The L.E.A.D. (Leading and Educating Across Domains) Initiative began with Cohort One in March of 2002 as a program for youth leadership development and alcohol, tobacco and other drug ATOD use prevention. The key to the creation of the initiative was incorporating elements that had a focus from one or more of the following research-based prevention principle areas: Peers, Families, Communities, and Schools.
The objective of L.E.A.D. is to develop a network of ATOD prevention leaders across Indiana. In one respect these four areas do represent prevention. The youth participants of the leadership groups are structuring their time to be ATOD-free with their involvement in the leadership groups and participating in the activities related to the four areas listed above. These youth are choosing alternatives in their lives and serve as role models to their peers.
The L.E.A.D. Initiative targets moderate risk youth. Geminus Corporation defines moderate risk as youth who are not regular ATOD users and recruited from the general population. The age range of youth falls between 10-17 year olds with the primary age range from 12-17 years of age. The Initiative targets youth already engaged in leadership programs at partnering agencies such as the Torch or Keystone Clubs at Boys and Girls Clubs or Teen Courts, Voice or Youth as Resources groups at Youth Services Bureaus.
