SPRING NEWSLETTER MARCH 2002
Director’s Report
By Betsy Brockway
Recently I read an article reprinted from the Non Profit Quarterly on “Rejecting the Isolation of Youth—Adults and Organizations Dramatically Benefit by the Innovation Center for Community and youth Development.” The article told how historically, over the past 100 years, we have kept our young people separated from community and organizational decision-making. Not only does this cause distress for the young adults, but it also limits the community and organizations.
"Youth Participation occurs when adults involve youth in responsible, challenging action that meet genuine needs with the opportunity for planning or decision-making that affects others, youth and adults mutually teach and learn from each other, and each age groups sees itself as a resource for the other and offers what it can uniquely provide.” The completed 2001 Youth Asset grant projects are great examples of joint decision-making and fulfilling local needs for our youth. The majority of projects targeted the areas of Youth Empowerment and Community Values Youth.
The article goes on to state that adult attitudes are the most common barrier
to successful youth participation. Our
culture and the media often emphasize adolescence as a time of alienation. When asked, the general public usually
describes teens in negative terms.
You can make a personal commitment to change this attitude by:
Youth Bureau 1st Quarter Reports
The First Quarter Report form is attached to this newsletter. Please complete the form and mail it to
the Youth Bureau by Monday, April 15, 2002. This report should reflect your program
activities for Jan. 1 – March 31, 2002.
Make sure you report the unduplicated number of youth served and that
your totals add up accurately. Be sure
to list the outcomes as they appear in your 2002 grant. If you have not yet met an outcome, indicate
that you have not and the reason why (i.e. too early in the program year to
assess the outcome). If you have any
questions, please call June Ellen at 486-3662.
Dutchess County Youth Council
The Youth Council has been very busy over the past few months. Project Personal Care, our annual holiday
drive was very successful. Members also
donated plush animals to Toys for Tots for the holidays.
Currently, some of our members are involved with the United Way’s Youth Leadership Council where they are assisting in the review of RFP’s, as well as the selection of newly funded youth led activities.
At a recent meeting, members were educated about tobacco compliance checks conducted by the Health Department and undercover buys performed by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department. Also, youth from the Reality Check program discussed how the tobacco industry practices marketing techniques to lure teens into smoking.
The Youth Council will be busy over the next few months with Kids Expo, a Spring food drive, and possibly working a day at the Lunch Box.
Congratulations to our member, Lauren Romeo for receiving the Governor’s
Youth Recognition Award for Dutchess County.
The Award was established in 2000 as one of the State’s highest tributes
for youth leadership and community service.
Lauren is a Senior at John
Jay
High School. Last year’s recipient was
Marisa Lee, another Youth Council “graduate.” If you would like information on the Youth Council, please call June Ellen at
486-3662.
Proposed 02/03 State Budget
The NYS Office of Children and Family Services local assistance categories
for YDDP, SDPP, and RHYA are stable in the proposed state budget. YDDP remains at $31.6 million, SDPP stays at
$10.4 million and RHYA remains at $5.3 million.
The Governor’s proposed budget also includes $25 million in Advantage
After School grants.
It should be noted that round 2 awards of Advantage After School grants
promised last summer have yet to be announced.
Web Sites of Interest
CareerZone is an interactive web-based career resource for students and job
seekers. The program contains a list of
occupations with detailed information such as job descriptions, estimated wages,
and career potential for that occupation.
There are video clips demonstrating people at work, giving users examples
of actual work settings and tasks involved with the job. Interactive career portfolios have been
updated to help students and job seekers document their career plans and make
decisions for the future. The web site
is www.NYCareerZone.org.
A new online calendar will feature commemorative dates, up-to-date events,
activities and resources for families through the year, emphasizing culture,
tradition, and diversity. For more
information, visit www.celebratingfamilies.org.
Mathematica Policy Research Inc. has provided an overview of how the Dept. of
Health and Human Services Title V abstinence education program would help
improve knowledge about using abstinence programs to reduce STD’s and unwanted
pregnancies. The summary of the
evaluation of abstinence based sex education programs can be found online at www.mathematica-mpr.com/PDFs/redirect.asp?strSite=teenpreg.pdf.
Researchers publishing in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
found that having a role model, particularly an individual known to the
adolescent, was associated with higher self-esteem and higher grades. For white males without custodial fathers,
having a role model was associated with decreased substance abuse. For more info, visit http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/issues/v156n1/abs/poa00613.html.
The Internet is playing an increasing role in preventing school
violence. One of the most valuable
resources in preventing incidents in any school walks the hallways, talks to
other students and sees everything going on right in front of them. This tool is not a uniformed officer, but
instead the everyday student. For many,
however, finding the right outlet to report incidents they hear about remains a
dilemma. For more info on this subject
go to www.time2act.org.
The Rand Corporation’s Promising Practice Network on Children, Families and
Communities offers reports on programs with proven or promising success in
attaining specific benchmarks for kids and families. (www.promisingpractices.net)
Youth as Resources (YAR) is a philosophy and a program that recognizes youth
as valuable community resources and engages them as partners with adults in
bringing about positive community change.
The three principles of YAR are youth adult partnership in governance,
youth as grantmakers, and youth led service.
Community-based YAR programs, governed by a board of youth and adults,
provide grants to young people to design and carry out service projects. The youth and adult board members work in
partnership to solicit and evaluate project proposals form local youth. The proposals must address a clear community
need. There are several YAR boards in
NYS. If you would like to learn more
about YAR, visit www.yar.org. PEPNet, the Promising and Effective Practices Network, a project of the
National Youth Employment Coalition, has spent the past six years gathering and
distilling information about effective youth programming. Whether you are a youth service provider, a
funder, technical assistance provider, policy maker, or other youth
professional, PEPNet has resources that can help you to build a better system of
youth employment and youth development programming. PEPNet also encourages programs to complete a
PEPNet application for recognition, due April 18, 2002. Programs that meet the majority of the
criteria on the PEPNet application will gain recognition as a PEPNet
Awardee. Awardees state that PEPNet
recognition brings national press coverage, boosts staff morale, helps
secure funding, creates an impetus for program improvement, and leads to
staff empowerment through a network of
youth committed to quality programming and continuous improvement. Visit www.nyec.org/pepnet to learn more about
PEPNet and to download a free application.
The Center for Media Education (CME) released a new study that surveys the
new media culture directed at and in some cases created by teens. TeenSites.com, A Field Guide to the New
Digital Landscape, examines the uniquely interactive nature of the new media,
and explores the ways in which teens are at once shaping and being shaped by the
electronic culture that surrounds them.
With nearly three-quarters of 12-17 year olds online, the Internet is
having a profound and far reaching impact on the lives of today’s youth. TeenSites.com is designed to shed light on
the new digital media culture. The study
makes a number of recommendations for policymakers, scholars, industry and the
like. The full study is available at www.cme.org/teenstudy.
Amica Insurance Company’s “Save
the Night” program offers $1,000 grants for high schools that want to plan safe,
alcohol free events for after prom or graduation. The grant can be used to pay for the party,
and winners will also receive a party planning guide and anti-drinking
posters. Applications must include a
student poem of 200 words or less illustrating why teens should not drink and
drive. Deadlines and contact information
are available on-line at www.amica.com/0_0/default.html?/Young_Driver/default.htm.
The Foundation of America’s 2002 Youth in Action Awards program recognizes
young people’s efforts to improve their communities. The application deadline is March
31st. Winners will receive
$1,000 grants for ongoing youth-initiated projects generating demonstrable
results. For additional information go
online to www.youthlink.org and click on
“Youth in Action.”
The Handspring Foundation funds programs that help at-risk children including those using arts, technology and sports; those offering direct services to kids who are victims of abuse and neglect; and those helping homeless families. Most grants are between $5,000 and $10,000. The next grant deadline is May 1st. Go online at www.handspring.com/company/foundation for more info.
The Golub Foundation Annual Scholarship program has ten scholarships adding up to $52,000 being offered to applicants who live within the Price Chopper marketing area. Potential applicants must plan to attend an accredited two or four year college or graduate school in NY, NH, MA, PA, VT, CT. Applications are available in high schools, from Price Chopper store managers, or by contacting the Golub Foundation Scholarship Office, PO Box 1074, Mailbox 60, Schenectady, NY 12301. For more info call Barbara Page at 518-356-9489.
Youth in Action’s $1,000 awards recognize the many contributions young people make in their communities and to the nation every day. The deadline to apply for an award is March 31. For more information go to www.youthlink.org/us/awards.php.
If you are looking for funding services or foundation grants, here are a few web sites to check out:
www.foundationcenter.org
www.grantselect.org
www.grantstation.com
www.smarts.com
www.srainternational.org
www.webclipper.org
www.schoolgrants.org
www.davidlabb.com
www.nccs.urban.org.
The Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention was expected to release funding notices by Feb. 15th for the Juvenile Mentoring program and the Drug-Free Support program. They hope to award 30-60 new grants. Collaboration with local schools is crucial. If you are applying for the juvenile mentoring grant, be familiar with research findings on mentoring. You may want to read the Justice Dept.’s Government Performance and Results Act requirements at www.usdoj.gov for mentoring program results. The Drug-Free Communities Support program expects to make grants available to 70 new programs to support community-based coalitions devoted to addressing local drug prevention needs. Both of these grant opportunities should be posted at www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org.
The Hasbro Children’s Foundation funds development and expansion of programs serving economically disadvantaged children under age 13. Programs must provide direct services and serve as replicable models. The Hasbro Playspaces initiative funds fully integrated, universally accessible playgrounds allowing children with disabilities ages 2-12 access to 70%-100% of its play events and activities. Priority goes to playgrounds serving low-income communities. There are no deadlines and a program can only apply once a year. For more information go online at www.hasbro.org and click on Hasbro’s Children’s Foundation.
Program News
Hats off to the Youth Service Unit’s Project Return participants who completed their first Community Service Project by collecting food and supplies for the SPCA.
Congratulations to Family Services for receiving a very competitive, five year $50,000 SAFE PLACES grant from Office of Children and Family Services for their Teen Resource Activity Center (TRAC). The Youth Bureau will be the pass through agency.
The JEPERS (Juvenile Enforcement Program Encounter Reporting System) has been in operation since January 1, 2002. The Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, City of Beacon Police Department and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office are the agencies currently using the system. The Dutchess County Department of Probation and Community Corrections provides the administrative oversight for this program. The program is intended to promote informed decision making by law enforcement when responding to encounters with juveniles in Dutchess County.
Congress recently approved an education bill that establishes funding for mentoring programs. With passage and funding of Mentoring Programs, local direct-service mentoring programs can compete for federal funds to support their activities. Additionally, mentoring programs that are part of community-based organizations will be able to apply for funding for “community learning centers”, as part of the Federal 21st Century Community Learning Center program. Please go online to the National Mentoring Partnership website, www.mentoring.org, where you can access links to resources, partnerships and mentoring opportunities.
The National Mental Health Association releases a free guide designed to help parents whose children are in trouble with the law. The document, When Your Child is Behind Bars: A Family Guide to the Juvenile Justice System, describes how to get good care and services and navigate the system. For a copy of the guide call 800-969-6642.
Unemployment among younger workers surpasses the national average of 5.6%, according to the US Labor Department. Among people ages 20-24, unemployment reached 9.6% in December 2001 and more than 16% for youth ages 16-19. In a recession, companies choose more experienced workers. Early unemployment is linked to lower future salaries as noted by the Employment Policies Institute.
Conference Info
Plan to stop by both the Children’s Services Council’s and the Youth Asset Team’s KIDS EXPO booths in the Civic Center on March 23 & 24.
The Act for Youth Initiative emphasizes youth involvement or participation as one important youth development strategy. This spring, the Upstate Center for Excellence will focus workshops and training opportunities on youth participation. The objectives will be: to clarify and increase practitioners’ understanding of youth participation, to explore organizational readiness for youth participation, and to explore and practice youth adult partnerships. The workshop on Organizational Readiness for Youth Development will occur on March 25, 2002 from 12 noon – 3:00 pm. in the Capitol District. The training is open to all interested service providers working with young people. All workshops are free, but you must register at least seven days prior. If you are interested in registering or need more information, please contact Shana Karn at 607-255-7736 or Jutta Dotterweich at 607-255-4108.
Save the date for “More Tools for Success” at Campo Ramapo on Wednesday, April 24. Cost will be $5 per person and includes lunch. Training will address developmental youth assets for both youth providers and teachers. Program includes a keynote speaker and a variety of workshops. Conference brochures will be in the mail shortly.
Nominations for the Youth Board’s Annual YEA Awards and recognitions for Youth Workers, Adult Volunteers, and Professional Teacher are due at the Youth Bureau by 5 p.m., April 3. Call Carole Lehrer for a packet, 486-3646, or e-mail clehrer@co.dutchess.ny.us
Please note the date change: This year’s awards and recognitions will be presented at the Annual Youth Board Luncheon to be held on Thursday, June 6, at Dutchess Community College.
2002 YOUTH ASSET GRANT AWARDS
The Youth Asset Team of the Children’s Services Council received over 40
applications for the 2002 mini grant requests.
Thirty projects were chosen by the Team for a total of $20,000. An orientation meeting will be held for all
awardees on Wednesday, April 17, 6 P.M. at Bowdoin Park. Refreshments will be served.
ORGANIZATION/PROJECT
NAME
AMOUNT
Adirondack
Mountain Club/Breakfree Training
$
500
Arlington
High School/Fall Talent Show
500
Astor
Home /Activities for Youth Poughkeepsie
500
Astor
Home/Activities for Youth Beacon
500
Beekman
Library/Watering the Desert
500
Clinton
Elementary School/Knights Chess Club
500
Cornell
Coop. Ext./4-H Teen Educational Tent
500
DC
Environmental Council/Environmentors Pr.
500
Dover
UFSD/Sixth Grade Newspaper
500
Dover
UFSD/Good Samaritan Club
500
Dover
UFSD/Diversity Club
500
Girl
Scouts of D.C./Dance with Me
750
Grace
Smith House/Playback Theatre
1,000
Holiday
Hills YMCA/Family Kite Day
750
Hospice
Foundation/In School Bereavement
500
Howland
Public Library/Tutoring Project
500
Hudson
River Housing/Gannet House Activities
1,000
Linden
Ave. Middle School/Homework Program
500
Martin
Luther King C.C./African American Festival
1,000
Mediation
Center of D.C./Peer Mediation Summit
500
Mental
Health Assoc./Family & Youth Chorus
1,000
Millbrook
High School/SADD Activities
500
North
East Comm. Ctr./Millerton Skate Park
1,000
Oakwood
Friends School/Comm. Svc thru Arts
1,000
Pok.
Housing Auth./Graphic Design Studio
500
Red
Hook Student Council/2002 Leadership Exp
1,000
Stanford
Free Library/Celtic Mystical Art
500
Town
of Fishkill/Seasons of Empowerment
1,000
YRDC/West
African Music and Dance
500
YWCA/Youth
Against Racism Conference
1,000
TOTAL
$20,000