By Lisa Carolin
(5 Healthy Town’s Board of Directors recently approved a budget of $75,000 for the Chelsea Wellness Coalition’s Year 5 Plan. Chelsea Update is profiling each of the interventions that is receiving funding.)
Since August of 2008, one out of every 15 students in the Chelsea School District has volunteered for SRSLY, which has the mission to prevent destructive behavior in Chelsea youth.
“SRSLY looks at local data then blends an evidence-based coalition plan with local solutions to have a positive impact on the community,” said Jesse Kauffman, director of the SRSLY Coalition. “SRSLY’s youth leadership, broad community support, and fun approach are critical to the difference SRSLY makes in Chelsea.”
Kauffman cites quotes to show the value of SRSLY.
From a ninth-grade SRSLY member: “Ever since SRSLY started, it’s been easier for kids to come out of their shell and say, ‘No, I’m not into that, that’s not my thing. I don’t want to drink or do drugs.”
From Chief of Police Ed Toth: “An initiative like this, this helps us do our job. Law enforcement is in prevention mode. If we didn’t have to deal with DUIs or MIPs, that makes our job a lot easier. So a prevention program like this, law enforcement is totally behind it.”
Kauffman says that the funds from 5 Healthy Towns will be matched by other grants and used for the CPTN SRSLY comic book series, substance abuse prevention training for volunteers, youth-led project ideas from the Youth Empowerment Solutions Program, and promotion of SRSLY’s message in the community.
In addition, SRSLY presents a movie each Thursday after Sounds and Sights on Thursday Nights during the summer called SRSLY Cinema.
