Reclaiming Futures Anchorage Plays Role in Development of Anchorage United for Youth

Reclaiming Futures focuses on teens with alcohol and drug problems who are in trouble with the law. A key component of our approach is to integrate the existing systems that work with youth, which can mean working on an even broader array of youth issues.
One Reclaiming Futures site that's done that very well? Anchorage, Alaska. Over the past two years, the Anchorage site worked to bring together all of the local coalitions working on youth issues into one effort, called Anchorage United for Youth, organizing around three common goals:

1. reducing youth substance use;
2. reducing delinquency; and
3. improving graduation rates.  

Anchorage United for Youth just issued its first report -- the crucial role Reclaiming Futures played is highlighted in its appendix.  And when the local media recently covered anti-gang efforts, Reclaiming Futures might not have been mentioned directly, but it was right there in the thick of it. (In fact, the project's director, Tom Begich, was quoted here and several times in the second half of this radio story.)
Bravo! to Anchorage's Reclaiming Futures, for bringing a new level of collaboration to the community -- and for savvy communications work with the local media.