I.
Why should I start a SADD chapter?
What
is SADD?
Founded
as Students Against Driving Drunk in 1981, SADD has grown to
become the nations dominant peer-to-peer youth prevention
organization with thousands of chapters in middle schools, high
schools and colleges. In 1997, in response to requests from
SADD students themselves, SADD expanded its mission and name,
and now sponsors chapters called Students Against Destructive
Decisions.
What
does SADD do?
SADDs
unique approach involves young people delivering education and
prevention messages to their peers through school- and community-wide
activities and campaigns responsive to the needs of their particular
locations. Projects may include peer-led classes and theme-focused
forums, teen workshops, conferences and rallies, prevention education
and leadership training, and awareness-raising activities and
legislative work.
How
is the work of SADD chapters important?
SADD believes in the power of young people and their ability
to make sound, intelligent decisions. SADD empowers students
to act on their convictions. SADD puts the responsibility for
making safe, informed choices on teens themselves rather than
telling them what to do or what not to do. SADD encourages teens
to consider the impact of their choices on their friends, their
families and their future.
How
is SADD unique?
SADDs unique approach involves young people in informing,
supporting and assisting their peers to have the best tools
to make healthy decisions. Through its expansive network of
chapters across the country, SADD can deliver information and
messages to hundreds of thousands of teenagers.
SADD
relies on scientifically grounded prevention principles. As
a youth prevention program that begins and evolves from local
level efforts, SADD is:
- age
appropriate
- culturally
appropriate
- long-term,
continuing throughout the school career
- cost
effective
In
addition, SADD promotes programming that includes:
- targeting
all forms of drug use
- skills
to resist drug offers
- social
competency skills
- normative
education designed to correct students misperceptions
about
their peers drug use
- a
parent component
- outreach
to all populations including children with behavior problems
or
learning disabilities
- interactive
methods, such as peer discussion groups
- media
campaigns and lobbying for policy changes
What
is the Contract for Life?
The Contract for Life is a SADD signature product whereby a
student and a caring adult exchange mutual promises to facilitate
communication and promote safety. The Contract for Life provides
an important foundation for trust and caring. The Contract for
Life is available on the SADD Web site, www.sadd.org; you may
download, copy, and distribute it.
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2.
HOW DO I START A SADD CHAPTER?
How
do I get people involved?
Approach your friends, members of your schools student
government, team captains, and students who volunteer or mentor
regularly. Most importantly, you need to recruit a diverse group
of students in order to appeal to everyone in your school; students
will realize that SADD offers something for everyone if they
see that it is led by a unique, diverse group of their peers.
How
do I find a faculty advisor?
Appeal to a teacher, coach, counselor, or administrator who
is trusted and well respected by the school community. It is
important that you find someone who is passionate about your
cause and who has the time, energy, and creativity necessary
to be an effective SADD chapter advisor. Be sure to communicate
your expectations to your potential advisor.
- He/she
should be able to attend all SADD chapter meetings.
- He/she
should be willing to sponsor and chaperone SADD chapter activities.
- He/she
should be willing to act as a liaison between the SADD chapter
and
the school administration.
When
should I hold meetings?
Schedule regular meetings at a time when all members and your
advisor are able to attend. Some schools set aside time during
the school day for clubs and activities to meet while others
opt to meet after school. In order to ensure maximum attendance,
consider offering snacks or providing a small door prize of
some sort.
What
should we discuss at our meetings?
At your first meeting, you should be sure that you inform all
members about the SADD philosophy and mission statement. Generate
a list of issues that your chapter thinks are the most pressing
in your school. You may want to design a survey of student concerns
and behaviors. Consider what kind of decisions students in your
community have to make on a daily basis and define the pressures
that they regularly face. Determine what an appropriate response
to these pressures would be and what activities your SADD chapter
can sponsor to empower your schoolmates to make positive choices.
What
kind of activities can we plan?
SADD chapters plan a wide variety of activities and events in
their communities. The more creative your chapter members are,
the better! You can plan peer education opportunities in the
middle or elementary schools, fund-raisers, awareness-raising
events, substance-free parties and much more. To get started,
you can refer to the SADD Manual (available for purchase from
SADD National) or the SADD Web site, both of which have a variety
of ideas and suggestions for how to plan a fun and effective
event.
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3.
HOW DO I REGISTER MY SADD CHAPTER?
What
steps should I take to register my new chapter with SADD National?
-
Contact SADD National.
Register your chapter by returning the registration form enclosed
in this packet or visiting the SADD Web site, www.sadd.org.
This will ensure that you receive all mailings from SADD National.
Once you register, you will receive a New Chapter Packet including
a Certificate of Membership, SADD Nationals most recent
newsletter, and a list of ideas for potential activities and
fund-raisers. In addition, you will be qualified to participate
in a variety of SADD National sponsored activities, including
the annual National Conference.
- Contact
your State Coordinator.
By
contacting your State Coordinator, you will receive important
information about state conferences, potential funding, and
training opportunities. Many State Coordinators sponsor their
own programs and distribute relevant information to their
chapters. Check the SADD Web site at www.sadd.org or contact
SADD National toll-free at 877-SADD-INC (723-3462) to see
if your state has a SADD State Coordinator.
- Contact
other area SADD chapters.
You may contact either the National Office or your State Coordinator
to find out where there are other SADD chapters in your area.
Veteran SADD chapter members and advisors can provide valuable
advice to those just getting started. They may be willing
to co-sponsor activities and events or to tell you what has
worked well for their chapter and what has not. This kind
of communication may be especially beneficial for smaller
chapters or for chapters in rural areas.
- Stay
in touch with SADD National.
SADD National is eager to hear about the wonderful work its
chapters are doing across the country. Please send pictures
and details of your events and activities; your chapter might
be featured on the SADD Web site or in the SADD newsletter.
If your chapter members are interested in attending the SADD
National Conference in July, up-to-date information is available
on the SADD National Web site, www.sadd.org.
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4.
WHAT KINDS OF RESOURCES ARE THERE FOR SADD CHAPTERS?
What
does SADD National do?
Located in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the national office of
SADD supports the growth and development of SADD chapters across
the country and promotes awareness of youth issues in the population
at large. SADD National assists chapters via a network of state
coordinators funded through government or charitable organizations
to deliver education and prevention materials and programming
to youth. SADD National also produces and distributes a national
newsletter and program information, hosts a Web site, runs an
annual national conference, conducts national research on teen
attitudes and behaviors, sponsors a national Student Leadership
Council and a Student of the Year, oversees use of the SADD
name and mark, and raises funds for dissemination of information
and programming.
What
is a State Coordinator?
SADD has State Coordinators in many states. The State Coordinator
is responsible for identifying existing chapters in their states
and promoting new ones, supporting the work of the chapters,
providing information and resources on a regular basis to the
chapters, advocating for SADD programs within their states,
and providing a link between chapters and the National Office.
Some State Coordinators provide materials and financial assistance
to their chapters.
What
is the Student Leadership Council (SLC)?
SADD National has developed a competition for selecting up to
20 talented and energetic students to serve as ambassadors for
SADD and advisors to the SADD National office in carrying out
SADDs mission. These students typically are accomplished
individuals who have demonstrated their commitment by reaching
out to peers, friends, and younger students through SADD and
other peer support programs. They are individuals who have exemplified
the SADD model of empowerment and care giving through involvement
in community service, especially in projects relating to substance
abuse prevention, highway safety, and other issues that affect
youth. SLC application materials go out to registered SADD advisors
in the spring and are due back in the summer.
Do
I need the SADD Manual?
The SADD manual contains valuable information that will be helpful
in the life of your chapter. To order a copy, contact SADD National
by telephone at 877-SADD-INC (723-3462) or by e-mail at info@sadd.org.
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