NYFS Slates New Events For Teens Once A Month

By Eliza Hallabeck

Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS) Community Coordinator Kaitlyn Johnson announced this week that the nonprofit agency is preparing to offer events for teens, from middle school age to high school age, once a month.

“The whole purpose for it is the prevention of underage drinking,” said Ms Johnson.

Through the Partnership For Success Grant, NYFS will schedule a different event once a month that will also offer free food, games, and other incentives for local Newtown students who attend.

So far, Ms Johnson said there is a proposed schedule of events until June, but NYFS is looking for students and adults from Newtown to share thoughts and ideas about what events they would like to be held.

The first event is scheduled for February 21 at NYFS’s 17 Church Hill Road building, from 1 pm to 3 pm, and it will be a Mardi Gras party, according to Ms Johnson.

With the Partnership For Success Grant, NYFS is also looking to hold focus group sessions, one with adults and one with teens, to share ideas and information for upcoming events.

NYFS was awarded the Partnership for Success Grant from the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. NYFS will be funded $320,000 over the next four and a half years to reduce the percentage of youth who report that they drank alcohol one or more days during the past 30 days and reduce the number of youth who report that they drank five or more drinks on the same occasion on at least one day in the past 30 days, binge drinking.

“A lot of the parents that I have been talking to are excited about this issue,” Ms Johnson said.

The consent form for the focus groups explains each focus group will meet for 30 minutes and all information shared during the meeting will remain confidential.

“The information from all the focus groups will be combined together with other focus group responses and reported to members who are working on implementing the prevention grant,” the consent form reads. “Participation in this focus group is entirely voluntary: Your child can decide not to participate at all. During the focus group, each student can use ‘Pass’ if they feel uncomfortable answering a question.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the focus groups or the upcoming events NYFS is planning, can contact Ms Johnson at 203-270-4335 or at Kjohnson@newtownyouthandfamilyservices.org.

Students who participate in the focus groups will also earn time toward community service hours, according to Ms Johnson.

Ms Johnson also said she is hoping roughly 25 to 30 students will attend each of the scheduled events.

“All our events will always be free, so that everyone can be involved,” said Ms Johnson.

Some of the future events may include a movie night at Edmond Town Hall, a bowling night, and more. Most of the events, she said, will be scheduled for Fridays.

“We are excited about it,” said Ms Johnson.