CYDP
Through the Cambodian Youth Development Partnership, Lowell Community Health Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Lowell are realizing their vision of a youth driven and health focused partnership guided by adult advisors that engages Cambodian-American youth and provides opportunities to strengthen/form family connections, enhances bi-cultural identity, and inspires personal responsibility to protect against HIV and substance abuse.
As forerunners in the community, Lowell Community Health Center (LCHC), a non-profit, 501 © (3) organization envisioned a youth-driven and health focused partnership to support the prevention of HIV and substance abuse amongst Cambodian-American adolescents in Lowell, Massachusetts. Risk factors and behaviors, which place youth from Cambodian backgrounds at high risk for HIV transmission and substance abuse problems, include disproportionate rates of teen pregnancy; gang involvement, STD transmission/infection, runaways, substance abuse, court involvement, school drop out; and resulting effects of second generation trauma.
Vision: The vision for a science-based prevention program for Cambodian youth in Lowell was nurtured by a 1 year peer-driven planning process and guided by adult advisors from LCHC and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Lowell. Together, the project advisory team with extensive input from the target population designed an integrated afterschool program called the Cambodian Youth Development Partnership (CYDP). Overall, this culturally relevant program seeks to strengthen family connections, enhance bi-cultural identity, and inspire personal responsibility to protect against HIV and Substance Abuse.
Mission: The mission of the partnership is to jointly provide a caring, quality, dynamic and culturally appropriate health-focused youth development program targeting Cambodian American youth who are at high risk for HIV infection and Substance Abuse.
Goals:
Stakeholder Engagement- Engage Cambodian-American adolescents, parents, providers, and mentors as active participants and decision makers in reducing risk factors associated with alcohol and other drug use and the transmission of HIV and other STD's amongst Cambodian-American youth in Lowell.
CYDP Program Implementation- Deliver a unique and comprehensive youth-driven prevention program designed by the target population that integrates science-based and youth development strategies, to increase access to effective substance abuse and HIV prevention programming for Cambodian-American youth and their families.
Service Delivery: In actualizing our goals, CYDP provides a comprehensive program with an emphasis on the intergenerational delivery of two science-based curricula: HIV prevention (Reducing the Risk) & Substance Abuse Prevention (Creating Lasting Family Connections). Additional protective factors are nurtured through weekly youth development activities including mentoring, dance, sports, creative expression, culturally relevant film series, youth leadership retreats, college/career preparation, and community connections events. Parents/Caregivers are engaged via home visits and workshops for family strengthening/prevention activities. Mentoring matches are arranged and supervised by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Lowell for youth in need of additional school support and tutoring.
Level I: Program Participants- Youth experience HIV & SAP training retreats; attend weekly group support meetings; and participate in incentive activities including basketball, HIP HOP dance, and art classes.
Level II: Peer Leaders- Youth that graduate Level I may enroll as peer leaders to co-teach health education, guide program implementation, raise awareness regarding second generation trauma, and organize special events.