What's Happened?

March 2010

HYTF Leads Youth in Social Host Data Collection

The Holyoke Youth Task Force is underway with a data collection project to find out what the community knows about social hosting laws. In Massachusetts, it is against the law to allow anyone under 21, except for your own child or grandchild, to drink alcohol on property you own or rent. Further, you can be sued if your child or another teenager drinks alcohol in your home and then causes harm to themselves or someone else.

HYTF member organization youth are taking to their neighborhoods, grocery stores, and even the mall to survey parents on the realities and perceptions of serving alcohol to minors in the home. Not only will this data help shape the message of the next social marketing campaign implemented by the Holyoke Youth Task Force, it also draws attention to this important issue. Further, by opening up inter-generational conversations around alcohol, the young people are reminding adults that they are a major influencing factor in teen lives.

The HYTF is in need of new members on the Social Marketing committee. If you are able to donate a few hours a month, please contact Rebecca Masters at (413) 532-6247, ext. 108 or email at rmasters@girlsincholyoke.org.

February 2010:

Afterschool Guide On HYTF Website--With Help of Youth!

If you look to the bottom left of these very words, you'll find a map with a link. This map leads to something very handy for Holyoke parents looking to find quality, after-school and out-of-school time programs for their children. With a simple click of the mouse, parents and care-givers can locate programs in Holyoke that are close to school, work, or home. Just as convenient, these programs are listed by age and focus area in the near by yellow "Directory".

Guided by web consultant and experienced youth worker, Jared Libby, youth from Holyoke Youth Task Force member agencies, El Arco Iris and Girls Inc. of Holyoke, were allowed the opportunity to create the cyber map, get a taste of website designing, and most importantly help the community!

The Directory for Afterschool and Summer Programs was develped by the WestMOST Network, the Hasbro Summer Learning Initiative and its partner organizations and was funded by a grant from the MA Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education.

October 2009:

Holyoke Youth Commission and Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy

Council Host Youth Candidate Forum

On October 27th, the Holyoke Youth Commission and the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council brought together candidates running for Mayor and City Councilor At-Large for a forum dedicated to the questions of youth from the community. Holyoke youth posed questions from topics such as gang violence to community gardens.

Youth Commissioner and moderator Lee Eaton said of the event, "It was cool to hear what the candidates felt about the different issues and how the community might be different if they were in office."

This the second Youth Candidate Forum hosted by the Holyoke Youth Commission.

See the footage on Youtube by clicking here!

September 2009:

Youth Commissioners Conduct Sticker Shock Campaign

Holyoke—On Saturday, September 26 th, seven Holyoke Youth Commissioners partnered with Liquors 44, located at 44 Lincoln Street, on a project to reduce underage drinking. During a Sticker Shocker Project, stickers are placed on multi-packs of alcohol reminding the consumer that it is illegal to purchase alcohol to those under 21. The Youth Commissioners also distributed bumper stickers as part of the Holyoke Youth Task Force marketing campaign to reduce underage drinking.

Why is this important?

• Alcohol kills more people under 21 than all other illicit drugs combined
• Alcohol is associated with the leading causes of death among youth (i.e.: motor vehicle crashes, homicides, suicides, drowning)
• Underage drinking costs our society approximately $61.9 billion dollars a year

*MADD Massachusetts

The Holyoke Youth Commission and the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council received fantastic media coverage on WFCR for their Biking Strategy Team and the leadership of the youth working to establish a youth-run bike shop/earn-a-bike program in Holyoke.

(for more information about what the strategy team is up to, check out the Holyoke Food and Fitness walking & biking blog!) 

Karen Brown (2009-09-09)