Volunteer
What can you do to help?
Substance abuse and its effects on our community is a very important issue that cannot go unnoticed or unfelt by any of us. We all experience the effects of substance abuse in our community in some manner. Our community needs a united voice and joint commitment to provide collaborative prevention, intervention and treatment services for a reduction of substance abuse among our citizens. Pittsfield has a lot to offer related to volunteers and interested individuals. We believe that ALL of us working together can bridge existing gaps in services, identify needs and develop new ideas and programs that will reduce substance use, strengthen our community and the futures of our children… SO WHY AREN’T YOU A MEMBER OF THE PDAC? We need you help…your community needs your help! PDAC meets on the 2nd and 4th Monday each month at the Pittsfield Youth Workshop in downtown Pittsfield from 6-7 pm. For further information, call Kristen Treacy at 435-8272 or email Kristen@PittsfieldYouthWorkshop.org.
How to Get Involved!
Network- a united Pittsfield is a stronger Pittsfield
- Come to a PDAC meeting
- Sign the Safe Homes Pledge
- Join PDAC on Facebook - Facebook.com/PittsfieldDAC
- Get the word out about the community forums
- Join the PDAC mailing list
Support PDAC activities
- Volunteer in the classroom to help Anne Cote teach Project Alert
- Help plan activities (community forums, sticker shock, etc.)
- Volunteer for single day events like a Safe Homes pledge collection drive or to help man a drug prevention trailer at Balloon Rally.
Communicate
- Use the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results to start a conversation with youth about what they see in their community
- Make a point to talk with a neighbor about expectations re: youth and alcohol- remember, research shows a zero-tolerance policy keeps kids safer!
- Research activities that have worked in other communities, post related links online
- Write about a recent PDAC accomplishment for the local newspaper
- Interview a police representative and publicize their enforcement efforts
- Take pictures at PDAC events (community forums, Safe Homes Pledge Collection, etc.)
Advocate
- Call or write government officials to express your support of prevention programming
- Write to the NH Liquor Commission to tell them Pittsfield has enough alcohol retailers and remind them that reducing the number of retailers has shown to reduce a variety of alcohol-related problems.
Got a minute?
- Consider signing the Safe Homes Pledge
- Send a text to a friend in the community asking if they have signed the pledge
- “Like” PDAC on Facebook (Facebook.com/PittsfieldDAC)
Got 15 minutes?
- Current research indicates that minimizing the number of alcohol outlets in a specific area may reduce a variety of alcohol-related problems- write to the NH Liquor Commission to let them know Pittsfield already has its fair share of alcohol retailers.
- Check in with yourself to ensure you are sending the right message to youth about alcohol and drug use. Studies show that a zero-tolerance approach is most effective in preventing youth substance abuse and parent expectations are the number one protective factor!
- Ask a youth in your community about their perceptions of drug and alcohol abuse in Pittsfield and listen carefully to what they tell you.
- Read the local Youth Risk Behavior Survey results- do these numbers match your impressions of youth risk taking behavior in the community?
Got an hour?
- Research drug prevention efforts in other communities or through CADAC online and post links to efforts you are interested in on the PDAC Facebook page
- Take a walk as part of the Neighborhood Watch program, bring a friend and get fit together while volunteering.
- Come to a PDAC meeting to help plan prevention efforts in the community- the second and fourth Monday of every month.
Do you have experience with event planning?
- Help PDAC organize the spring community forums (order of the speakers, what kind of food, who to invite, etc.)
Do you enjoy photography?
- Take photos (with people’s permission of course) at PDAC events to submit to the Suncook Valley Sun or post on our Facebook page
Are you artistic?
- Help PDAC figure out how best to visually present data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
Are you a budding writer?
- Write content for our online blog and Facebook page- write about what you see in the community, how substance abuse has effected your life or an opinion piece to submit to a local newspaper editor
Are you interested in journalism?
- Interview local officials about their efforts to keep Pittsfield safe and share your findings in the paper or online
Are you an activist?
- Call or write your politicians and ask them to support prevention programs
Do you have a business background?
- Help PDAC shape their long-term goals and work towards sustainability
EVERYONE HAS A TALENT- COME SHARE YOURS WITH PDAC!
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