TheConnector

TheCONNECTOR is Youth Community Connections’ (YCC) communication tool for sharing policy updates and for seeking action from its partners. Please review and respond in a timely manner. TheCONNECTOR contains the following highlights:

RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS

Linking Communication Messages Across Early Care – K-12 Education – After School
Youth Community Connections received a Technical Assistance Grant from the C.S. Mott Foundation for one year to bridge communication messages across the fields of early care, K-12 education, and after school. Denise Mayotte, executive director of Sheltering Arms Foundation, and Missy Thompson, vice president of Success By 6 at the Greater Twin Cities United Way, have agreed to lead this project in partnership with YCC and its partners.

Minnesota expects that this project will result in short communication pieces and a consensus-building workshop design that can be implemented statewide and disseminated across the country to be used to build public will and support for a comprehensive system of high quality learning opportunities across the span of early childhood, childhood and adolescence with clearly identified, complementary positive outcomes.

These communication pieces will assist the statewide afterschool alliance in it on-going efforts to build public will and understanding of the benefits of engaging in quality afterschool opportunities while addressing concerns of policy and decision-makers that we are competing over limited resources.

The planning team will begin meeting in October 2008 and expects to convene a stakeholder group early in 2009. More information will be made available as this project moves forward.


Lights On Afterschool - October 16, 2008

YCC is working to promote Lights On Afterschool which is October 16, 2008. This event falls on a school release day, which makes it easier for many youth programs to promote the event. YCC will send press releases to the media highlighting key Lights On Afterschool events. If you want your organizations highlighted in the press release – please contact Ceil by October 3, 2008!

Lights On Afterschool the nation’s celebration of afterschool programs attracts 1 million Americans to 7,500 events at afterschool programs across the country. With the possibility of afterschool funding increases this year, it’s an important time to show off our programs. Take part in Lights On Afterschool and help call attention to the need for afterschool resources.

Click to here sign up. You will start receiving Event Planner Email Alerts and free Lights On Afterschool posters to promote your event. Easy to use planning tools are available online. You will find sample media materials, timelines, case studies and more.

Whether you hold an open house or stage a county-wide celebration, your participation in Lights On Afterschool helps demonstrate the importance of your work, and of afterschool programs nationwide. Thank you for your participation and support.

As always, we invite your comments and ideas on Lights On Afterschool! Email us at YCC , or call 612.627.0160.

Advocating for Resources for After School During the 2009 Legislative Session – We Need You!
Youth Community Connections is working with public and private organizations/agencies to strategically leverage resources for afterschool and summer learning opportunities in Minnesota. The state-funded Afterschool Community Learning Opportunities Grant program is administered by the Minnesota Department of Education and is scheduled to end June 2009 without further action by the State Legislature.

Youth Community Connections will advocate in support for the continuation of these public investments and is seeking partners to assist in lobbying on these efforts. To learn more about the Afterschool Community Learning Opportunities Act or how you can help support these advocacy efforts, please contact our office at 612.627.0160.

Minnesota Youth Advisory Council Applications Now Available
The Minnesota Alliance With Youth is pleased to announce that we are currently accepting applications for the 2008-2009 Minnesota Youth Advisory Council (MNYAC)! If your organization is interested in participating and sponsoring a youth member, complete the attached forms and return them to Em Westerlund, Alliance AmeriCorps Promise Fellow. Completed MNYAC applications should be emailed to Em at emily.westerlund@gmail.com. Any questions about MNYAC can be directed to either Em Westerlund at (612) 627-0156 or Melissa Burwell, Program Director at (612) 616-2574. The deadline for MNYAC applications is October 1, 2008.

For more information about the Youth Advisory Council, visit the Minnesota Alliance With Youth website.


Year of Student-Action
The Student Volunteer Foundation™ (SVF) exists to empower students who have a passion for service. SVF funds student-initiated service-learning projects and leadership development opportunities for student leaders, while encouraging educational and career development.

The Year of Student-Action™ is an initiative for schools across Minnesota to pledge hours of service to their school or community. This Action-Pledge symbolizes a school’s commitment to preparing the next generation of civic minded leaders with the tools and perspective to inspire change to transform the world.

NEW RESEARCH

Check out some of the latest research on after school, youth engagement and quality improvement on YCC’s website under latest research.

Using Program Evaluations for Continuous Improvement Efforts in After School and Working with Older Youth After School
Harvard Family Research Project released a new Research Brief outlining how program evaluations can be used for Continuous Improvements and how older youth and their families benefit from out-of-school time. You can find this brief on the Harvard Family Research Project website Research Brief: Highlights From the Out-of-School Time Database.


Understanding the State of Knowledge of Youth Engagement Financing and Sustainability
Youth programs and organizations have developed a variety of approaches for including young people in decision-making processes that affect them, their peers, and their communities. Despite these efforts, little is known about these approaches. The Annie E. Casey Foundation funded the Finance Project to produce a report on the state of knowledge on financing and sustaining youth engagement programs.

FUTURE EVENTS


Policy and Advocacy Committee Meeting October 10, 2008
Youth Community Connections invites you to join our Policy and Advocacy Committee on Friday, October 10th from 9:00-11:00 am at the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul. Wilder Foundation is located on the southwest corner of University Avenue and Lexington Parkway.
As we advocate for after school learning opportunities for children and youth across the State of Minnesota it is important to understand how federal legislation and/or budget issues affect our work.

Emily Lawrence, policy director for Congresswoman Betty McCollum, will come from Washington DC to introduce the ASPIRE Act. The ASPIRE Act (After School Partnerships Improve Results in Education Act) was introduced this session to support afterschool learning opportunities for older youth.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, October 8th by contacting Michael Messinger at michael@youthcommunityconnections.org or 612.627.0157.

Youth Engagement Symposium Series
The Youth Work Institute presents the Youth Engagement Symposium Series.
This series of symposia on youth engagement will give a public face to momentum we’ve been feeling and nurturing in the state of Minnesota for quite some time. It’s all this talk, conferences and projects about youth engagement.

Upcoming speakers
• Theresa K. Sullivan, Friday Sept. 26: Register
• Wendy Wheeler, Friday Oct. 24: Register
• Constance Flanagan, Tuesday Nov. 18: Register

What is it? What does the research say about it—what are its benefits and how do you do it well? Why is it important? What do we, as a state, need in order to promote and support youth engagement?

At these three Symposiums, you will learn about:
• A new typology or framework for defining different types of youth engagement, unique challenges and benefits of each, and what it takes to do them well, including findings from case studies of youth engagement around Minnesota;
• Findings from a multi-site demonstration project around collective leadership—the notion that youth and adults together, sharing ideas and experiences, is redefining our traditional notions of leadership and is at the core of all youth engagement;
• Leading thinking, research and systems change work around the practice of civic engagement as a tool for rebuilding young people’s social trust and capital;
• New youth engagement resources, training, grants, online information, toolkits, events, and more!

Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota’s Annual Meeting - October 20, 2008
Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota is hosting its annual meeting on October 20, 2008. Building Bridges to Better Futures is the theme of the meeting and participants will learn ways to build and strengthen bridges to between:
• Research and Practice
• Corporate, government and non-profit sectors
• Different cultures and communities
• The present and future
• And of course, between adults and young people.

Full workshop descriptions, a downloadable brochure or to register online, visit www.mentoringworks.org.

Youth Community Connections’ Bi-Annual Meeting

The Afterschool Formula - Bringing It All Together
November 13, 2008 - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Ramada Inn Northwest
6900 Lakeland Avenue
I-94/694 Exit 31
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Register Today Online! More Information is Available on Our Website.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Current Openings

Program Manager, Children and Families
Greater Twin Cities United

Research Director
Minnesota Minority Education Partnership (MMEP)
Deadline: October 1, 2008

Camden Youth Engagement Program Coordinator,
Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Association
For more information contact Amy Luesebrink at aluesebrink@aol.com or 763-561-1616.
Deadline: September 30, 2008

Youth Community Connections
1313 - 5th Street SE, Suite 321 ~ Minneapolis, MN 55414
PH: 612.627.0160
WEB: www.youthcommunityconnections.org