Project Action engages youth support

Local youth, along with members of the community, and Project ACTION proudly display their banners at the Springfield Alumni Day parade last month.

 Local youth were on hand to participate with members of the community and Project ACTION in the Springfield Alumni parade as well as attending the Summer Wellness Carnival. Project ACTION is intentionally engaging youth in order to find out what they value and what they feel is missing throughout the town.  This effort is in response to the 2013 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey findings that 34% of Springfield High School students agree with the statement, “In your community, you feel like you matter.” This is statistically lower than the 50% statewide response of their peers. Recent focus groups were held at Springfield High School and identified areas of interest for the town from a youth perspective and provided the opportunity for their voices to be heard.

In addition, members of Project ACTION recently met with the community to discuss three key areas of focus: crime and safety; prevention, treatment and recovery; and community, housing and neighborhoods.  Project ACTION (Assembling Community to Improve Our Neighborhoods) formed as a branch of REACH (Regional Efforts & Actions of Community Health), a Windsor County-wide response to the Governors Forum on opiate addiction; including drugs, crime and addiction.  Springfield members of REACH recognized the need for a community-specific effort, in order to engage community members.

Springfield resident and Project ACTION member, Stephanie Thompson, emphasizes the importance of the group as “the variety of people involved is what makes Project ACTION so great.”  Combining different agencies, backgrounds and the community’s input are key elements to the group’s success.

For more information on how you can become involved in Project ACTION or to see the latest news, visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/springfieldprojectaction or email spfldprojectaction@gmail.com .

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