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1. Youth Turning Adversity Into Action noys.org

2. What is YOUTH-Turn? • YOUTH-Turn is an online tool available through National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). • It is a resource totally focused on helping teens and community members turn adversity into educational and constructive opportunities that may prevent similar tragedies from happening to someone else. 

3. Adversity into Action • How can youth turn ? • Create activities and programs that are: • Educational: spread the awareness about the cause and provide solutions on how to prevent the tragedy from happening again. • Sustainable: create activities that are lasting and can be implemented again and again. • Memorable: Be creative and make activities unique. • Engaging: create activities that invite peers and community members to participate.

4. Creating Change • As you plan events/activities, focus on bringing the community together, and allow each person to contribute in a special way. • YOUTH-Turn provides these resources to help teens create change: • Developing an Action Plan • Project Ideas • Connecting with Others • Promoting Your Project

5. Taking Action YOUTH-Turn Project Ideas School Assembly/Town Hall Meeting Website/Facebook Page Remembrance Tree Share Your Story Pledge Campaign Awareness Materials/Accessories Candlelight Vigil

6. Developing a Team Tips for Teens Working with Adults Tips for Adults Working with Teens Planning Activities Press Releases Earned Media Letter to the Editor Project Planning Guide Presentation Guide Media Worksheet Media Action Plan Media Advisory YOUTH-Turn Toolkit • YOUTH-Turn provides many online and printable resources, including:

7. Coping With Tragedies • When a terrible event happens in a community, people are devastated, angry, hurt, shocked, and confused.  And, they want to know why it had to happen, how they should feel, and what they should do. YOUTH-Turn provides these resources to help with the coping process: • Understanding Emotions • How You Can Help Yourself and Support Others • Tips for Tributes, Memorials, and Anniversaries of Tragedies • Where to Turn for Help • Working with the Media

8. YOUTH-Turn Featured Stories • YOUTH-Turn also shares many featured stories of teens and/or their families who took an adversity in their community and turned it into educational action. • You can check out the stories and even submit one of your own!

9. YOUTH-Turn Traffic Safety Categories • YOUTH-Turn provides statistics, resources, and project ideas related to these categories: • Seat Belt Use • Underage Drinking • Passenger Restrictions • Nighttime Driving Restrictions

10. Using the Media • Youth are encouraged to reach out to the media after a tragedy occurs, using earned media opportunities to turn the event into an educational opportunity: • Live interviews, opinion articles, school newsletters, and other outlets • Media can generate support and awareness for the cause • Utilize social media outlets to reach out to the online community

11. Advocacy Work • You Can Help Make Change Happen • Meet with leaders to influence future decisions that might shape policy and local laws. • Start local (city council, mayor, school board, etc.), then advocate to regional • and state leaders (state legislators) • Research the laws • Get to know state laws, what needs to change, and have suggestions to make those changes • Make connections and keep them • Get to know the leaders in the community and in your state (business and • industry, law enforcement, etc.) • Arrange visits with leaders and legislators • Arrange visits, invite them to meetings and rallies that support the cause • Create a proclamation for the government • Draft a proclamation and try to have local and state governments sign it • Invite press to as much of the campaigning process as you can

12. YOUTH-Turn It Around Awards • National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) and Casey Feldman Memorial Foundation have teamed up with National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) to create an award program for youth to turn adversity into action. • Has a traffic tragedy occurred in a community near you? You can create an educational and sustainable project to help prevent the tragedy from happening again by: • Utilizing YOUTH-Turn resources • Sending project proposal to YOUTH-Turn • Implementing project in May 2011 for National Youth Traffic Safety Month • Cash prizes are awarded!! • For more information, visit noys.org.

13. Brand New Video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQHaoVkmGxw

14. Support YOUTH-Turn • YOUTH-Turn is seeking sponsors/underwriters for the following categories: • Suicide Prevention • Violence Prevention • Substance Abuse Prevention • Bullying Prevention YOUTH-Turn: Helping Teens Turn Adversity into Action

15. National organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) NOYS is a national nonprofit coalition that focuses on youth health and safety. • NOYS Coalition includes over 60 youth-led or youth-serving national nonprofitorganizations, federal agencies, and business and industry leaders

16. Contact Us We’d love to hear from you about how you’re using YOUTH-Turn! National Organizations for Youth Safety7371 Atlas Walk Way #109Gainesville, VA 20155 828-FOR-NOYSinfo@noys.org