ACAP Action Plan 2014-2016
FOCUS AREA 1 – YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND EMPOWERMENT
Primary Goal: Reduce the adolescent pregnancy rate in Alexandria from 30.9 to 24.8 per 1,000 females
ages 10-19 years, for a 20% reduction by 2016.
Focus Area Objectives:
 Develop and strengthen youth by building skills, providing resources and offering opportunities to
support their development into health adults
 Empower, inform, and engage youth in developing solutions to reduce teen pregnancy
 Build relationships with community to support youth in developing life skills
 Continue to improve Alexandria culture to one that values youth
Strategy 1: Utilize technology to share information with youth about ACAP’s activities, teen pregnancy
prevention, healthy living, volunteer and leadership opportunities.
Action Steps:
a. Hire teens to develop and implement a technology/social media plan that utilizes
media outlets which teens use the most i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, etc.
b. Create an online, interactive newsletter and resource guide for youth similar to “Youth
Topics” to share information related to teen pregnancy, general adolescent health,
leadership opportunities, internships, community events, etc. Host newsletter on
ACAP site and alexandriava.gov site.
Implementation Partners:
Outcome Measures:
Strategy 2: Support parents and supportive adults to educate and empower the youth in their lives.
Action Steps:
a. Partner with City’s “Parent Cafes” initiative to host cafés to support parents in
developing parenting skills and support networks.
b. Create resource packets for parents, teen parents, and supportive adults that include
information on the stages of a young person’s development, risk behavior prevention,
and effective parenting. Provide resource packets at PTA meetings, Family and
Community Engagement Center (FACE) events, parent orientations and back to
school nights, Tiny Titan Early Head Start Center at TC Williams, and to organizations
that serve pregnant and parenting teens.
c. Provide community presentation for parents and supportive adults that focus on
preventing/decreasing risky behaviors in youth and promoting positive behaviors (i.e.
Risky Behaviors presentations and others provided by ACAP partners).
Implementation Partners:
Outcome Measures:
Strategy 3: Support the Keepit360 Club’s efforts to reduce teen pregnancy and utilize peer to peer
education as a means to reach youth with prevention messages.
Action Steps:
a. Partner with the Teen Wellness Center to provide training to Keepit360 club members for
peer-to-peer education opportunities within Alexandria schools on topics related to healthy
relationships, teen pregnancy and STI prevention.
b. Expand the Keepit360 Club to Alexandria middle schools through leadership from current
club members, PREP Grant participants, and youth leadership conference participants.
c. PREP Grant – Identify and incentivize PREP Grant participants at each site to serve as
recruiters/promoters for future PREP sessions.
Implementation Partners:
Outcome Measures:
Strategy 4: Provide opportunities for youth leadership development through ACAP and through
other partnerships.
Action Steps:
a. Partner with the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA)
and other youth-serving organizations to host summer youth leadership
conference for 9th – 12th graders and smaller leadership workshops throughout the
year.
b. Reserve at least two spots for youth on ACAP Leadership Council and ensure that
work groups have youth input.
Implementation Partners:
Outcome Measures:
Strategy 5: Collaborate with the Alexandria community to create youth-led skill-building
opportunities and activities that will prepare them for adulthood.
Action Steps:
a. Post and promote career opportunities, internship links, volunteer opportunities and
trainings for youth on ACAP website; work with youth interns to develop the most
effective format to post and promote.
b. Provide internship opportunities with ACAP and the PREP Grant i.e. social media and
data entry/analysis.
c. Partner with male-focused community organizations (Capital Youth Empowerment
Program, Untouchables mentoring program, fraternal organizations, etc.) to host male
chat groups/dinners to discuss the male perspective and role in teen pregnancy
prevention.
d. Partner with NOVA Women’s Center and Alexandria Commission for Women to host
“Women’s Teas” for 17-19 year old students at NOVA.
Implementation Partners:
Outcome Measures:
Strategy 6: Mobilize the Alexandria community to value, support, and partner with youth.
Action Steps:
a. Recognize and highlight youth in the community who are making positive
contributions and healthy choices through ACAP’s social media outlets, website,
newsletter, at ACAP meetings and at City Council meetings after large youth-led
community events.
b. Promote community awards available for youth through ACAP’s list serve and
nominate youth volunteers with ACAP’s programs and initiatives.
c. Work with ACAP Communications Committee to create positive messaging for
teen pregnancy prevention month that celebrates the contributions of teens in
achieving positive outcomes i.e. reduction of teen pregnancy rate.
d. Develop and promote a list of resources for organizations and businesses that
work with and employ youth. Resources should focus on topics such as how to
train, to engage, and to empower youth.
e. Contact businesses and organizations directly and offer resources and support in
best practices on positive youth development.
Implementation Partners:
Outcome Measures: