June 4th Summary Notes
From Voices for Ohio's Children
Contents |
Youth Perspective
After a brief welcome and overview, Yvonne Hunnicutt provided a summary of the May 17 meeting with youth. Twenty-five youth attended, thanks in large measure to Berea Children & Family Services, Education Alternatives, and Magnolia House. Major discussion topics included:
- The need for workforce development – job training, job readiness, skills needed to retain a job
- The concern over housing – for emancipated youth, their fragile status; for foster youth, the desire to be independent but concerns about costs; for all youth, the fear of not having a safe place to live
- The desire for success in education, post-secondary as well as high school
- The need for somewhere safe and fun to go in the one’s own neighborhood
- The interest of 7-8 youth who would like to gather again.
Action Planning
Based on the ideas generated in meetings 1 and 2, Marcy Levy Shankman outlined four main areas for potential future action. These were
- Networking and Communications
- Information and Resources
- Direct Service Programs
- System Change and Policy Issues
Participants divided into four small groups, based on where their own expertise and interest lay. The four small groups were charged with identifying:
- 2-3 priorities
- Possible champions
- Possible funding sources
The following ideas were generated in these small group discussions:
Networking and Communications
Priorities:
- Create clearinghouse of information (also improve existing resources to be accurate)
- Create neighborhood-based community center (job/club/coffee shop) – “hook the youth through jobs or fun activities, then provide them information/support/services since they’re there)
- Important to have the 1-to-1 connection
- Center as a facilitator
- Advocacy function
- Easily accessible to youth
Potential Champions:
- Employment Connection
- United Way
- Agencies with existing networks
- Job Corps
- School districts
- Faith-based communities
Potential Funding Sources:
- Businesses in the city (e.g. CCF) for job creation and contributions
- Commissioners
Information and Resources
Priorities:
- Create central repository (or a professional position) of accurate, concise information for parents, providers, and youth to utilize
- Avenues of internet and printed materials haven’t worked
- Most youth get their information by word of mouth
Potential Champions:
- United Way
- Agencies with existing networks
- DCFS (Elizabeth)
- Northeast Coalition for the Homeless
Potential Funding Sources:
- Foundations (for start-up funding)
- WIA, Housing, County, or Metro (for sustaining support)
Direct Service Programs
Priorities:
- Raise awareness for youth and provide training on
- Housing
- Job readiness, preparation, and retention
- “Soft skills” and life skills
- Education
- BIG IDEA – One-Stop Shop that provides services, advocates, and is a central intake system
Potential Champions:
- Voices for Ohio’s Children
- Community stakeholders
- Agencies with existing networks
- School districts
Potential Funding Sources:
- Businesses in the city (e.g. COSE and Greater Cleveland Partnership)
- Collaborations
- Vocational training organizations and schools
System Change and Policy Issues
Priorities: (no real consensus, but…)
- Need a single point of data gathering to know services and policies before ask about policy change
- Coverage until 21 or 22
- Create multiples agreements between and among systems for multiple points of entry for accessing services
- Housing and workforce development (including transportation issues)
- Need to identify target populations
Potential Champions:
- Children and Family First
- Agencies with existing networks
- Commissioners and Mayors for policy change
Potential Funding Sources:
- Businesses in the city (e.g. COSE and Greater Cleveland Partnership)
- Commissioners
Major Themes Related to Priorities
- One stop place/source for information for youth is desired
- Economic development in the form of job creation and involving businesses in creating jobs is essential.
- Issues like violence prevention and pregnancy prevention must be understood as related to this population.
- Neighborhood-based activity, like creating jobs and businesses investing in local communities, is needed.
- Education for youth, from completing high school (or equivalency) to vocational education and job readiness is desired.
- We need to have youth specialists in place who can help youth develop as well as educate the systems and providers that deal with youth and their issues and challenges.
These priorities will be further explored at the next meeting as well as issues related to moving this project forward in the near future.
Summary Notes From Other Meetings
Please click on the links below to view that meetings summary notes
March 13th Summary Notes
April 27th Summary Notes
July 24th Summary Notes
