Using Strengths-Based Practices to Improve Outcomes for System Involved Youth who Use Marijuana, Alcohol, & Other Drugs

Robert Dousa

Training Description

One of the most significant challenges for those supporting system involved youth is to effectively engage youth and help them build constructive, transformational behaviors that are sustainable and lead to healthy community engagement and improved outcomes. This is especially challenging when system involved youth are using substances as self-medication. In this training, we will explore how to enhance our capacity to support system involved youth by examining Strengths-Based Practices (especially designed for substance using transition age youth) that prepare us to foster alliance and promote young people’s emotional development and wellbeing and strengthen their resilience and ability to heal from traumatic events and lead a meaningful life. Additionally, we will explore the characteristics of problematic substance use and Healing Engagement Strategies to address the issues. Practicing and sharing the methods outlined by this workshop will allow us to improve the practice of how we empower system-involved…