Mission & History
We are community members with varied backgrounds and we bring different expertise and perspectives to the table. We love Portland’s vibrant culture and seek to celebrate what makes Portland unique while ensuring that all community members, including young people, have the opportunity to be safe and thrive.
We are doers and problem solvers. We are committed, capable, neighborly, kind, caring, helpful, diverse, resourceful and trustworthy. We involve ourselves in community work because we understand, we care and we live in it.
Coalition History
The coalition formed in December of 2012 to address high risk drinking among young adults in Portland’s nightlife district, a neighborhood with highly concentrated bars and nightclubs that were experiencing high rates of alcohol related assaults and noise and livability complaints. Although Big Village started with the goal of reducing binge drinking and increasing safety in the nightlife district, the coalition quickly attracted diverse stakeholders, gained momentum, and began addressing alcohol policy issues, underage drinking and youth marijuana use throughout Portland.
Portland has a vibrant beer and wine culture and emerging legal marijuana industry. Youth in Portland report that alcohol and marijuana are fairly easy to get. Further, our community events and festivals often feature alcohol and marijuana, promoting all of the positive aspects of use. While Big Village acknowledges and appreciates the economic and cultural benefits of these industries, we are increasingly concerned that the rates of binge drinking and marijuana are well above the state average. We seek to strike a better balance and reduce youth use and the harmful effects associated with use.
The coalition is currently 100+ strong working to reduce youth use through providing education and support; advocating for policies that support prevention and fostering positive norms within the community. Big Village has received funding from Multnomah County, the State of Oregon and from the Office of National Drug Control Policy, through a Federal Drug Free Communities grant.
Our Work
Big Village has formed two subcommittees to address high-risk drinking among youth and young adults in Multnomah County: The Youth Empowerment Committee and Youth Action Committee.
Big Village members formed two active committees to carry out the coalition’s work:
The Youth Empowerment Committee is:
- Educating youth, parents, schools and communities about substance use and effective prevention approaches.
- Advocating for increased prevention services, including upstream, asset-building strategies that build resilience among youth.
- Reducing promotion of alcohol and marijuana to minors.
- Reducing underage access to alcohol and marijuana.
- Advocating for fair, appropriate and non-punitive but effective and accountable best practices that enable robust intervention and treatment options for underage users.
The Youth Action Committee is:
- Raising awareness about the dangers of substance abuse amongst youth
- Increasing youths’ perception of harm that alcohol and other dangerous drugs have on their lives
- Helping expose youth to healthy social norms by delivering statistics that show everyone is NOT drinking and using drugs
- Helping youth take the initiative for their own health and healthy decision making
Youth Empowerment
The Youth Empowerment Committee seeks to foster a community where youth thrive. We aim to reduce the community risk factors that contribute to youth substance abuse while increasing community resources that build protection and resiliency. The committee involves school professionals, youth serving organizations, parents, health and public health professionals, law enforcement, business owners, government and community partners, working together to:
- Educate youth, parents, schools and communities on the negative effects of youth substance abuse. Check out our resources.
- Advocate for increased prevention services, including upstream, asset building strategies that build resilience (i.e. access to health and behavioral health services).
- Reduce promotion of alcohol and marijuana to minors.
- Reduce underage access to alcohol and marijuana.
- Ensure fair and appropriate accountability for underage users and enabling adults, including robust intervention and treatment options.
The Youth Empowerment committee meets the first Wednesday of the month from 3:30pm – 5pm
Due to our organization’s response to COVID, all meetings are held virtually for the time being. To be added to our virtual meeting invitation, connect with Clair Raujol.
Youth Action Committee
The Youth Action Council gives a voice to youth in how to reduce the harm of alcohol and other dangerous drugs. A strong youth voice in prevention is important and really works. Data has shown that youth-led prevention activities are very effective. A healthy youth voice also gives a perspective that all of us adults need to hear.
The Big Village Youth Action Council works to create student-led groups in high schools in central Portland to accomplish:
- Raising awareness about the dangers of substance abuse amongst youth
- Increasing youths’ perception of harm that alcohol and other dangerous drugs have on their lives
- Helping expose youth to healthy social norms by delivering statistics that show everyone is NOT drinking and using drugs
- Helping youth take the initiative for their own health and healthy decision making
There are currently two groups participating in the Big Village Youth Action Council. GDMA is composed of students from Alliance High School at the Meek Campus and LINK, which is made up of students from Lincoln High.