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Community Organizing Program
View past episodes of Communities in Action.
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Teens and Tobacco Prevention
 View episode
The American Lung Association states that 80% of adult smokers began smoking before they were 18. Currently, over 4 million youth between the ages of 12 and 17 are smokers. This means that by the time they leave high school, more than 1/3 of graduates are active smokers.
In this edition of Communities in Action, Host - Val Thomas-Matson, North King County Community Organizer talks with Cheryl Hanson, South King County Community Organizer, about working in the South King County area with a number of youth groups in regard to nicotine prevention. The segment shows how working with a Community Organizer can help identify strategies and resources that can help prevent smoking.
In our second segment, Bob Conroy, Substance Abuse Training Consultant, talks about TATU, Teens Against Tobacco Use, which is designed as a peer-mentoring program. The American Lung Cancer Association is teaming with local schools to keep youth from beginning this harmful activity. We’ll also hear from some students who partake in the TATU program.
Juvenile Intervention Program View episode.
When kids get in trouble, most of us would prefer that we figure out how to help them turn their life around rather than seeing them end up in the Juvenile Justice System. This show showcases a solution for keeping kids out of jail that is working in a number of communities.
In this edition of Communities in Action, Host, Val Thomas-Matson talks with Captain Henry Simon, Bothell Police, who created collaboration between police, service agencies and the community called the Juvenile Intervention Program (JIP). The goals of the program are to help troubled youth and their families before the youth enter the juvenile justice system and to conserve precious resources, such as time and money. In 1999, KCCOP was awarded a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The Juvenile Intervention Program (JIP) was one of five funding recipients due to its proven cost saving prevention.
In our second segment, Bob Akers, Clinical Director for Northshore Youth and Family Services talks about how prevention is less costly than incarceration. We’ll hear from him about how some JIP interventions can work to help kids and families.
Meaningful Involvement View This Episode.
What do a suicide prevention video, a dilapidated greenhouse and science fiction have in common? These are all ways that youth can find to be meaningfully involved in their schools and communities.
In the next edition of Communities in Action, Host, Val Thomas-Matson talks with South King County Community Organizer, Cheryl Hanson about a number of substance abuse and violence prevention efforts that help youth participate in pro-active and meaningful ways. In this episode of CIA, we’ll travel from Kent’s DUI Youth Task Force to Shoreline’s Shorecrest High School to see how youth are making wonderful contributions in meaningful ways.
As adults we know there were caring and supportive adults who helped shaped our character and values. At the Central District’s Forum, Black to the Future Sci-Fi Festival, Val Thomas-Matson spoke with award winning author, Walter Mosley about the adults and defining moments that helped him to engage meaningfully in his youth enough to pursue a path that was less traveled for youth of color.
KCCOP - Who We Are. What We Do. View This Episode.
The King County Community Organizing Program (KCCOP) began working with community groups and coalitions to implement alcohol and other drug prevention strategies in 1989. Community Organizers work with groups to generate ideas, facilitate productive meetings and implement solutions around these issues based on the Communities That Care: Risk and Protective Factor Model of Prevention, which is considered in prevention science as a Best Practice Strategy.
In our first segment, Communities in Action host Val Thomas-Matson gives a brief history of how the King County Community Organizing Program began and how the Community Organizers work with community groups that are establishing violence and substance abuse prevention strategies. In the following segments, Community Organizers Drew Russell, Laura Quinn and Cheryl Hanson join Val to speak on how they organize, convene and support community groups to implement prevention strategies. The final segment includes Andi Smith, Director of Swing Shift After School Program, sharing how collaboration between community organizing and the organization greatly increases results.
New Initiative in Juvenile Justice View This Episode.
A September article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported that the year 2002 marked the fourth straight year of declining juvenile arrest rates in the state. In King County one reason for the decline is that judges are able to refer youth offenders to alternative detention programs, these cost less and are more effective than detention at keeping kids from re-offending.
In this edition of Communities in Action, King County Chief Juvenile Judge Patricia Clark joins Host Val Thomas-Matson. Judge Clark shares her experiences with “Reclaiming Futures,” one of many new juvenile justice initiatives. In our final segment we talk about an issue of epidemic proportions. Nationwide African America youth are over-represented in the juvenile justice system. Tome Dunne, Program Manager of R.O.Y.A.L. introduces us to the “Raising Our Youth As Leaders Program; a detention alternative for African American Youth created by King County to address this serious problem on a local level.
Antwone Fisher View This Episode.
Are you doing what you can to support and encourage the young people in your life to achieve and live productive lives?
In this edition of Communities in Action we take a look at how caring adults can make a difference in the lives of young people. Host Val Thomas-Matson talks with screenwriter and author, Antwone Fisher, (pictured at left) who’s life story of abuse, neglect and resiliency inspired the motion picture Antwone Fisher, directed by Denzel Washington.
In our second segment, King County Executive Ron Sims shares with us some of the caring adults and mentors who helped direct his path.
Our final interview is with Cheryl Clark, Family Advocate at Frank Love Elementary who challenged the coalition she is involved with to develop a mentor program at her school. She also shares the many ways mentors and caring adults are making a difference in their school
Crime Prevention View This Episode.
What do all people want? To live in a safe community! And what do common sense and research support as a way to reduce and prevent crime? "Know thy neighbor."
Our seventh show focuses on community based crime prevention efforts. In our first segment, KCCOP board member Mark Howard of the Seattle Police Department - Community Crime Prevention Division describes how ordinary people coming together are an effective prevention strategy tool. Our second segment takes place at a block watch meeting where we’ll see community organizing in action. In our concluding segment, South King County Community Organizer, Cheryl Hanson explains why auto theft is on the rise and introduces us to Kent Police Officer Peterson who is working with community groups to educate them on auto theft prevention.
Reference Information
- Mark Howard, Seattle Police Dept. Community Crime Prevention
- (206) 684-7555, refers to "A Guide to Planning Safe Neighborhoods," available at http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/prevention
- Call King County Sheriff for referral number for a block watch in your area. 206-296-3311.
- South King County Community Organizer Cheryl Hanson works with South King County Anti-Violence Coalition. For more information call 206-296-5250.
- Officer Paul A. Peterson, Crime Prevention Officer, Kent Police 253-856-5877
- The 19th Annual National Night Out crime/drug prevention event sponsored Association of Town Watch is scheduled for August 6. For information contact King County Community Organizing Program, 206-296-5250 or National Night Out 1-800-NITE-OUT or see http://www.nationaltownwatch.org/nno/about.html
Prevention 101 with Dr. Elders View this episode.
Communities in Action travels to the Washington State Prevention Summit in Yakima where Dr. Joycelyn Elders, former U.S. Surgeon General, provided the keynote address.
Dr. Elders, in an exclusive interview with Communities in Action host Val Thomas-Matson, discusses how important it is for our nation to change the way we think of our health, and to put prevention first. She also shares her ideas about reducing harm for our children, our families, and our communities. Finally Dr. Elders shares a story about her family's resiliency during the time she was leaving her position as Surgeon General.
As Dr. Elders points out there is no substitute for direct communication with our children. In our regular segment on "Parenting Tips" we share ways parents can take time every day to connect with their kids.
Parenting for Prevention
King County Community Organizings’ television program Communities in Action presents it’s fourth show – Parenting for Prevention, featuring ways parents can help keep kids safe.
The show opens with Dr. Marilyn Steele, Co-Developer of Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families and Communities, talking about building blocks for successful parenting.
What do football and parenting having in common? The answer is the New England Patriot’s quarterback Drew Bledsoe. The Drew Bledsoe foundation created a parenting curriculum called Parenting with Dignity. Drew’s dad, Mac Bledsoe, a spokesperson for the foundation, talks with host, Val Thomas-Matson about the curriculum.
Next we head to North County to visit the Center for Human Services where we’ll sit in on a parenting class with Annie Stousek, who oversees the King County Health Departments’ parenting project for the Division of Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs.
Parenting can be hard work and no one has to go it alone. In our animation piece we’ll take a peek at support programs for teen parents.
Despite the hard work, the rewards of parenting are very dear. Join us as we visit with a mother and daughters who take time to cherish each other.
Meaningful Opportunities For Youth Involvement
Our third show features youth active in community youth groups. The youth offer their perspectives on what it takes to get teens involved, and how adults can help. The youth featured are from: Youth Opportunities, a YMCA Program helping teens transition into business prospects and higher education; King County Youth in Action, a social action group that lobbies policy makers about concerns of teens; and Northshore’s Magic Lantern Film Workshop, a group of teens developing anti-drug and abstinence public service announcements geared towards other teens.
“Chef Casey, ” a youth from the Kirkland Youth Council, is featured in the next segment, sharing a special recipe for working with youth.
Next, Community Organizers Drew Russell and Matt McCarter join Community Organizer and Communities in Action host, Val Thomas-Matson, to provide pertinent information and strategies on how community organizers can help facilitate meaningful youth opportunities.
Finally we travel south with Community Organizer Cheryl Hanson and the Peers Educating Peers Project, where youth from seven south King County cities join together to mentor other youth. Our camera followed the youth on a retreat to camp Berachach to learn what it meant for them to get involved with youth prevention efforts.
Starting and Maintaining a Community Coalition View this episode. In our second show, Community Organizer Matt McCarter provided information on how to run an effective coalition. The Coordinator of the Community Organizing Program, Laura Edwards, explained the Coalition Assessment Survey Tool, which helps coalitions evaluate their effectiveness. And Community Organizer Drew Russell shared his experiences working with the White Center Resident Council as they start their own coalition. We also featured an animated parenting segment.
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