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3 Charitable Campaigns -
3 Ways to donate to Alternatives
United Way Designate #7001
Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign
Designate #3361
Combined Federal Campaign #50186
Alternatives values your support. Please designate Alternatives through your employee giving campaign.
Thank You |
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www.altinc.org
Best of Alternatives is an enews publication featuring news and information in the field of youth development for friends of Alternatives.
Hampton Office:
2021B Cunningham Dr., Suite #5 Hampton, VA 23666
757-838-2330
Newport News Office:
12284 Warwick Blvd., Suite 2A
Newport News, VA 23606
757-597-2801
Copyright 2009, Alternatives, Inc. All rights reserved |
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Numbers to Note
35 - number of years Alternatives has served Peninsula children and youth
4,351 - number of youth served through Alternatives in 08/09
1017 - number of adults who received professional development training
300 - number of teens and adults that attended the Going Green, Green Smart Rally
24 - number of Kids in Community Service after-school program sites
2 - number of student representatives selected to serve on the Hampton School Board
200 - number of teens surveyed in 10 neighborhood districts by the Neighborhood Youth Advisory Board
98 - number of works donated by artists to the Monart Art Auction
-from Alternatives 2008/09 annual report.
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MORE to EXPLORE Featured LINKS |
Check out the latest issue of WORD - our local youth magazine.
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In Other Words
Work, Work, Work
This has to change.
I think I want
To do something strange.
Like stepping, stepping, way, way out
Of that box I'm all about.
Fossil hunting sounds really fun.
So does writing in the sun.
I think I'll write that mystery book
So long ago to start, it took.
Just as long as I do something
And not an awful lot of nothing.
Poem by Karen Panchision, Newport News Public Schools, capturing her experience of HMS 170
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| Classes,Workshops,
and Trainings Visit Alternatives Trainingsfor a complete guide to our 2009 Fall Class Schedule | |
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Greetings from Alternatives! 
Happy Birthday BEST!
The BEST Initiative is a national effort to instill youth development principles and practices in organizations, thus strengthening the professionalism of youth work. For ten years, Alternatives has been the regional site of National Training Institute's BEST Initiative - Building Exemplary Systems for Training Youth Workers. BEST has also been expanded beyond Hampton and Newport News to include the communities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Surry County, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Chesapeake - now known as Hampton Roads BEST!
One of the goals of the BEST Initiative is to increase the skills of youth workers and potential youth workers to continually apply best principles and practices of youth development in their work, resulting in an improvement in the services, opportunities, and supports available for young people. Since 1999, Alternatives has been offering classes in Advancing Youth Development, a curriculum developed to accomplish this goal. We also offer Creativity and Youth Engagement, a course developed to increase skills in the creative competencies necessary to engage young people in meaningful experiences.
Thank you to all who have participated in increasing your knowledge and skills through these youth development courses over the past ten years. Here's to the next ten!
-Bernie Tennyson
Editor |
Why Youth Development?
Young people benefit from adults who not only care, but are knowledgeable as well.
Research shows that young people need to interact with consistently caring and knowledgeable youth workers throughout a community. Youth workers are caring adults who intentionally interact and work with  youth through various venues: juvenile justice, education, youth ministry, parks and recreation, workforce development, scouting, coaching, youth-serving organizations, etc.
Youth development is an approach to working with young people that defines goals (or outcomes) based on capabilities, strengths, and the developmental needs of youth.
Everyone benefits from this youth development approach. Youth workers own a higher sense of  professionalism about their work as they focus on the service, opportunities and supports necessary for youth to reach their full potential. Young people can expect more positive interactions with caring adults in a supportive environment with meaningful opportunities to contribute. Communities benefit as well when citizens view young people as assets or resources to their community.
Why Youth Development? Because EVERYONE BENEFITS! |
 Student impressions of 2 unique courses
Advancing Youth Development (HMS 171) and Creativity and Youth Engagement (HMS 170) are two classes offered in partnership with Thomas Nelson Community College. Both classes are part of the 29-credit Career Studies Certificate in Youth Development from the college. Some reflection statements of students from both of these classes are below:
HMS 171: Advancing Youth Development
"Throughout the entire course runs the theme of the need for respecting differences and the central importance of establishing authentic, caring relationships."
"This class provides a shared language that can cross over many professions and settings so that we can work more cooperatively together for the benefit of our young people..."
"There is an important tone of respect towards young people and a democratic approach to these principles that is extremely important in developing qualified youth workers."
"... youth work comes alive as class participants understand the structure and process needed to assist youth workers in achieving youth goals."
"The common language, theoretical principles, and expected behaviors provided through this course now give me the building blocks to grow the initiative."
"It would be helpful if it were a required course for all people working in the educational field - teachers, assistants, bus drivers, cafeteria monitors, etc."
HMS 170: Creativity and Youth Engagement
"I don't think I could have rewarded myself anymore at this point in my life than by taking the class on Creativity...How powerful is the idea of creativity? It allows me to view problems as opportunities, it allows me to laugh at my own mistakes including my drawings, it allows me to take risks without the concern of ridicule, it allows me to see the extraordinary in ordinary situations, and it allows me to feel good about myself. Creativity is powerful and this class has given me my first of what I believe many to come "Aha" moments."
"My experience in this class felt like a wonderful unusual place where I was so familiar with what I was learning, but so unfamiliar on how it was being expressed...The course allowed me to go deeper into what creativity is. It is more than the arts. Its how we think, who we are, and why we were put here...I think about my "Aha" moments and find myself using a phrase or technique that I learned and it makes me so glad for the experience."
"Because of the ideas that I have learned through this class, I will be able to reach people in more than just the 'usual way.' I know that my students and choir members will be able to gain from my newfound knowledge...I feel that my imagination and creativity will soar in ways never felt, seen, or heard before."
"The class was very diverse in nature and the people were very interesting. It was wonderful the way the ages ranged from young to seasoned; yet, each person was given the opportunity to illustrate their creativity during the various group projects. I enjoyed this class so much that I have now decided to register for the HMS 171 class."
"I learned many things during this course. The first and foremost is that creativity is a lifestyle, not just the ability to come up with great ideas or draw nicely." |
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Tell Your Friends & Colleagues!
Personal and Professional Advancement Opportunities for Adults
2009 CLASS, WORKSHOP & TRAINING SCHEDULE
To register and pay for any of the classes, workshops, or trainings click here.
College Classes
Fall 2009 Youth Development class schedules:
HMS 171: Advancing Youth Development
Saturday, Sept 19, 9am-4pm
Saturday, Oct 10, 9am-4pm
2 credits
$210- includes tuition, fees and materials
HMS 170: Creativity and Youth Engagement
Friday, Oct 16, 4-7pm
Saturday, Oct 17, 9am-4pm
Friday, Nov 20, 4-7pm
Saturday, Nov 21, 9am-4pm
3 credits
$300- includes tuition, fees and materials
For more information about Advancing Youth Development or Creativity and Youth Engagement, contact Bernie Tennyson, btennyson@altinc.org. For more information about other courses that are part of the Career Studies Certificate in Youth Development from Thomas Nelson Community College, contact Anne Andrews, andrewsa@tncc.edu. | |
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