AUGUST 1, 2006

ATTENDANCE: Rhonda Collins; Peter Wien; Maria Borges-Lopez; Candace Mayer; Suria Ceja; and Darlene Young.

STAFF: Linda Wilock

OTHERS: None

CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Wien called the meeting to order at 4:10p.m.

1. INTRODUCTIONS

The Board members introduced themselves one by one.

Mr. Wien gave a brief description of why the Board was formed.

2. YOUTH SERVICES BUREAUS IN CONNECTICUT – DR. SUSAN RADWAY, PRESIDENT, CONNECTICUT YOUTH SERVICES ASSOCIATION

Mr. Wien introduced Dr. Susan Radway, who gave a PowerPoint presentation on Youth Services Bureaus in Connecticut, followed by a question and answer period.

Dr. Radway said Connecticut Youth Services Association is a network of youth service bureaus whose collective voice promotes the optimal growth and development of children, youth and families. There are 98 youth services bureaus serving 127 communities throughout Connecticut.

The Youth Service Bureaus (YSBs) are mandated by CT General Statute 10-19m. Advisory Board membership includes seven or more members appointed by a chief elected official or designee. These representatives can be from the school system, police department and private youth-serving organizations such as a Boy or Girl Scout leader, a mental health provider, a day care provider, representatives from the YMCA or Boys’ or Girls’ clubs. One member should be under the age of 21. One third of the representatives must be interested in youth services and receive less than 50% of their income from providing services to youth.

Meetings of the YSBs can be quarterly or monthly, and governed by either the full year calendar or the school calendar. The State statute says the meetings must be regular, but gives no other guidelines, so the members can pick how and when to have their meetings.

The YSB includes an Administrative Core Unit, whose required responsibilities are management and administration; research and evaluation; resource development; community involvement, which is a required component; and youth advocacy. It also includes youth development; a social development model; and asset development.

Areas of interest for YSBs include juvenile justice; mental health services; child welfare; teen pregnancy prevention; parent education; youth development; community outreach and a direct service unit.

3. QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION

Mr. Wien asked Dr. Radway about her experience with teen pregnancy programs. Dr. Radway said she did not have a program in her city, but some cities have some young parents’ programs that provide day care support and some education during the school year that helps them stay in school at the same time they’re receiving the education they need for a positive parenting experience. Some of them are after school programs that just have an emphasis on positive alternative activities such as abstinence and to keep them busy and occupied.

Ms. Collins asked how to go about putting programs together. Dr. Radway said they could be very formal or they could be very informal with a focus group culled from the population. She said to think of the age of kids and target the program to that age group. She said this is why asset development has become popular as part of asset development is mapping what already exists in the community. Because Norwalk is a large community, it could take a while to know where all the existing programs and services are, and group them into subcategories by age or neighborhood, or geographically by school. Then they can take a look at them and determine where some gaps are. Then the question would be, why does this area have these programs, and this other area does not, and is it because the programs are not needed, or is it for other reasons. Dr. Radway said then a focus group could be formed of young people or parents, and have a conversation with them with targeted questions. She said her YSB regularly talks with the kids that they serve in order to get feedback on the programs and whether the kids feel the programs are working or need to be changed.

Dr. Radway suggested that grants could be obtained to fund the focus groups and surveys, and briefly explained the granting process. She said they could go to some already existing organizations such as the Lions Clubs, church youth groups or school PTO meetings and talk with the people involved as to what programs they see a need for.

A brief general discussion followed.

Dr. Radway left the meeting at 5:05 p.m.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr. Wien closed the meeting at 5:15 p.m. after some brief comments with the others attending the meeting.

Respectfully submitted,

Linda J. Hayes
Telesco Secretarial Services

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