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Norwalk
Youth Services Advisory Board Actions
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February 13, 2007
Present: Peter Wien, Shirley Sarkin, Mike Moccaie, Jessica Fogg, Darlene Young,
Elaine Andersen
Staff: Linda Wilock, Katherine Pytleski
The meeting was called to order at 4:05 by Peter Wien.
1. Introductions. Peter introduced Jessica Fogg, a newly appointed member of the Advisory Board and asked her to give a little of her background. She works for Spinnaker Real Estate Partners and volunteers with Outward Bound. Other members also introduced themselves to Jessica.
2. Approval of Minutes of December 19, 2006. Linda Wilock noted that Tony Daddona should be listed with “Members Present”rather than with “Others”. On a motion by Elaine Andersen and with a second by Darlene Young the minutes were unanimously approved as corrected.
3. Follow-up to suggestions at December meeting. Linda brought the group up-to-date on steps that have been taken to implement strategies suggested at the December meeting, including distributing information to guidance counselors and setting up a meeting with principals. Additional suggestions were made by members of the board. Jessica’s question about the consequences of generating more referrals than we can handle generated a discussion about coping with such a situation.
4. Youth Services Prevention Programs. Continuing the practice of recent meetings, the Board took up another of the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Commission, the need to increase the focus on prevention programs. Linda announced that she had invited Katherine Pytleski, the Grants Coordinator, to join the group for this discussion in hopes of generating resources to meet some of the identified needs. Katherine expressed thanks for the invitation and suggested that she be included in notices of future meetings so she could attend regularly. She gave a quick overview of the kinds of grant information that she receives and some idea of what is available. Most grants require extensive collaboration and going above the basic requirements of the Request for Proposals. Recently, she reported seeing a grant called Project Ignition to promote safe driving among teens, another that focuses on tobacco use among teens, and a number of substance abuse grants. Katherine needs to know our priorities in order to be able to help find grants. She also needs us to work on the program design for grants that she finds.
Elaine suggested that before considering grants, we should look at what already exists and what we want to do. In response to a question from Jessica, there was general agreement that Norwalk has good mentoring programs. All agreed that improvement is need in the activities available to young people. Elaine mentioned the Safe Haven nights at the YMCA that occur monthly and draw large numbers. She advocates for taking activities to a variety of sites rather than having a building. Darlene said that as a parent, she would like more structured choices. Mike Moccaie said that there is money in the budget to renovate the bathhouses at the beach so they could be used as classrooms. Mike also suggested looking into collaboration with the Senior Center. That facility is unused late in the day and has a computer center, a lounge with a TV. The next step would be to have a talk with the Director, Marie Allen.
Jessica said that in her experience of interviewing young people for Outward Bound she has noted a lack of community service experience.
Take a next step by talking with marie allen. Also with Y. outward bound applications
are out Jessica will be interviewing in March. Youth council 2nd Tuesday of
the month. A place to put a survey. Website, ss are we going to develop a questionnaire.
What are you aware of what types of things would you like to do. Where would
you like to go on a Friday night? Darlene have we identified 13 and up what
parents and kids views are of what exists and what is needed. Take the survey
to Safe Haven nights. Need a subgroup to come up with something Darlene and
jessica
5. Questions and Discussion
Katherine from grants perspective if something is working well let her know
it needs to be sustained.
ss
Adjourned 5:15
*Recommendation from Blue Ribbon Commission:
Charge 5: Does providing counseling services leave sufficient resources for
the needed prevention effort?
Findings: The number and kinds of prevention programs offered by other Youth Service Bureaus vary greatly depending of local need and funding levels. The bulk of the Norwalk YSB’s prevention efforts are supported by grants. In Norwalk funding for prevention services was reduced as a result of the termination of a Substance Abuse Prevention Grant in 2004. School representatives among others noted the importance of prevention efforts and the gap in services that occurred when they were eliminated. The Commission members agreed that prevention services, including parent education and support, as well as a variety of age-appropriate conflict resolution models, are cost effective and are important elements in the continuum of services and should be expanded.
Recommendation 5: Although not specifically proposed as a recommendation, the
importance of increased prevention efforts was a recurring theme in the Commission’s
discussions. The hiring of a Grants Coordinator by the City was seen as timely
and an opportunity for the Youth Services Department to seek funding for enhanced
programming.
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