Lakewood's Promise

Youth engagement efforts studied in 100 Best Communities

11/10/2011

Most people have heard about involving youth in the decision to implement, for example, a skate park in the community; or they have heard about how youth are invited to participate in school board meetings. But have youth in your community influenced the decision to widen bike lanes to make biking safer? Have they created and formatted an alcohol education and prevention program? Having youth insights on issues such as these is important in ensuring youth benefit as much as they can from such initiatives, particularly if the initiatives are specifically designed for youth. See the list below for some of the unique decisions influenced by youth in the 100 Best Communities presented by ING and get some ideas for how your community can do more for youth involvement and leadership.

• Widening bike lanes & making biking safer (Flagstaff, AZ)
• Adding interpretive signs on a local trail (Bigfork, MT)
• Development of a dog park (Carlisle, PA)
• Adding additional tutors at the elementary school (Hamden, CT)
• Creating a No Soft Drink policy (Indio, CA)
• Hosting a community-wide Make a Difference Day (Lakewood, WA)
• Formatting an alcohol education/prevention campaign (Longview, TX)
• Creating a community holiday party and Splash-a-day Carnival (Landfall, MN)
• Selecting a new chief of police (Somerville, MA)
• Determining teen programs offered by the Parks & Rec.(St. Petersburg, FL)
• Advising additions to the library collection and programs (Tampa-Hillsborough, FL)
• Dropping class rank (Salisbury-Wicomico County, MD)
• Reinstating funding for youth programming (White Plains, NY)
• Setting curfew ordinances (Oklahoma City, OK)
• Creating an Anti-Violence Campaign for the community (Brockton, MA)
• Securing the Smoke Free Parks campaign with ACS (Corona, CA)
• Passing a party host law to make it illegal to serve minors (Dover, NH)
• Outlining of a “Youth Bill of Rights” (Fall River, MA )

In an effort to better understand youth leadership and youth engagement in our 100 Best Communities for Young People, America’s Promise Alliance analyzed the winning applications focusing specifically on how these communities described leadership and involvement of youth in local policy and/or budgeting decisions. One of the things that makes a community great is how the community involves its youth in such decisions.

Out of the 100 Best Communities, America’s Promise documented over 350 community programs specifically targeted for youth voice and leadership. Most commonly youth are invited to be members of youth councils, youth advisory boards, or Mayor’s councils. These councils/boards include, but are not limited to, local government, local businesses, local non-profits and even local affiliates of Alliance partners. By including youth on such councils, a community gives its youth a voice in the decision making process which crucial in creating the best community for youth.

Secondly, many local organizations also offer leadership and education classes for youth in their communities. Giving youth the opportunity to serve, exemplifies the Five Promises.

Through such educational and leadership classes, youth are able to learn how to effectively communicate and lead their peers. Positive peer pressure through mentoring was a common theme across most of the applications, and speaks to how communities are implementing the Five Promises in their communities by providing youth with an opportunity to give back.

and………..

Intel Computer Clubhouses represent Promise Places from coast to coast

11/10/2011

From the San Francisco Bay area to Boston, Intel Computer Clubhouses provide a creative and safe out-of-school learning environment where young people work with adult mentors to explore their own ideas, develop skills and build confidence in themselves through the use of technology. In doing so, many of these Clubhouses have been designated Promise Placesin 2011. Congratulations to:

• Eden Youth and Family Center – Hayward, Calif.
• Community Youth Center of San Francisco
• James Lee Community Center – Falls Church, Va.
• Lakewood Computer Clubhouse – Lakewood, Wash.
• YWCA of Greater Miami-Dade, Inc – Miami, Fla.
• Blue Hill Boys & Girls Club – Dorchester, Mass.
• Whitefoord Community Program – Atlanta, Ga.

A Promise Place can be a school, church, community organization, business or any other place that provides all Five Promises to young people — acting as a hub of holistic services and resources crucial to success. Presented by State Farm Insurance, Promise Places are a critical part of achieving the Grad Nation goal.

The Intel Computer Clubhouses provide all Five Promises along with access to computers and state-of the art technology. Bullying, cyber-bullying and internet safety are addressed as well.

In diverse communities such as San Francisco, culturally competent and linguistically appropriate programs are offered. In Falls Church, Va., the James Lee Computer Clubhouse recently launched a program that also supports local senior citizens. Lakewood Computer Clubhouse features the STEM-ULATING Summer Program that includes a variety of weekly science, technology, engineering, math and media projects designed to stimulate curiosity and creativity as well as encourage teamwork. All of the Clubhouses support students’ school work and help prepare them for success after high school graduation.

L.D., a young man from Miami-Dade said, “the things I get out of coming to the YWCA Computer Clubhouse are, learning how to be a leader, learning the technology and having fun with the field trips. I liked how last year I got to go to Boston to M.I.T. to see all the new technology they have that’s coming out. Like, the new computer that you use your fingers to open the screen and you can type right into the air; it’s like Star Wars because it’s futuristic!”

Recently, the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network announced that it is sponsoring a competition for its members to create and submit an original film concept no longer than three minutes about the high school dropout crisis. The winner(s) will receive an expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. to attend and participate in America’s Promise Alliance’s Building a Grad Nation Summit, March 18-22, 2012.