As a part of the ‘Living the Example’ program, Mentor invited five former and current youth ambassadors to plan and implement our next digital youth activity. These Youth Ambassadors have in a couple of weeks brainstormed and planned how to best spread positive messages to their peers in the midst of social distancing.
The group decided to launch a substance use prevention campaign on the new and trending social media platform, TikTok. The group explains that many young people are going through a difficult time because of limited social interaction during quarantine and social distancing. Therefore, they aim to spread substance use awareness, positive, and hopeful messages so that young people can stay optimistic while staying drug-free.
People are using social media to occupy themselves during quarantine. One of the biggest platforms currently is TikTok. By using TikTok to spread positive messages, we are reaching the audience who is facing the growing crisis of vaping and other drug misuses. When mixing comedy and information content, it gets our message across but is appealing to our target audience.
Alea Voyer, Youth Ambassador
Living the Example’s TikTok account was launched during National Prevention Week– an annual campaign promoting prevention year-round through providing ideas, tools, and resources to help individuals and communities make substance use prevention happen every day.
About National Prevention Week
National Prevention Week (NPW) is a public education platform that promotes prevention year-round through providing ideas, capacity building, tools, and resources to help individuals and communities make substance use prevention happen every day. NPW culminates in May and recognizes the important work that is being done in communities throughout the year to inspire action and prevent substance use and mental disorders.
SAMHSA’s NPW is May 10 through 16, 2020. Each year around this observance, communities, and organizations across the country come together to raise awareness about the importance of substance use prevention and positive mental health. www.samhsa.gov/prevention-week