Spotlight

Northwest Family Services
Getting Their Act Together
For grassroots groups that work with youth, peer-to-peer communication is an essential form of outreach. One of the most successful Latino-focused peer-to-peer programs has been developed by Northwest Family Services, a Latino Coalition sub-grantee in Portland, Ore.

The core of the program is a Spanish-language script called Encuentros.  Told through a series of vignettes that simulate real-life situations, the peer-enacted drama combines words, music, mime and movement to show youngsters confronting issues of gang membership, drug use, and similar challenges.

A technology sub-grant from the LC’s Compassion Capital Fund “Equal Sides Everywhere” project has enabled Northwest Family Services to buy new production tools and state-of-the-art equipment for staging Encuentros in and around Portland. These include a new video camera and projection gear as well as a portable strobe light system.

“As a result of all these high-tech improvements, we have a much more professional-looking production now, and that generates more excitement and more positive word-of-mouth in the community,” says Carlos Romero, Latino youth education coordinator for Northwest Family Services. “Because of rising demand, we’ve almost doubled the number of shows we were able to put on this year, which means we’re going into a lot more schools and reaching a lot more kids.”

Another benefit has been a jump in the number of youngsters showing up for auditions, eager to join the on-stage troupe or help with production work behind the scenes.

“They learn teamwork, communication skills, public speaking and being open with others,” says Romero. “It’s a very effective method for reaching at-risk youth and getting them to deal with their frustrations and feelings in a non-threatening, non-violent manner.”

For more information about Encuentros and other peer-enacted dramas created by Northwest Family Services, visit www.youthsolutions.info.