1. Promise Neighborhoods grant
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The
Greater Dwight Development Corporation
and a consortium of community and nonprofit leaders have formed a
neighborhood-driven collaboration that will build a comprehensive continuum of
cradle-through-college-to-career solutions, modeled after the successful Harlem Children's Zone,with strong
schools at the center that will support academic achievement, healthy
development, and college and career success. We will learn if New Haven has won the grant by September 30. 2010.
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2. Boost initiative
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The United Way of Greater New Haven, City
of New Haven and New Haven Public Schools are partnering to create
a new system to coordinate services both inside and outside the schools to
support children's overall development and enhance their ability to focus and
learn in the classroom. They have identified 5 schools in which to pilot this initiative for the 2010/2011 school year -- list of schools to be released shortly. Details may be found here.
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3. National Academies report on prevention
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This report "Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People" was released in March 2009, but has been gathering "buzz" since that time: - Mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) disorders -- which include depression, conduct disorder, and substance abuse -- affect almost one in five young people at any given time.
- Financial costs in terms of treatment services and lost productivity among youth and their families are estimated at $247 billion annually.
- Risk factors are well established, preventive interventions are available, and the first symptoms typically precede a disorder by 2 to 4 years.
Here's a key quote:
- "Currently, treatment interventions tend to isolate single problems, but there is growing evidence that well-designed prevention interventions reduce a range of problems and disorders and that these efforts are sustained over the long term. These programs often help children, families, and schools build strengths that support well-being. A focus on prevention and wellness can have multiple benefits that extend beyond a single disorder."
Click here for more information and to download policy briefs for researchers and policymakers and a resource for parents.
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4. We've Got Very Local Data
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CWYC workgroup members have been gathering information from local youth and youth-serving organizations. Here are the highlights of these mini-surveys:
Youth Survey about Success:
- Two-thirds of youth surveyed plan to go to college
- Over half the youth have identified a specific career goal
- Only 15% have a plan to achieve their career goal (this is where we plan to focus our efforts)
Youth Organization Survey about Family Involvement:
- Two-thirds of organizations surveyed say working with families is a large part of their work
- Half the organizations hold family events monthly
- Three-quarters of organizations said families request help with school issues for their kids "frequently" or "all the time"
- 88% said their work with families has helped improve outcomes for youth
Community Survey about Communications to Support Youth:
- 70% of respondents said they would benefit from a shared calendar of youth & family events
- 40% use Facebook: as a result, CWYC now has a Facebook page -- you can "like" us!
Thank you to all who participated in these surveys. If you would like more information about these surveys, please contact Rachel Heerema.
We are using all of this information to plan our shared work to help all youth succeed.
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5. Monthly coalition meetings re-start in September
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Citywide Youth Coalition sponsors monthly coalition meetings for
everyone in the community interested in working with and supporting
youth. We invite special speakers and everyone is invited to
make community announcements. The coalition meetings are held on the third Wednesday of every month from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Workforce Alliance.
Next meeting: Wednesday, September 15 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Click here for details.
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