Douglas County
Youth Empowerment and Prevention
About the program
Youth Empowerment & Prevention! (YEP!) is a youth-led organization with the goal to promote positive change within our schools and communities. Our group consists of youth chapters in Baldwin, Eudora, Lawrence, and Perry Lecompton middle and high schools. YEP! provides opportunities for youth to learn more about leadership development, substance misuse prevention, suicide prevention, and mental health promotion.
What does YEP! do?
Youth get trained in substance misuse prevention, suicide prevention, mental health, and leadership.
Chapters develop and implement special projects to promote healthy lifestyles.
Youth engage in several opportunities to connect with like-minded youth from other schools in the county throughout the year.
Watch this!
Recent projects and campaigns
Hosted breakfast and lunch gatherings to connect with law enforcement for relationship building
Hosted spirit weeks and other events to encourage peers to make healthy choices
Facilitate a Communities Talk campaign which
1) highlighted data showing that the majority of Douglas County youth don’t drink alcohol and
2) provided facts about the risks associated with underage drinking.
Advocate for policies designed to reduce youth tobacco use and promote health equity in Lawrence and Douglas County
Promote stress reduction activities for peers
Poster contest to elevate the urgency of the need to address issues around vaping and mental health
Provide table tents of information and peer-to-peer sessions on the risks associated with vaping
Attend Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) conferences
Participate in Take Down Tobacco Day in Topeka at the state capitol
Participate in the National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week social media campaign
YEP! Events
October 3rd - County Meeting
11AM - 2PM
1-3 student representatives from each chapter, lunch provided.
October 24th - Youth Empowerment Summit
8:30AM - 2:30PM
Flory Hall at Douglas County Fairgrounds
January 23rd, 2024 - County Meeting
11AM - 2PM
1-3 student representatives from each chapter, lunch provided.
March 26th, 2024 - County Meeting
11AM - 2PM
1-3 student representatives from each chapter, lunch provided.
May 1st, 2024 - Year End Celebration
6PM - 9PM
All members and at least 1 sponsor from each chapter are welcome to attend.
Awards & Recognition
LiveWell Douglas County
Named YEP! a 2021 Culture of Health Champion for their leadership in advocating for tobacco-free living for youth.
Baldwin High School
Named 2022-2023 Promising New YEP! Chapter
Lawrence College and Careers Academy
Eudora Middle School
Named the YEP! Chapters of the Year for 2021-2022 school year
Perry Lecompton High School
Named 2022-2023 YEP! Chapter of the Year
Eudora Middle School
Named 2022-2023 YEP! Chapter of the Year Honorable Mention
Toolkit to Plan and Host Positive, Drug Free Activities
Find tips, information, and resources to plan your own youth-led positive activities in this handy toolkit.
If you or your organization are interested in being involved with YEP! send us a message!
For questions about YEP!, please contact Lydia Fuqua
3312 Clinton Parkway
Lawrence, KS 66047
lfuqua@dccca.org or 785-841-4138