Greater Waterville

Greater Waterville, a Community of Promise, is an example of a Communities for Children Partner that has built bridges between social services organizations, schools, private individuals, professionals and large corporations.

The implementation of the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Asset Survey led to Results Planning Committees in five school districts that brought together school administrators, teachers, law enforcement, parks and recreation, Colby College faculty and students, parents, youth, and social service directors to share in developing baseline data and outcomes for effecting positive change. Social service agencies now bring their program development to the Leadership Council first in order to identify possible partners to improve the efficiency and effectiveness for those served. Nine area social service agencies that once competed for funds now work together to increase funding: Families First, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Waterville Boys and Girls Club and YMCA, Homeless Shelter, Maine Children’s Home, Mid-Maine United Way, Kennebec Valley Community Action Program, and Kennebec Valley Mental Health.

Five area Police Departments are now partners and two Juvenile Probation officers work as team players in prevention. Two court diversion programs were started through C4C collaboration, a Regional Juvenile Resolution Team through a Federal Block Grant, and Smokeless Saturdays, an educational program for minors caught with tobacco products.

Three cultural arts programs were started as a result of the Asset Survey: Youth Expressions, now a national model for America’s Promise, the Shakespeare Summer Camp for Teens, and the Music Mentoring Program for children 8-12. Fifteen Colby College students mentor children and youth weekly and the Colby College administration has become a partner in the C4C prevention efforts.

The Communities for Children Youth Development Subcommittee of the Leadership Council held its first Annual Youth Fiesta in the fall of 2000 at the Alfond Youth Center, beginning by recruiting 75 area teens to learn about youth leadership as active members of the C4C Leadership Council. They were selected by area schools to represent the diversity of each student body and included many youth who would not otherwise have had an opportunity to have a voice in their community or work with other youth leaders. The president of the Youth Leadership Council was once a poor student, identified as a slow learner.

The 75 youth leaders developed "Make a Difference Day," which raised $500 for the Homeless Shelter, and a Martin Luther King Day "I Have a Dream" speech contest. The winner read the speech at the Rotary MLK Annual Breakfast. Through the Asset Surveys a total of 1,175 youth ages 11-18, are working with peers, parents, faith communities, school administrators and social service agencies on issues that affect their lives.

The C4C Leadership Council, in partnership with schools and youth have identified priorities that include: transportation for children and youth from outlying rural communities to after school activities and events; increased mentoring opportunities; affordable, accessible cultural arts programming for ages 8-18; support for youth to improve leadership/service skills and experiences; and safe and caring schools.

C4C has served as a focal point to draw resources to meet needs of area children and youth. Sappi Fine Paper of North America established a $500 Youth Event Award. Grants totaling $44,000 were obtained, including funds for the Juvenile Resolution Team Block Grant, Youth Expressions, the Shakespeare Summer Camp for Teens, the Developmental Assets Survey Implementation and the Music Mentoring Program. Additional grant funding is pending. In-kind contributions have totaled $29,000 for office space, e-mail and phone, meeting spaces, and staff time from a wide variety of organizations.

The Greater Waterville C4C has inspired individuals and provided a structure to support good ideas as they arise in response to problems and opportunities. An example: a Colby College Human Development Professor heard about the Asset work and attended the Results Planning Committee in Oakland. He expanded on the asset theory with his students. Each of his 20 graduating seniors completed a final project that involved studying the outcomes of Oakland’s surveys, conducting extensive research and comparing them to national data. They presented their findings in a public forum. The professor now plans to assign an asset project each year in partnership with the C4C Leadership Council and area schools.

The Waterville Area Boys and Girls Club was eligible for national funding through the "Bonnie Raitt Guitar Program" if the club could identify a professional music teacher to implement the curriculum. Through the Leadership Council a Colby Jazz professor and professional musician agreed not only to coordinate the curriculum by to teach Colby music students to do music mentoring with 30 area children who could not afford music lessons. Three agencies on the Leadership Council wrote the grant to fund this program.

Contact Waterville C4C