Science of the Positive
& Positive Community Norms
Learn more about some of our current strategies and programs supporting youth, families, and the broader Braintree community.
As a coalition, all of our work is done in collaboration with local organizations, schools, community partners, and agencies committed to improving the health and well-being of Braintree residents.
- What is Positive Community Norms (PCN)
- Regional PCN work
- Where the Data Comes From
- Local Campaign (Braintree Public Schools)
Positive Community Norms is a prevention approach grounded in one key idea: most students are already making healthy choices, but those behaviors are often underestimated or misunderstood.
Many young people believe substance use is more common than it actually is. These misperceptions can unintentionally normalize risky behavior. PCN campaigns correct that gap by sharing accurate, local Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data and reinforcing protective behaviors.
When students realize that most of their peers are not engaging in substance use, it helps reduce use and strengthens healthier decision-making.
Regional PCN work is coordinated through the Building Up Youth Partnership on Health & Wellness (BUY), a multi-community coalition spanning Braintree, Milton, Quincy, Randolph, and Weymouth. This regional structure allows communities to align prevention strategies, share data, and implement consistent messaging across the South Shore. One of the key strategies within this work is the Positive Community Norms (PCN) campaign model, where each community develops its own PCN and positive norms campaigns while staying aligned under a shared regional framework.
All PCN messaging is grounded in verified youth behavior data collected through:
- Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
- Anonymous, school-based survey for grades 6–12
- Conducted locally and statewide
- Measures health behaviors, including substance use
- Additional school and community-level data sources (when available)
- Used to supplement and validate trends
- Helps refine messaging and campaign focus
This data is analyzed to identify actual behavior patterns and compare them to student perceptions, which directly informs campaign messaging.
Local campaigns are implemented within Braintree Public Schools and tailored specifically to student data and school culture. These campaigns translate regional strategy into visible messaging students actually see every day.
Examples include:
- Norman Names the Norms
- Cooper the Compass
Local campaigns typically use:
- Posters and visuals in schools
- Social media messaging
- Announcements and school communications
- Student engagement components