Date:

February 8, 2005, 3:30-5:30 pm

Meeting location:

Cross Building, 500

Notes compiled by:

Kerry Salvo

Chair(s) / Facilitator(s):

Kerry Salvo, Tamara Heligman, Dara Kidder (telephone)

Members present:

Kerry Salvo, Tamara Heligman, Erica Famous, Deb Bicknell, Cara Anderman, Ian Engdahl, Dara Kidder (phone), Justin Alfond (part), Marwin Spiller, Cory True, Riah Carver

 

Agenda Item(s):

Major Points of Discussion:

 

1. Introductions & LYAC update

·        Members introduced themselves.  New attendees included: Cory True from LYAC, Riah Carver from MYAN, Justin Alfond from League of Pissed Off Voters, Erica Famous a VISTA with Maine Campus Compact at UMaine Machias, and Marwin Spiller of UMaine.

·        Cory gave LYAC overview for new members.  They are publishing their annual report this week.

·        January 28th hearing had only 1 true piece of testimony about enforcing underage drinking policy.  Was presented by a member of the Youth Empowerment Policy group.  Supported by OSA and endorsed by the Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety.

·        Next hearing is March 25 1-4 pm in Caribou and there is more interest and administrative support.  Another hearing will be in South Portland in May.

·        LYAC is working on sending letters to Task Force committees requesting youth voice and membership on all state Task Forces. 

 

2. Update on Recruitment

·        Concern about dealing with youth-adult partnerships before sending information out.

·        Deb has 1 person in mind at MYAN.

·        Cara put notices in some social studies teachers’ mailboxes and will follow up.

·        Senior from Cheverus emailed Kerry with interest.

·        We should distribute recruitment materials to LYAC.

·        Discussed need for diversity—question of transportation?  Justin, Deb, Kerry, and Tamara expressed willingness to transport youth from areas where they work and live if needed.

·        People to consider: Nelson Beaudoin and students at Kennebunk, Blunt and Youth Advisory Council in Portland, Mt. Ararat students that Justin has a connection with.

·        Maybe use listserves to recruit through youth organizations.

o       MYAN has a listserve we could access.

·        Need to add contact information to recruitment sheet.

·        How about youth on the actual Task Force?  We talked about increasing our subcommittee membership and sending different youth to each larger Task Force meeting so there is youth representation there when we have discussions.

·        Need to look at language: What is civic education anyways?

o       Decision to create an initial paragraph that suggests this question and gives “synonyms” or other examples of what it could mean.

§         Citizenship, social justice, social education, advocacy, community involvement, getting things done, service, volunteerism, political activism, leadership, voting, vote or die, being active in government, raise your voice, get involved, knowing about your government

 

3.Discussion of Youth-Adult Partnership Training

·        Deb and Riah brought in materials to review and an article on adultism.

·        Need more than 1/2 hour—45 mins-1 hour needed!

·        Should have youth there to participate in the process.

·        Ian, Cory, and Riah will come to the Task Force meeting February 28 to discuss their experiences.

·        Will have Task Force members do a self-assessment.

·        Hand out and discuss Dos, Don’ts, and Tips and Youth-Adult Partnership Continuum sheet.

·        Talk about where we want to be on the continuum and how to get there.

·        Will put out MYAN Youth-Adult index cards on tables for Task Force members to look at when they arrive.

 

4. Discussion of Website

·        Information is available on Maine Campus Compact (www.mainecompact.org) and KIDS Consortium (www.kidsconsortium.org) webpages with info about the Task Force.

·        Maybe other organizations can post similar information on their sites until an actual website is available.

·        Language is audience specific and will probably need to be tailored for different groups.

·        When we get our own website, it should have pictures: MYAN pictures, service-learning, VISTA, Campus Compact, etc.

·        Information reworded so youth can easily understand what the Task Force is all about.

o       Maybe use Michican Civics Commission webpage for suggested language (www.civicscommission.com).

·        List of youth groups and contact information as a network of opportunities and examples of involvement and youth action.

o       Use MYAN, Outright, Muskie Institute, Early College Programs, College Programs for ideas.

 

Next Steps:

Update recruitment sheet to include contact information and initial “what is civic education anyways?” paragraph

Tamara & Kerry

Follow up with Winthrop teachers about recruitment

Cara

Send recruitment to MYAN list

Deb

Follow up with others about recruitment

Kerry

Revise language on Task Force information for webpage to make it more easily youth-accessible

All

Look for pictures to use on website and email them to Kerry or Tamara

All

Brainstorm ideas for organizations to link to on webpage

All

Design a draft of what the website will look like

Tamara & Ian

Prepare handouts on Youth-Adult Partnership for Task Force Meeting

Deb & Riah

Run Youth-Adult Partnership training at TF meeting 2/28

Deb, Riah, Ian, Cory

 

Next Meeting Date/Time:

Wednesday, March 9, 3:30-5:30 pm

Location:

TBD

Items for Next Meeting Agenda:

Language, what is civic education anyways?, website, recruitment