KEYS Our Future By Design Community Forums ~ 2004 & 2005 ~ Youth

Youth – April 2004 Survey

http://www.keysregion.org/surveyresults/surveyresults.htm

§ And remain for their lives – raising their own families

§ Other comments – not rated

§ Provide youth better alternatives to malls, drinking, overeating – make doing the healthier thing more exciting than the alternative

§ Use/growth of children’s leadership councils, raising standards

§ Support for children raising themselves – for parents who need additional resources

§ Provide safe, positive, empowering opportunities for youth that are inclusive and have youth ownership

§ Encourage youth involvement in this process by going into middle and high schools

§ Community involvement plans, prevention programs/drug/alcohol, mentoring/self building programs for at risk-1st time offenders

§ Vibrant schools and safe gathering places in town center for youth; kids involved in “our future by design”

§ After school places to go – rec. or coffee shops

§ We need more programs for the youth that aren’t in sports or after school clubs; how to get money for new programs

§ More programs, a way to afford more opportunities, a way to include youth who cannot afford programs

§ Development of community center with planned activities

§ Opportunities for youth to volunteer on regular basis

§ I’m concerned about the services for the kids at low income housing

§ Art and music network for youth A & C interests

§ Teach them to provide for the senior years, to provide a retirement program for themselves

§ How can we support and expand youth services?

§ Teach respect and responsibility early

Youth Table Notes 9/29/05

as written on the tablecloth during café style conversations, in response to this vision/goals statement:

Youth Vision: We envision a regional community where youth feel connected, safe, and valued, and have abundant opportunities to reach their full potential.

Goals to move us toward that vision:

a. Community and Regional Youth Centers: Each town has accessible, safe, nurturing, and fun places for youth with varied programs that are focused on youth needs and interests. There will be a KEYS region Youth Resource Center offering a community hub and housing regional youth programs and activities.

b. Mentoring: By 2010 mentoring in all KEYS schools by community volunteers will double.

c. Healthy Youth: Youth are knowledgeable about caring for their health, and motivated to act on that knowledge.

d. Marketable Skills: Youth prepare to become financially self-supporting adults.

e. Community Service Opportunities: Youth have a place to go for community service opportunities, and they have a high rate of community service hours.

Conversation participants: Mel B., Courtney E., Brett H., Laura J., Kathryn D., Dan G. (List of participants may not be complete for any table.)

• Jobs or careers worth staying in Maine for
• All growth is not sprawl
• Things for kids to do
• Create and be open to alternative education opportunities
• group mentoring – to help with lack of volunteers
• school systems and towns need to support mentoring and provide resources
• Intergenerational resources
• Affordable housing *
• Modeling – positive behaviors
• How to get youth to be active members of community
• Time bank offer group experience for kids
• Allow youth ownership in activities
• Give them a voice
• Welcoming and acceptance of all youth
• Cohesiveness and communication between schools –sports –rec. (services)
• Invite youth to be on boards and in business
• Connections – who do we want to value youth and how do we create it? (self, seniors, business)
Funds

• Bring young people and new ideas into the region
• Get kids involved on boards and local programs
Let them help decide what they’ll enjoy and what will ‘reach’ them

• Regional Youth council
Wellness-based skills and learning integrated into curriculums

• Mentors – bring together with youth
• Funds
• Improve youth center building
• A place to program for all children all ages
• Bring together all volunteers – what is going on in town – who are the contact people?
• Let’s create a welcoming organized brochure with contact people for our recreation organizations
• Value each group
• Get kids connected to nature and they will connect with self
• More outdoor education and recreation
• Do we let our kids out alone?
• beautiful
• thoughtful
• fortunate
• How will my children stay and continue to enjoy this beautiful area?
• Value youth
• More afterschool programs
• Bring seniors and youth together
• Alternative programs
• volunteers – teach, lead – Get paid from their work to do it
• Transportation needs
• More to do
• Have fun
Relax

• Service Learning
• Cross community connection
• UW Day of Caring for youth
• Group Mentoring
Free yoga meditation lessons for stress-reduction, one-pointed focus, discipline – practice that feels good, has unintended positive consequences

• People are a vital part of nature – must link together for success – how? – education, experience, immersion
• youth need to connect with nature and self in order to connect to community
• Who do we seek to value youth? 1. themselves, 2. businesses (create jobs and internships), and 3. seniors

· Power of Outdoor Education – increases self-confidence, leadership, independence, communication, academic performance

• Drawing – nature seeking youth with tree with swing and inset of “lure of electronic world”

• For Youth – York (KEYS) needs a youth center, town/regional pool, skate park, outdoor programming

• (From gov’t page): Regional recreational center for young people isn’t a good idea