Notes from Susan Savell

As you will discover during the next weeks and months of reading this newsletter, our VISTA volunteer, Judith Simpson, has been meeting with members of our C4CY Councils so that she can write about your accomplishments.  Each edition will feature a partner community, and we hope that the stories about their work --and all of the relationships they have created-- will inspire you and offer you many new ideas for your accomplishments. Each edition will feature a partner community, and we hope that the stories about their work --and all of the relationships they have created-- will inspire you and offer you many new ideas for your own efforts on behalf of children and youth.

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Youth Key Note Presentation by "Ugly Ducklings"

Waterville and Old Town Celebrated in D.C.

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Dates to Remember

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America’s Promise has chosen these two C4CY members as two of the 100 Best Places For Young People. On November 2nd, Maine Children’s Cabinet representative, Lauren Sterling (also volunteer co-chair of the Greater Waterville C4CY) along with Waterville High School and Colby College Freshman (and City Councilor) Henry Beck, and the Coalition’s Bryant Rollins, their 21st CCLC Director from Waterville traveled to Washington D.C. along with Chelsea Moeller, C4CY VISTA, and Lisa Morin from Old Town River Coalition to receive their awards and to meet with Senators Snowe and Collins.

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Even More Reasons for Hope

What makes a conference a real success? Try this on for size: 650 attendees, 36% of them young people. Good space. Good food. Great people! The survey monkey evaluation responses we have received are very positive, especially for our keynote speaker, Mark Scharenbroich, who used humor to demonstrate the process of becoming more connected with others. We are already hearing about the impact of the conference in communities throughout the state: in Boothbay, for example, young people are now part of a newly formed Superintendent’s “Cabinet” that is strategizing ways to create a more caring school climate.

Youth Program Quality Assessment initiated by 21st Century

What makes a youth serving program successful? On October 20, seventy-two leaders and program coordinators gathered near Augusta to learn about a new program assessment, which will enable youth serving organizations and their adult staff and administration to see how well they are doing, and how they might improve. The program, Youth Program Quality Assessment, from High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, is based upon forty years of research in Head Start programs all over the country.

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VISTAS Make a Difference!

Judith recently spent a morning talking with Amy Tice, Teen Director at the Waldo County YMCA. The core values of the Y are caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility: a great basis for encouraging the growth of the developmental assets. In fact, nationally the YMCA’s are partnering with the Search Institute on an initiative entitled “Abundant Assets.” When Amy first came to the Y as a VISTA, there was no teen program.

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Tips From Judith, C4CY VISTA, and Organization Development Practitioner

The desire and ability to collaborate with other organizations seems to be a major key to using less cash and more energy to create exciting community projects with and for young people. The fear of collaborating can become a barrier to the ability to use all of the energy of a community. The skills of collaborating are tangible, and can be learned and practiced.

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