Who We Are
SPIFFY is a coalition of over 80 community partners working together to improve outcomes for youth in Hampshire County. SPIFFY is administered by CES on behalf of the partners, and Community Health Solutions consultants assist the coalition in its work.
Together we promote strong families and create a local culture where youth are supported to make healthy choices. SPIFFY’s prevention activities involve community-based organizations, faith communities, schools, local colleges and universities, parents, youth, law enforcement, municipal government, media, and human service groups.
Our coalition fosters collaboration between schools and communities, promotes strong families, and supports positive youth development.
This approach collects and uses data to identify strategies, policies, and evidence-based programs that reduce unhealthy behaviors.
Spotlight on Current SPIFFY Coalition Activities
The SPIFFY Coalition is always working to support and implement a range of youth substance use prevention initiatives. Here’s the latest:
Strategic Planning
SPIFFY is currently undergoing a 5-year strategic planning process using the Strategic Prevention Framework and has recently created the Vision Leaders Team, composed of youth, staff and Steering Committee members to oversee the process, which will inform the youth substance use prevention strategies we use for the years to come. If you are interested in learning more about what we have done so far in this process, check out our Assessment Report! If you have questions and/or want to get involved with our strategic planning, please email Lisa Goldsmith at lgoldsmith@collaborative.org.
Getting to Y
SPIFFY, in partnership with the Easthampton Healthy Youth Coalition, is supporting a group of eight young people at Easthampton High School reviewing local youth health survey data, presenting to their community and creating and implementing strategies. The group recently presented at a SPIFFY School Health Task Force Meeting and is currently planning a Community Dialogue for additional input. We look forward to hearing their final plan, which will inform the SPIFFY strategic planning process. To learn more about Getting to Y, please contact Lexi Polokoff at apolokoff@collaborative.org.
Regional Policy and Norms Workgroup Subcommittees
The Policy and Norms Workgroup has two new subcommittees focused on creating action plans on two different cannabis policy issue topics: Cannabis Cafes and Cannabis Billboards. Each of these subcommittees are meeting monthly over the next few months. Anyone is welcome to join these subcommittees at any time. To learn more, visit our Policy page. Please contact Lexi at apolokoff@collaborative.org to get connected.
Leaders of Today Council
SPIFFY Staffperson Lexi Polokoff and CES staffperson Talya Sogoba are collaborating with a group of Hampshire County youth and Community Action Youth Programs to create an online youth leadership and activism clearinghouse for Hampshire County Youth. They meet biweekly and are working toward launching a Leaders of Today website in which all youth from all over Hampshire County can network, learn about, and get involved with youth leadership and activism. To learn more, please reach out to Lexi at apolokoff@collaborative.org. To sign up for the LTC newsletter, please complete this form.
Partnership for Success Subcontracts
SPIFFY is supplying subcontracts to local groups to fund partnerships that identify and advocate for community priorities and train and mobilize community members, including youth, to take action and advocate for policy and systems change (for example, put into place new regulations, shift existing structures, or change the way that groups or institutions function).
SPIFFY's Data Subcommittee
The Subcommittee has been focusing on SPIFFY’s strategic planning process and development of the 2023 Prevention Needs Assessment Survey (PNAS). We held a successful in-person “bagels and brainstorming” meeting in February where we dedicated a good chunk of time to fine-tuning the 2023 survey, which will be administered over the next month. To learn more and/or get involved with this subcommittee, please email Caroline at cajohnson@collaborative.org.
Latest from our Partners and the Coalition
SPIFFY is proud to partner across sectors with many different organizations. The communities in Hampshire County are full of strength and collaboration. Below are some recent highlights from the organizing work that has been happening in our communities.
Calendar of Events
On this Google Calendar, you will find the dates and times of:
- SPIFFY’s Steering Committee meetings
- Regional School Health Task Force meetings
- Policy and Norms Workgroup meetings
- Events that SPIFFY is sponsoring and co-sponsoring
- Events that SPIFFY’s partners are sponsoring and co-sponsoring
- Other local meetings and events that support youth in living healthy lives
Feel free to email Lexi Polokoff at apolokoff@collaborative.org if there is an event you would like promoted on this public calendar. To add this calendar to your own Google Account’s Calendar, click the “+GoogleCalendar” icon on the bottom right corner of this calendar.