dynamics are described in Sensitive
Issues in the next section.
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Publicizing Your Campaign
News coverage about tobacco prevention
activities and events can enhance the group’s
legitimacy. Moreover, the media spotlight
tends to induce decision makers to pay more
attention to the tobacco control proposals.
Most young people do not follow the
mainstream media and may be unfamiliar
with the importance and content of local
newspapers and newscasts. One excellent
activity for teens is to monitor the news
media by looking for coverage on tobacco
and other substance abuse issues. The next
step is to distinguish factual news stories
from editorials, op-eds, letters to the editor
all of which are written from a point of view.
This activity helps teens gain:
• familiarity with the overall structure of
news stories, including quotes and
"soundbites"
• understanding of how the tobacco issue is
covered in their community
• knowledge about what kinds of events are
considered newsworthy by local news
outlets
• awareness of the difference between
writing a news story and an opinion
column.
The group may want to analyze newspaper
articles, TV and radio stories they find and
hear and discuss how teens tend to be
portrayed and how tobacco is covered. Are
many letters to the editor published about
this issue? Who in the community appear to
be the spokespeople on different sides of the
issue? Is tobacco seen as a serious health
problem for children, youths and adults?
This overview of different news outlets helps
young advocates plan their media
strategies. It’s important that whenever
someone contacts reporters, there is a real
story to be told. It may take some coaching
from adults to "frame" a story that will be
interesting and newsworthy, for example:
• collecting data (such as an opinion survey
or a tobacco ad census) and releasing the
results to the news media
• presenting an award
• making a prediction
• announcing a new program
• celebrating an anniversary
• bringing a noted speaker to town
Just having youths involved in such a
positive community effort can be a great
news peg – but be careful! While reporters
and producers may be drawn to your story
because it is youth-led, a common mistake is
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3

the adult partner winds up on the 5 o’clock
news. To make sure at least one young
person is prepared and ready to be
interviewed, arrange for some media
advocacy and spokesperson trainings early
on. This way young advocates will be quoted
in print and broadcast in a way that
reinforces the image and reality of the group.
The group should be involved in the
selection of spokespersons rather than it
being determined solely by adults that can
be interpreted as favoritism. It's equally
important that the team understands the
commitment to make sure these
representatives reflect the diversity of your
school and community if at all possible.
The group might want to agree on a dress
code for media events and interviews. While
dresses for females and coats and ties for
males is probably going too far, have the
team members decide what is appropriate
and it might be as simple as "no jeans."
Help young people prepare for news interviews
by preparing no more than three main points to
make in the interview. Have them memorize
only one or two statistics and devote plenty of
time to practicing their pitch until the key
message and supporting data flow naturally.
It’s also wise to rehearse some answers to a
range of questions reporters might ask.
It is recommended that everyone in the
group under age 18 get a parent or
guardian's signature on the photo release
form h (refer to Part 5) because presumably
many other individual members will have
the opportunity at some point to interact with
the news media.
The Regional ?Y Youth Empowerment
Centers can be very helpful in providing
materials for many media advocacy skill
building activities including:
• writing a letter to the editor
• framing the issue and using sound bites
• using survey results and other data
effectively
• creating a news release
• speaking to reporters
• handling 'gotcha' questions
• planning a press conference
• developing a public service announcement
The ETS Policy Manual mentioned above
contains a complete rundown on media
advocacy (pages 28-32). Additional forms are
included in Part 5. Now Hear This by Fenton
Communications is another excellent
resource that can be downloaded from
www.fenton.com/resources/nht_report.asp.
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3

Dealing with the media often necessitates
behind-the-scenes work by an adult. Calls to
print and broadcast contacts to confirm they
received the news release usually need to be
made when young people are at school.
Sometimes, time runs out and adults have to
jump in at the eleventh hour. This situation is
entirely justifiable but carries repercussions. A
case in point: a student speaker at a news
conference was handed a speech to read
because no communication system was in
place for prior consultation. Her reaction was "It
made me feel that I was incapable of writing a
speech, or knowing how to catch the people’s
eyes in the audience." Whenever possible, try
to allow at least twice as much time to get
tasks completed because most young people
have busy and unpredictable schedules.
Maintaining Momentum
Remember to celebrate and do it often.
Victories don’t come quickly so it’s important
to boost morale and pick up the energy level
for the next phase. A lot is gained by
analyzing every stage of your campaign. It
can help spot new opportunities and figure
out next moves. Listening to one another’s
reactions also will unify the group. All the
different ideas expressed serve as a
reminder of the team’s combined brainpower
and energy.
As each event occurs, consider examining it
on two levels. First, focus on personal
impressions and expectations. Next, talk
together about how well the group functions
and your progress in realizing your goal.
Let’s say the group just met with a key
decision maker who made flattering and
supportive comments, but refused to make
any commitment. Take a few minutes to
dissect the exchange. Talk about how you
were treated and how well the team worked
and discuss different approaches in a
similar situation. Think about what
information might have been more
persuasive with this VIP.
Rarely does a single intervention produce
results. Sometimes immediate next steps are
obvious. Inaction is another possibility and
more common than outright defeat. For
example, a superintendent might decide to
appoint a task force to study tobacco use in
schools that could take six months. In this
case, the group might explore trying to get a
representative named to the task force and
brainstorm ways to keep the issue alive, for
example, holding a forum for high school
newspapers editors to encourage them to do
stories on smoking in bathrooms, the extent
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3

of baseball players who chew, number of
students interested in a teen cessation
program, etc. In this situation where a
tobacco-free school policy proposal is on
hold, it would be good for the group to
reopen discussion about other tobacco
control issues to pursue in the meantime.
Again, please refer to Part 4 which gives a
complete rundown for the ongoing process:
assess plan evaluate.
Goals continually need to be modified,
strategies revised and new tactics tried. A key
role for adult partners is to continue nurturing
and cultivating relationships, such as
briefing the county coalition about an event.
This networking increases the likelihood that
the group will be well informed about other
tobacco control efforts that are underway.
Inevitably, these contacts will result in more
opportunities for the members and this
snowball effect helps maintain momentum
for the tobacco-free movement.
SENSITIVE ISSUES
Even though we all were young once,
amnesia is inevitable. And as we know, the
world has changed. Life for Generation Y is
altogether distinct from Generation X.
Understanding the different psychological
and social needs as well as cognitive
abilities of both young teens and older
adolescents is critical. Collaborating with
people of various ages from diverse
backgrounds also requires extra sensitivity.
These and other delicate issues are
addressed, as well as techniques for
including the parents in youth-led tobacco
control programs and events.
Catering to Age Appropriate Needs
We all know that young adolescents,
sometimes called tweens, are very different
from older adolescents. Early adolescence is
a time of dramatic changes on all levels from
biological development to new roles and
norms linked to adolescent culture. Structure
and control are necessary for 10 to 13 year
olds, but as individuals mature, too much
adult control can drive older teens away.
Youth empowerment needs to be
developmentally appropriate by providing
the opportunity for increased autonomy,
participation in decision-making and
leadership in a variety of interesting and
challenging opportunities. Although
trainings and events will differ depending on
the age, younger and older adolescents all
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gain more knowledge and commitment to the
cause of tobacco-free North Carolina from
interactive, hands-on activities.
The National Youth Development Information
Center provides an array of resources on its
website www.nydic.org, including Youth
Development Programs and Outcomes: Final
Report for the YMCA of the USA, (Search
Institute, 1996). This publication does a great
job condensing the fascinating and complex
developmental needs of tweens and teens
into seven straightforward categories.
An understanding of adolescent
development can help determine how best
to share certain responsibilities,
particularly with younger teens. Keep in
mind these developmental benchmarks are
generalizations; don't err on the side of
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Need: Competence and
Achievement
CHARACTERISTICS INCLUDE:
desire for personal recognition
desire for responsibility
desire to succeed
emergence of new interests, capabilities
emerging racial/cultural identity
emerging sexual identity
"imaginary audience" self-consciousness
need for approval from adults
need for approval from peers
somewhat shaky self-esteem
vulnerability to adult expectations
Need: Positive Social
Interactions with Peers and
Adults
continued importance of parents and
other adults
"imaginary audience," self-consciousness
increasing importance of peers
maturing social skills
need for approval from adults
need for approval from peers
search for models, heroes, and heroines
Need: Self-Definition
emerging gender identity
emerging sense of a personal future
emotionalism, mood swings
new body image
new reactions from others
onset of formal operations
Need: Creative Expression
desire to test new physical and mental
capabilities
emerging sexual identity
Need: Physical Activity
changing hormone levels produce periods
of boundless energy and lethargy
desire to test new physical capabilities
normal variation in onset of puberty,
rate of growth
vulnerability to injury due to rapid
growth
Need: Structure and Clear
Limits
authoritarianism
desire for autonomy
desire to know and understand rules and
limits
increasing importance of peers
lack of life experience
need for continued adult guidance
need for security
"personal fable," immunity to harm
Need: Meaningful Participation
desire for autonomy
desire to be part of the "real" adult world
desire for personal recognition
desire for responsibility
emerging gender identity
lack of life experience
maturing social skills
readiness to make commitments to
ideals, activities, and people

underestimating youths' capabilities. In
fact the American Psychological
Association notes that early adolescents
begin to learn how to organize their
environment coherently and conceptually
and by the onset of late adolescence,
"almost all minors with at least average
intellectual ability possess the capacity for
formal operations that characterizes the
problem-solving process of adults." In the
majority of successful advocacy campaigns,
young people surprise adults and policy-
makers by exceeding expectations. It is
vital for adults to demonstrate genuine
confidence and trust in young people's
abilities, including those untested.
Working with Diverse Youths
The geography of North Carolina includes
beaches and mountains. This varied terrain
mirrors many different populations that will
be involved in local coalitions and youth
groups. Effective strategies for preventing
tobacco abuse require a cultural perspective
and that is why diversity is so important.
For instance, American Indians can teach
others how tobacco is used in spiritual or
healing ceremonies. Hispanics are apt to
develop community interventions that might
be quite different from tobacco control
activities created by Asian youths. Teens
living in rural areas will fashion campaigns
that are unlike initiatives in Greensboro or
other urban centers. Even in communities
that are not multicultural, socio-economic
and class differences can be very
challenging. Other dimensions of diversity
include social types as defined by the youth
culture (jocks, nerds, joiners, rebels, etc.).
Group differences should be acknowledged
and respected.
Statewide and regional trainings provide
great opportunities to showcase North
Carolina's rich demographics. According to
Community Programs to Promote Youth
Development by the National Research
Council and the Institute of Medicine, five
elements are critical to cultivating positive
inter-group relationships through
inclusiveness:
• Interactions between different groups must
be on a level of equal status
• Activities must be cooperative rather
than competitive, involving pursuit of a
shared goal
• Individualized contacts between members
of the group need to occur
• Institutions and authority figures must
support the goal of inter-group
understanding; "institutional silence," an
atmosphere in which race is never
mentioned, can lead to unspoken
perceptions of discrimination and inter-
group tensions
• Adults have important roles as "role
models, pathfinders, arbitrators,
peacemakers, interpreters, mentors,
promoters of civic ethics, and
administrators"
This final point deserves special attention:
young people need to see adults
exchanging ideas, collaborating and
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3

having fun with people from different
backgrounds. Another suggestion is to take
advantage of the training and technical
experience offered by the staff of TPCB and
Regional Centers and perhaps conducting a
workshop on cultural sensitivity.
Overseeing Transportation and Liability
Concerns
Transportation to and from meetings and
events can be a major headache. Sometimes
the selection of a convenient, central
location reduces extensive logistics and
precious dollars for transportation. As noted
in "Selecting Local Partners," sometimes
schools can be persuaded to provide buses
to transport students to conferences and the
same holds true with community-based
organizations as well as churches that may
have vans available.
Since many young people don't have a license
yet or don't have access to a car, finding reliable
and efficient ways to transport youths requires
creativity and diligence. Besides carpools,
providing money for bus fares or perhaps
negotiating a discount rate with a local cab
company are a few possibilities for dealing with
this challenge. Keep in mind that some students
may not have enough cash to cover
transportation costs so try to provide cash
advances for these expenses. Any adult leader
or volunteer who drives young people needs to
carefully review their auto insurance coverage.
There should be a seat belt for each passenger
and, of course, everyone should buckle up. The
Regional Youth Empowerment Center as well
as local youth-serving organizations can lend
expertise and common sense on questions
surrounding liability and risk pertaining to
minors. The sample transportation form h
included in Part 5 should suffice.
Background checks for all adults working
closely with minors should be standard
practice. Additionally, consider adopting a
policy that no adult should ever be alone
with an individual youth. (Check out
www.usabackgrounds.com for more
information)
Connecting with Parents
Keep parents and guardians in the loop to
the greatest extent possible. The better
informed, the more likely parents will
appreciate and support their child’s
activities. Signed consent forms are a
necessity if the young person is under 18
years of age. A sample parent permission
form, transportation/overnight permission
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3
A school in
Wake County
made small but
significant
changes in the
bus route in
order to provide transportation to students involved with
My Brother’s Keeper, an afterschool program engaged in
a variety of tobacco prevention activities.

form as well as a photographic release form
h that pertain to the news media all are
included in Part 5.
Gaining written permission provides an
opportunity to share information about group
activities. Frequent notices with dates and
permission slips for specific tobacco control
events such as meeting with the state
officials also help reduce extra-curricular
scheduling conflicts. Of course, all these
materials should be written in the family
members' native language.
Parents also may be willing to volunteer with
transportation or to chaperone. Another
potential benefit is that a parent might be
able to open doors through their own network
of contacts including elected officials,
community leaders, and the news media.
Two other suggestions to consider:
• Check first with the young person to make
sure it's okay to contact his/her parent(s) or
guardian.
• Try to have the same adult contact the
parent to increase rapport and trust.
Brief handwritten notes to parents about their
child's contributions to the group may help
convince them these activities are
worthwhile. Letters of references for
prospective employers and college
recommendations that highlight a young
person's initiative are another way for
parents to get a glimpse of their child's
talents that they may not observe at home or
in other situations. This feedback and
information also can change the mindset of
parents who may be concerned about time
diverted away from schoolwork, sports,
family obligations, or other priorities.
Addressing Group Conflicts
Challenging the status quo is bound to be
messy, especially when it comes to tobacco
control in North Carolina. It is not unusual for
students to be attacked as pawns who are
manipulated by public health advocates. This
is one main reason why young people need to
gain a solid understanding of the politics
surrounding tobacco as well as how to hold
their ground. Conducting surveys, community
assessments, and other fact-finding activities
h(refer to Part 5) not only build knowledge
but also give youths that sense of confidence
and ownership of the issue that naysayers and
adversaries cannot undermine.
In addition to doing research, lining up a few
key allies such as a school board member to
champion a tobacco-free policy can serve
several purposes. These community leaders
can be important sources about the
opposition and this intelligence can help the
group assess the situation and pursue
effective community interventions. It is far
better to prepare for worst case scenarios
than be caught by surprise. Sometimes well-
meaning adults want to protect young people
from failure. Once students feel empowered
and there is a belief in the power of the
group, adversity often is advantageous
because it strengthens resolve.
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Besides external conflicts, collaborating with
people of different ages from diverse
backgrounds can make group dynamics
more difficult. Personality clashes can flare
up. Sometimes conflict is bred out of
misunderstanding and miscommunication
and there are ways to avoid this kind of
friction in the future. At other times, creative
tensions are inevitable and necessary in
order for the opinions and concerns of every
party involved to be fully heard. Confronting
problems is far better than letting them
fester and possibly get out of control. It may
be helpful to bring in an outsider to train
everyone in facilitation skills. Two
recommended resources include the Institute
of Cultural Affairs (www.ica-usa.org) and
The Art Of Group Facilitation: The Teen
Empowerment Guide To Interactive Group
Work Methods (www.teenempowerment.org).
Irregular attendance can cause a group to
feel like it is spinning its wheels. Issues and
strategies that have been discussed already
may have to be reviewed for the benefit of
updating those who missed the last meeting.
Prior decisions get revisited. If absences seem
to be a primary reason for dysfunctional
meetings, evaluate whether the time of day or
the location may be the cause. Transportation
can be a huge barrier. Also, look for deeper
explanations for low turnout. Are factions
causing tensions? What has the group
accomplished so far? Until these questions
are answered, don't give up on absentees and
make sure they get frequent updates. Here
are a few additional suggestions for avoiding
unproductive and frustrating meetings:
• Catch-up and hangout time help fortify
friendships and group solidarity. A round
of intros and/or silly energizers may
encourage collegiality and also make
newcomers feel less like outsiders.
• Brainstorming and planning can be
followed up at the same meeting by
concrete hands-on work (designing an
announcement, drafting a letter, sending
out emails, etc.). A meeting place with
access to computers, printers, perhaps
video equipment, and other supplies
makes this possible.
• Food is important, regardless of what time
of day or night meetings are held!
• Have everyone recap what s/he promises
to do and decide on the date for the next
meeting.
• Set up telephone trees or a list-serve to
send out reminders and updates.
• Address persistent lack of follow through.
If individuals repeatedly fail to do what
they agreed to, it may be necessary to
have a candid discussion about who else
has the time and is qualified to undertake
specific roles.
Although youth empowerment is not anti-
adult, problems can arise over power-sharing.
Intergenerational collaboration can get
rough. In the early stages, it is recommended
not to sweat the small stuff. Adults should let
youth-designed activities move forward. This
sets an important precedent. It is also a good
way to help the group determine how well it
is functioning, perhaps reshuffle some
responsibilities, and recruit for specific needs.
Later on, give honest feedback and share
misgivings. Also refer to earlier section
‘Shifting Adult Responsibilities."
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ROADMAPFORPROGRAMPLANNING&EVALUATION:SIZINGUPTHECOMMUNITY|PLANNINGCOMMUNITYINTERVENTIONS|EVALUATINGPROGRESS
"Where do we start?" is often the first
question on the minds of many youth groups
that are new to the tobacco-free movement.
A program planner or evaluator might
answer: "Well, where do you want to end
up?" In participatory evaluation, program
planning cannot be separated from program
evaluation. A well-defined group action
plan with feasible, concrete ideas is
essential for developing an evaluation plan
that will provide your group as well as your
funders with information that concludes: "We
got where we wanted to go." Or with the
right information in hand, the group could
share surprising positive results: "Our
journey took us here, not exactly where we
had planned to go!" A strong evaluation plan
helps tell the story of your project by
providing information about what happened
along the way (process) and what important
results you helped achieve (outcomes).
Active youth participation in each of these
components is integral to the ?Y
intergenerational model of empowerment:
building critical awareness, developing new
skills, and creating opportunities for growth
and community change.
Part 4 covers the three inter-related stages:
1) Assess: Where are we starting from?
Community assessment activities
(developing strategy)
2) Plan: Where shall we go and how will we
get there? Writing objectives and action
plans (program planning)
3) Evaluate: Did we get there and what
happened along the way? Data collection
and analysis (ongoing evaluation and
program development)
What follows is an overview of common
evaluation terms and techniques, along with
references to user-friendly forms and
interactive tools. Those identified with h
can be found in Part 5 and others can be
downloaded from the PDF file at
www.StepUpNC.com.
SIZING UP THE COMMUNITY
First, a reminder that the emphasis of the
tobacco-free movement is to change
community policies and programs rather
than individual behavior change. Research
clearly shows that environmental changes,
especially increases in the cigarette tax and
page 35
PART 4: ROADMAP FOR PROGRAM PLANNING & EVALUATION
4
10 Reasons to Assess Plan Evaluate
1. Know where you're starting from
2. Know where you want to go
3. Determine strategy
4. Improve your program
5. Discover successful strategies
6. Discover unsuccessful strategies
7. Fulfill grant requirements
8. Document accomplishments
9. Use new data to win future grants
10. Win friends and influence people

Question Why Guide

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