The Friendly PEERsuasion program is a unique response to girls' needs because it approaches drug-abuse prevention as a peer issue, using the positive influence of young people modeling healthy behavior.

Part I:
Girls ages 11 to 14 go through a series of workshops that train them as facilitators to provide programming on decision-making, assertiveness, and communication skills. They also practice walking away from situations where they feel pressured to use alcohol or drugs.

Part II:
The newly trained “PEERsuaders” plan substance-abuse prevention activities for groups of children ages 6 through 10. Looked up to as leaders, the older girls' commitment to stay drug- and alcohol-free is reinforced.

Results:
An independent evaluation showed that Friendly PEERsuasion helped to delay girls' use of harmful substances, especially by giving them the skills to leave situations where their peers were using drugs.

Outreach Locations 2010*

• Salinas
• Soledad
• Greenfield
• Gonzales
• Seaside

*Subject to change

Interested in bringing Friendly PEERsuasion to your community? Please contact us at (831) 772-0882.