Raymond, New Hampshire
About RCFY
The Raymond Coalition for Youth, with community effort, will unite to care for youth. Through programs and services, the RCFY will reach out to everyone to inspire youth, foster positive development, and help youth reach their potential which will create a positive community spirit.
RCFY has a mission to get the community involved in providing services and activities that are enjoyable and educational for youth by encouraging active youth participation in an open, honest environment.
The following set of core values outline the guiding principles of RCFY.
We believe, are committed to, and value:
- The safety and well being of our youth
- Moral and character development of our youth
- Empowering and involving all youth as equal partners
- Future of youth and youth as the future
- Engaging every part of the community to have positive impact of youth
- Developing respect for self, others, and environment
- Supporting families as the primary source for education, character building, and raising healthy youth
Key events in the history of RCFY
- March 5,2001 Teen Assessment Project presentation.
- August 3,2001 TAP presentation to school administrators
- August 16,2001 School board votes unanimously to conduct TAP survey
- November 15,2001 Survey Development Team meeting
- January 3,2002 First RCFY meeting
- January 28,2002 TAP survey conducted at Raymond High School
- February 13,2002 TAP survey conducted at IHGMS
- May 13,2002 Dissemination team formed to develop informational forums.
- September 13, 2002 TAP survey data presentation to Raymond School Board
- December 17,2002 & January 14, 2003 Action planning meetings
- April 5,2003 Strategic Planning session
Survey
In early 2002, 7th-12th
grade students completed a 160 item survey concerning self, family,
school, and community. The following is a summary of the results of the
survey. The needs that surfaced in this survey have become the driving
force behind the RCFY efforts.
Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use.
- 36% of RHS students reported binge drinking at least once in the past month.
- 40% of all youth surveyed reported smoking tobacco at some time
- 22% reported monthly or more often use of marijuana
Sexuality
- 35% of all students said that they have had intercourse
- 75% reported never or rarely talking to their parents about birth control
Physical and Mental Health
- 66% of all students reported feeling sad or depressed during the past month 17% of all youth reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the last month
- 17% of all youth had made plans at some time to commit suicide
RCFY Strategies…
- Provide support and services for healthy family development
- Enlist broader community participation in the lives of youth
- Promote community/school integration and support after school programming
- Develop a Raymond Community Center
- Create and support community service opportunities for Raymond youth
- Educate the community of the need of youth as revealed in the TAP survey
What’s Next?
After many months of careful preparation, the Raymond Coalition for Youth begins its efforts to unite the community. RCFY hopes to enlist the involvement of adults and youth alike.
RCFY will be comprised of…
- Steering Committee…key contributors from service agencies, schools, and leadership boards.
- Community Forum…Raymond residents with a passion for youth.
- RHS & IHGMS Students