The strategy rests on collaboration between prevention researchers and representatives of the target community. Community representatives help determine the types of intervention strategies likely to be acceptable, provide researchers with credibility in the community, and help identify ways of communicating to the community the benefits of participation in the intervention. The prevention researcher contributes expertise in drug abuse causes, drug prevention, and the developmental stage at which drug use begins. This collaborative strategy was used to develop an intervention living in shelters for homeless families in New York City. Focus groups with adolescents ages 12-17 gathered information about experiences in school, experiences in the shelter, relationships with friends, plans for the future, thoughts about drug use, and sources of stress. This information was used to develop a prevention program revolving around activities the adolescents chose: publishing a biweekly newsletter, dance productions, art projects, and video productions. Each group chose its own name. The activities served mainly as a vehicle for skills training in several areas: self image, goal setting, decisionmaking, problemsolving, coping with anxiety, communication skills, social skills, and assertiveness skills. Prevention providers were young adults who appealed to adolescents and were professional and appropriate to shelter administrators. 66 references