The Youth Ambassador Program is designed to empower the youth of today to be the substance abuse prevention leaders of tomorrow. Through interactive exercises, comprehensive trainings, and targeted focus on community needs, the Youth Ambassadors develop materials and support regional centers and school programs to prevent substance abuse.
Ambassadors represent the following schools:
- Calvary Lutheran High School (Jefferson City)
- Kennett High School
- Linn High School
- Morgan County R-I (Stover)
- Morgan County R-II (Versailles)
The Youth Ambassadors meet once a month to discuss current problems in their areas and help achieve their mission to end substance abuse in their communities and Missouri. Regular trainings and activities are scheduled with the discussions to enhance participation and understanding of subject matter.
The Youth Ambassadors met for their first training on January 7, 2016. This dedicated group of six completed six exercises:
- Cause & Effect: Ambassadors matched causes of substance abuse to related effects
- Elevator Speeches: Ambassadors learned how to best spend their thirty seconds in an elevator to explain to someone what they do as an Ambassador
- Personal Mission Statements: each Ambassador learned that reviewing goals regularly is important in accomplishing them
- Bridge to Support: using everyday items, Ambassadors built a ‘bridge to support’ before learning how a combination of treatment techniques is most successful
- Cause & Effect, Revisited: Ambassadors determined the best treatment option for varying types of substance abuse
- Guess Who: Ambassadors reviewed real stories of substance abuse and pinpointed where prevention programs could have intervened