Straight Up

The mission of Straight Up is to reduce underage and binge drinking and impaired driving by engaging youth and young adults ages 12 - 25 in projects to change community norms - the attitudes, behaviors, perceptions and policies that accept, allow or encourage these dangerous activities.

Description:
Straight Up activities include youth leadership development, spokespersons training, video and podcast production, community presentations, media advocacy and a variety of youth led prevention strategies and projects.

Our fun interactive workshops for youth groups and college, high school and middle school classes include critical examination of the social norms and consequences of underage and binge drinking, identification of desired changes and exploration for realistic local solutions.

Straight Up youth action includes REALITY PARTIES FOR PARENTS to expose the current culture of underage and binge drinking, and outreach to help parents understand how they can keep their kids safe as well as change community norms among adults that are contributing to the problems.

History:
Straight Up began in Ventura County in 2005 to engage young people in Ventura County Limits a countywide collaboration developed in response to many local problems and tragedies related to underage and binge drinking and impaired driving.

We began and continue to be funded through contract with the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department, Prevention Services. We also contract with the Ventura Unified School District through the GRASP alcohol prevention grant.

Over 5000 young and young adults ages 15 - 25 have participated in our interactive workshops and approximately 400 young people have been involved in community projects and assessments, outreach to peers, media advocacy, video production, writing for the Straight Up blog and performing in Reality Parties for Parents.

Contact person: Katherine Kasmir, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Main office number: (805) 647-4622

Address:

34 N. Palm Street Ventura, CA 93001 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.straightupvc.org

Directions:

The Palm Street address is the location of our Straight Up office, as well as the theatre/studio space we share with Ventura Improv Company. The best MAILING ADDRESS is: 2346 Wildcat Avenue Ventura, CA 93003

Last updated on July 23, 2010