Youth Development

Building Up Youth

An internship focused on building youth leadership and skills through participation in substance misuse prevention initiatives.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The BUY internship program builds youth leadership and skills through participation in substance misuse prevention initiatives.

The program aims to engage youth in the planning, tailoring, implementing, and evaluation of substance misuse prevention programming, increasing its relevance and impact on youth.

Youth interns will engage in educational campaigns, community events, and workshops, making a tangible difference in raising awareness about the risks of substance misuse.

The internship will offer valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth where Youth Leaders will attend training sessions and workshops, enhancing their knowledge and skills in substance misuse prevention, leadership, and teamwork.

The goal of the BUY program is to have all young people positively navigate through adversity and be engaged in equitable systems of support.

This program is a collaborative effort between QARI and Bay State Community Services. Other partners include local schools, community organizations, and town substance misuse prevention coalitions to support its initiatives.

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Program Highlights

Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders Through Skills, Strategy, and Community Impact.

The BUY Youth Leaders Program offers a flexible, year-round schedule of leadership workshops, strategic planning, and hands-on experiences. With engaging field trips, collaborative projects, and weekly mentorship, participants build essential skills to drive change in their communities.

Internship Eligibility

Age between 14-19 years old
Live and attend high school in Braintree, Milton, Randolph, and Weymouth
Strong desire to gain and develop leadership skills
Interested in public health and/or substance misuse prevention
Willing and able to commit to an internship work schedule of 3 hours/week for 10 months during the school year

Internship Schedule

The BUY Youth Leaders Program operates during the school year, from September to June.

Program hours are flexible, but participants are expected to commit to at least 3 hours per week or 12 hours per month (or more, depending on activities), which can be in person and/or hybrid. Additionally, the program includes a two-day summer onboarding training and retreat in August.

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Internship Structure

Monthly BUY Youth Leaders meetings for capacity and skill building workshops, program feedback sessions, and projects.
Monthly BUY Leadership meetings for strategic planning and decision-making.
Participation in events and field trips (this year we went to the State House for a youth briefing on alcohol policy, and we also went to Boston University to work with a public health professor).
Weekly meetings with town coordinators to support town substance misuse prevention coalition coordinators with their initiatives and programs.

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