Communities That Care Consulting

Lafayette, Colorado is participating in a process called Communities that Care (CTC). This process helps communities prevent problems before they develop. The Communities That Care system is a way for members of a community to work together to prevent youth problem behaviors, including substance use, delinquency, teen pregnancy, dropping out of school, mental health, and violence. 

​Lafayette's role in CTC is to provide equitable access to quality education, health, and community resources, ensuring its youth emerge as healthy, engaged, and compassionate citizens. Lafayette Communities That Care is committed to creating a healthy city with community involvement by leveraging existing local expertise by including partner agencies, empowering youth and community to generate data, bolstering an active Community Board, addressing the social context in which drug use occurs, and supporting positive youth development. Each CTC plan encompasses five strategic areas:

1. Build Public Support for Positive Spaces for Youth.
2. Outreach, Awareness, and Access to Current Programs.
3. Mental Health Programming and Support.
4. Build Support for Local Ordinances.
5. Increase Availability for Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices.

Growing Up Boulder's Role in CTC Lafayette 

Growing Up Boulder was hired to help the Lafayette CTC team learn the methodologies of youth participatory planning. GUB staff presented a variety of engagement methods so that the CTC team could apply them to the activities that they were generating. The hope is that their plans will effectively engage young people in building a strong Lafayette community. 

Growing Up Boulder works with five key principles in participatory planning engagements:

1. Go where young people are.
2. Use fun, creative, and varied engagement methods.
3. Make engagements asset-based.
4. Be transparent about the process and outcomes.
5. Reflect, evaluate, and adapt.