Prevention & Positive Youth Development

Committees | Photovoice Project | PreventNet |  Homeless Youth

There are a variety of challenges facing our youth as they transition to adulthood. The Prevention and Youth Development focus area of the Commission on Children & Families addresses these challenges through collaboration in our communities to decrease the risk factors facing youth in their daily lives. They also work to encourage positive youth development opportunities for teens in Clackamas County through a number of activities and opportunities.

Youth Related Committees:

Prevention Coalition:

The Clackamas County Prevention Coalition works to increase healthy choices, behaviors and environments for youth age 8-18. The coalition is a collaborative of schools, youth serving organizations, law enforcement agencies, civic and volunteer groups, health-care professionals, and other stakeholders in the community interested in promoting healthy, safe communities and positive youth development. The coalition works to reduce teen drug and alcohol use and related problems through raising awareness, enhancing skills, providing support, changing consequences, altering physical environments to reduce risky behaviors, and modifying or creating policies.

The coalition meets the second Wednesday of every month from 3:00 to 4:30 PM in the Public Services Building, 2051 Kaen Road, Oregon City, OR 97045, room 255. All are welcome to attend.

Youth Voices in Action:

Youth Voices in Action (YVIA) is a coalition of youth, ages 13 to 18, representing the diverse communities in Clackamas County who are working on prevention and positive youth development projects. The coalition is committed to promoting youth involvement and empowerment in our local government, communities and schools. This group of youth has been involved in several presentations to leadership groups throughout the county and is committed to incorporating youth perspectives and voices in community building and planning. Recent projects include: the Youth Photovoice Project, a drug free youth activity night, and law enforcement recognition.

Youth Voices in Action meets the second Saturday of the month from 12pm to 2pm at Round Table Pizza on McLoughlin Blvd. Milwaukie, Oregon. (16550 SE McLoughlin Blvd.) For more information contact Kitty Huffstutter at 503-650-5683.

Youth Photovoice Project:

The Clackamas County Youth Photovoice project consists of a diverse group of youth from throughout the county who are invested in reducing youth drug and alcohol use.  Photovoice is an assessment and advocacy tool that utilizes photograph taken by youth to document community strengths and areas for growth.  The pictures are used in a variety of ways but the emphasis is on providing a venue for youth to express their voices about what they are witnessing in their everyday lives. Most recently youth have created a multimedia presentation to advocate for changes and have presented to The Gladstone City Council, the Estacada Community Coalition and other interested groups. The youth have also created a 2010 Photovoice calendar with prevention messaging in their own words.

PreventNet Community Schools:

PreventNet is a coalition of schools and social service agencies that are working together to create, enhance and sustain a seamless system of care, advocacy and supports for the well-being of children, youth, and families in Clackamas County.

PreventNet Community Schools represent a partnership between local schools and community service providers to improve child development, academic success, and reduce juvenile delinquency. In each Community School, a local non-profit provides site coordination and direct services and the school provides in-kind support (staff, classroom space and computers) and at times, additional funds for programming.  Other community providers also partner to provide other essential services. The result is a robust collaboration that provides a continuum of quality services and supports to children, youth, and families in these communities.

PreventNet Community Schools have been established in nine schools (two elementary, six middle, and one high school) throughout Clackamas County using funds from the Commission on Children and Families and the Board of County Commissioners.  The Children, Youth & Families Division continues to search for new funding sources and ways to further sustain and develop the Clackamas County PreventNet System.

PreventNET Community School sites are housed at the following locations:

Elementary School Sites – contact Karen Gorton or 503-650-5680 for information about the elementary school PreventNet sites.

Lot Whitcomb Elementary (Milwaukie)
Metropolitan Family Services
Coordinator: Amber Moore

Sandy Grade School (Sandy)
Todos Juntos
Coordinator: Shawna Johnson

Middle School Sites

Alder Creek Middle School (Milwaukie)
Northwest Family Services
Coordinator: Celeste Calvin

Cedar Ridge Middle School (Sandy)
Todos Juntos
Coordinator: Kirsten Pitzer

Estacada Junior High (Estacada)
Todos Juntos
Coordinator: Raynell Warner

Gardiner Middle School (Oregon City)
Northwest Family Services
Coordinator: Jen Forsman 

Kraxberger Middle School (Gladstone)
Northwest Family Services
Coordinator: Tracy Gilbert 

Molalla River Middle School and High School (Molalla)
Todos Juntos
Coordinator: Cindy Fincher

 High School Site

Rex Putnam High School (Milwaukie)
Northwest Family Services
Coordinator: Abigail Sieler

For more information, contact Korene Mather or 503-650-5683.

Homeless Youth:

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, youth are the fastest growing population of homeless persons. The reason most commonly reported by youth for becoming homeless is family conflict. They leave their homes because of physical and sexual abuse, parental neglect, and/or addiction of family members. Some are forced to leave because of parental disapproval of pregnancy, sexual orientation, problems in school, or because of drug and/or alcohol use.

More than 1,900 homeless youth were served in Oregon’s shelter system during fiscal year 2002/03. However, this number does not reflect the entire homeless youth population in Oregon. Unfortunately, Oregon’s system is able to provide services for only a small proportion of youth that need shelter and other basic services. In fact, research indicates that only one in twelve homeless youth are served in shelters.

Other youth become homeless along with their entire families. In January of 2005, Clackamas County conducted a count of homeless persons in the county and found, at that time, 489 families with children were without homes. Moreover, an estimated 487 children enrolled in Clackamas County public schools were homeless according to Oregon’s Homeless Student Report (2005).

Clackamas County is collaborating with many other organizations to create a coordinated system of care for homeless youth, and to provide affordable housing, basic services, and other resources to homeless families. For more information about these initiatives, or how you can make a difference in the lives of homeless youth and families, contact please contact 503-650-5678.

Homeless Youth Organizations:

• Clackamas County “211” resource database
  Dial 211
  www.211info.org/resources.html
• Clackamas County Community Action Agency
  503-650-5725
• Annie Ross House
  503-654-1007 x 103
• The Inn
  503-772-5018 x 10
• Clackamas Service Center
  503-771-7914
• Clackamas County Volunteer Connection (volunteer opportunities)
  503-650-8862
• PTA Clothes Closet (clothing donations)
  503-692-4766
• Harry’s Mother (Multnomah and Clackamas Counties)
  503-233-8111