40 Years–40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #17: Living the Dream Healthy & Substance-Free

 

40 Years-40 Stories| Story #17: Living the Dream Healthy & Substance Free!

In our last Story #16, we celebrated how much fun InnerAct Alliance's Outreach Team has taking prevention out into our community. We mentioned that event participants can always enjoy some fun hands-on activity or craft when they visit the IAA Display, plus receive helpful resources for parents and families.

Question: What Do Dream Catchers Have to Do with Substance Abuse Prevention? 

EVERYTHING...it's just the start of Living the Dream! One of our favorite activities provides the opportunity for kids to make their own Dream Catcher. It's a creative craft that's free and fun to make with significance of a much deeper meaning to help students realize their dreams can come true if they do the right thing and choose to live a healthy, alcohol- and substance-free life.

Themes for Our Proactive Prevention Projects

Live a Healthy Lifestyle - drug use impedes your dreams

Plan for the Future - planning is key to meeting your goals

Work Hard - implementing your success plan takes time and effort

Once You're Living Your Dream - help others catch theirs too

Goals Give Life Direction!

When teens are focused on their dreams and working towards them, they're less likely to get sidetracked by drugs. Achieving goals boosts motivation and perseverance so youth can achieve their dreams and make powerful choices for their future.

All donations - big or small - help to encourage youth, amplify their voices, and celebrate their strength. Please donate to InnerAct Alliance's prevention efforts to encourage youth to choose to be drug-free!

Donate 

Text IAA to 26989

https://www.inneractalliance.org/#donate

*40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #LivingTheDream #DreamCatchers #YouthEmpowerment #GoalSetting #DrugFree #HealthyLifestyle #PreventionWorks #PolkCounty #DreamBig #ChooseLife

Help Youth Celebrate Safe & Substance Free

 

This is a wonderful time to celebrate the achievements of our amazing youth - from prom to graduation, birthdays to end of school parties and start of summer break. Kids deserve to have fun and create memories, but it's also important to be safe and smart.

Of all alcohol-related fatalities involving teens each year, approximately one-third take place during April, May, and June prom and graduation season. Research shows that youth who start drinking before age 15 are at much higher risk for developing alcohol use disorder (AUD) later in life than those who begin drinking at age 21.

As parents and caring adults, it is our responsibility to help our children celebrate safely and responsibly especially since they and many of their friends are underage. Before shopping for party decorations or helping them put on their graduation gowns, have a talk with your son or daughter about substance use.

Take steps to ensure that no alcohol or drugs are available at teen parties held at your home and are discouraged at friends' homes or events they may be attending. 

For tips on how to guide teens in ways to celebrate responsibly, visit:

https://www.informedfamilies.org/campaigns/safe-homes-smart-parties

  

40 Years–40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #16: IAA Prevention Outreach in Our Community

 

40 Years-40 Stories | Story #16 IAA Prevention Outreach in Our Community

At InnerAct Alliance, we believe in the power of education, communication, connection, and access to resources that help to build stronger, safer substance-free communities.

Where You'll Find Us

IAA's Prevention Team enjoys participating in local community events to share how our agency's FREE prevention education programs positively impact the Lakeland and Polk County areas. Each year, InnerAct Alliance connects with families to offer tools and resources at events such as: Heartland for Children's Reunification Celebration; Spring Fling & Easter Egg Hunt at Crystal Lake Elementary; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Caring; Annual Watermelon Festival at Bonnet Spring's Great Lawn & Florida's Children's Museum; community expos, resource fairs, health & wellness fairs.

Come say hello to the friendly faces of InnerAct Alliance who always provide hands-on activities or fun children's crafts, useful resources for families, and fun giveaways for participants!

Social Norms in Schools

You'll also find our prevention team at Polk middle and high schools sharing proactive Social Norms messaging with students during lunch periods to highlight the "upside" of current statistics.

Good News: Most Polk County students in grades 6-12 are making healthy choices NOT to drink, smoke, vape or use other drugs!

Other messages include:

Equality - 100% of the Human Race is Deserving of Respect & Kindness

Anti-Bullying - Bullying is 100% Preventable

Student participants receive special rewards and treats! Schools benefit from using these strategies on campus as a way to increase student safety, prevent problem behaviors, and improve student outcomes.

Invite Us to YOUR Event!

*Call (863) 802-0777 to invite the IAA Outreach Team to your upcoming community event to share prevention tools and spread awareness for safer, healthier communities.

Please Support Prevention By Donating

Text IAA to 26989

https://www.inneractalliance.org/#donate

#40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #CommunityOutrach #PreventionWorks #SocialNorms #PolkCounty #CommunityEvents #Equality #AntiBullying #HealthyCommunities #ResourceFair #PreventionEducation

Make Happiness a Habit

 

Remember to Enjoy the Little Things in Life! The secret to happiness is finding joy in the little things every day. But often, we tend to overlook those micro-moments in the pursuit of creating and savoring the big ones. This quest can leave you feeling depleted or disappointed. So, how do we make happiness a habit?

In honor of International Day of Happiness - which was celebrated last week on March 20 - we are sharing some terrific reminders from Peace River Center's suggested list of ways to help us focus on the tiny pleasures we have in our lives every single day:

Get some sunshine 🌞- getting fresh air, soaking up the sun's rays, and taking a few moments to be mindful can help improve our mood organically.

Put on a fun song & dance 💃 - even if you're a terrible dancer, get your groove on! Moving our bodies is not only a great way to get out of our heads, but exercise can boost serotonin.

Shift your perspective🙏- when things get challenging, look for things to be thankful for. Focusing on those can help shift our perspective. 

Make your face smile😊- sometimes, our bodies and brain follow when we make ourselves smile genuinely. Just practice smiling! 

Reach out to others who bring out the best in you 👦👧👨👩 - sometimes we just need some time with friends who love us for who we are. Surround yourself with more people like this!

If you find that you are struggling to choose happiness and could use some support, help is just a phone call away at Peace River Center.📱 Reach out to their appointment line at (863) 248-3311.

Welcome Spring! 🌷

 

Happy Spring from InnerAct Alliance 🌷

 with special thanks to our friends

at Positively Present for the inspiring graphic!

40 Years–40 Stories of InnerAct Alliance | Story #15: Learn to Recognize Signs of Youth Substance Use – OTUS Trailer

 

Prevention Begins at Home!

Walk into an average teen's room and you'll likely find clothing piles on the floor, scattered school supplies on a desk, and a range of personal care products on the vanity. Nothing unusual for parents raising teens but looks can be deceiving.

Critical insights about teen behavior can be found within that clutter and correcting risky behaviors early is key to successful prevention. 

Statistics show most Polk County kids are doing the right thing - however as responsible parents, we should know the warning signs to look for in case our children or teen may be headed in the wrong direction. 

Introducing the OTUS Trailer

In 2019, InnerAct Alliance partnered with the Polk Sheriff's Charities to present an exciting new resource to educate adults and parents of teens in our community. The "Own the Upside...Avoid the Downside" Trailer is an interactive mobile exhibit that houses a replica of a teen's bedroom that adults can walk through to interact with dozens of items on display and learn to recognize clues signaling potential involvement in drugs and risky behaviors - visible in plain sight or concealed in everyday items.

Participants will be enlightened by what they learn and gain valuable information about current trends and resources to help children navigate safely through their teen years.

Book the OTUS Trailer for YOUR Organization 

This exhibit is a FREE educational resource made possible by Polk County Sheriff's Charities and InnerAct Alliance. Schools, churches, businesses, or community groups may invite an IAA representative to visit with the OTUS Trailer and share an informative presentation. 

Please note: a minimum parking space of 9' wide x 20' long is required at your location to accommodate the trailer

Adult Audiences only: due to the nature of material covered

Schedule: contact InnerAct Alliance at (863) 802-0777 or https://www.inneractalliance.org/prevention-in-the-community.html?

It's important to know the facts and act responsibly to help prevent our children, students, neighbors, families and friends
 from becoming the next substance abuse statistic.

Donate

Text IAA to 26989

https://www.inneractalliance.org/#donate

#40Years40Stories #InnerActAlliance #OwnTheUpside #OTUSTrailer #ParentEducation #PreventionBeginsAt Home #PolkSheriffsCharities #TeenSafety #SubstanceAbusePrevention #KnowTheWarningSigns #PolkCounty

Prevention Education Helps to Defy the Odds

 

Goals of prevention efforts are to delay the age of onset of substance use, prevent progression of use (to a potential substance use disorder), and reduce harms. One way to do that is to begin educating children at an early age - the earlier the better. 👪

Prevention experts recommend talking about alcohol and substances with your child when they are about 9 years old - before they are exposed to alcohol and other drugs. If you speak with your kids directly, honestly, and often - they are more likely to respect your rules and advice. This builds a solid foundation for communication and the opportunity to help shape a child's thoughts and actions about alcohol as they move forwards towards adolescence.

As a licensed prevention partner in the state of Florida, InnerAct Alliance works to empower youth to make smart choices and encourage adults to be stronger role models. 💪

Please support local prevention initiatives to help us stay ahead of substance use by inviting a representative from InnerAct Alliance to share a free program with your school students, PTA, church group, community organization, or business lunch/learn. Please call (863) 802-0777 or visit our website at: https://www.inneractalliance.org/