TheConnector

TheCONNECTOR is Youth Community Connections’ (YCC) communication tool for sharing updates and for seeking action from its partners. TheCONNECTOR contains the following highlights:

RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS
Developing Framework of Quality Practice for Out-of-School Time
Communications Initiative – Bridging Early Care, K12, and OST Messaging ~ April 13, 2009
Youth Day at the Capitol ~ March 5, 2009

ADVOCATING FOR AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Contact your elected and returning representatives about Afterschool and Summer Learning
Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Recovery Act
Federal Education Bill Includes Funds for Out-of-School Time

NEW RESEARCH
Minnesota Out-of-School Time Funding Streams Report
FindYouthInfo.gov Launch Announcement
Leapfrog Institutes

FUTURE EVENTS
Quality Youth Development Practice Webinar, April 2, 2009 from 1:00-2:30 pm CT
Howland Symposium – A European Perspective on Youth Work Concepts, Policies and Practices, April 20, 2009 from 8:30-12:30 pm
“Connecting the Dots” Adults Coming Together to Engage and Inspire Youth

RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS


Developing Framework of Quality Practice for Out-of-School Time
Youth Community Connections is hosting a task force to assist in shaping the development of a framework of quality practice for out-of-school time.  The task force is co-chaired by Dr. Joyce Walker of the Youth Work Institute at the University of Minnesota Extension’s Center for Youth Development and by Carol Thomas of the Minnesota Department of Education’s Safe and Healthy Learners unit.  The task force is comprised of out-of-school time systems stakeholders, including funders (private, public and corporate), policy makers, and professional development and training organizations.   

The Youth Work Institute at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Youth Development is leading the development of the framework with support from the Minnesota Department of Education.  The task force is scheduled to complete its work April 30, 2009.  The framework will be utilized by the two leading organizations and presented to YCC’s Strategic Leadership Team to determine how YCC can promote quality practice in the field of out-of-school time without limiting access.  More information will be made available in the future. 

Communications Initiative – Bridging Early Care, K-12 and OST Messages
Youth Community Connections is partnering with The Sheltering Arms Foundation and the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals to host a meeting to review and discuss key messages that align and bridge early care, K-12 education and out-of-school time.  The meeting will take place April 13th at the Minnesota Department of Education. 

Kent Pekel from the University of Minnesota will offer the keynote address encouraging stakeholders of each community to begin collectively sharing a common story that aligns education and learning supports to children and youth.  Action Media has provided the communication support for the project. The Minnesota Department of Human Services has provided the initial resources.

Youth Day at the Capitol
On Thursday, March 5th, youth rallied at the Capitol to have their voices heard in support of out-of-school time and mentoring opportunities, workforce developement programs, intervention programs and homelessness prevention programs. Over 300 youth and more than 100 adults came to the State Capitol to energize support for Minnesota youth services programs at a time of critical need.

Mayor Coleman of Saint Paul and Mayor Rybak of Minneapolis, as well as Representative Gunther and Senator Moua, spoke in support of Minnesota's youth. The rally included a banner drop that formed a giant American flag as 60 red, white and blue banners were unfurled from the mezzanine level of the Capitol routunda by participants from throughout the state.

Youth Community Connections was proud to co-sponsor this event as part of the Youth Policy Alliance.

ADVOCATE FOR AFTERSCHOOL AND SUMMER LEARNING

Contact your elected representatives about Afterschool and Summer Learning
Youth Community Connections’ encourages you to contact your elected representatives to talk about the important benefits children and youth experience when they are engaged in high-quality afterschool and summer learning opportunities.  This is a great way to introduce yourself and introduce the importance of afterschool and summer learning opportunities in your community. 

Youth Community Connections has prepared talking points to assist in your efforts. 

Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Recovery Act
Minnesota’s Workforce Centers have received federal funding for summer youth employment programs for the first time in 12 years.  These funds were included in the federal stimulus package and are being distributed to Minnesota’s 16 Workforce Services Areas. 

Afterschool and summer programs working with low-income youth who are lacking academic and applied skills considered to be critical for current and future workplace needs may want to contact the workforce centers regarding potential partnerships.  A summary of allocations, eligibility guidelines, and local contacts are available on our website. 

For more information on the summer youth employment program contact Kay Tracy at 651-259-7555 or kay.tracy@state.mn.us.   

Federal Education Bill Includes Funds for Out-of-School Time
Congress has passed, and the President has signed, the fiscal year 2009 budget for education and it includes important increases for afterschool programs.  The $410 billion spending bill for fiscal year 2009 includes the following funding increases for afterschool:

• $50 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC): This funding increase will ensure that 50,000 additional children will have access to quality afterschool programming.
• $65 million for Child Care and Development Block Grants (CCDBG): About a third of this increase will go toward afterschool programs.
• $5 million for Full Service Community Schools.

NEW RESEARCH AND RESOURCES

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

Minnesota Out-of-School Time Funding Streams Report
The Minnesota Department of Education has released a summary report on funding streams for out-of-school time in Minnesota.  The report was prepared to create a common understanding regarding the structure of funding for out-of-school time programs in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Education and its partners engaged Access Philanthropy to conduct a survey of major funding issues, sources of funding and major funding allocations. The study expands on the document, Charting A Course: Connecting Out-of-School Time Opportunities, which provided a listing of key funding sources available from the Minnesota Department of Education to support out-of-school time programming.

 

FindYouthInfo.gov Launch Announcement:
Federal Agencies Develop Web Site to Strengthen Youth Programs
The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs is pleased to announce the launch of FindYouthInfo.gov, a collaborative effort of 12 Federal departments and agencies developed out of a shared goal of strengthening community resources to support our nation's youth.

This site provides targeted information to help youth-serving organizations and community partnerships plan and implement effective youth programs.

FindYouthInfo.gov offers customized strategies and practical resources designed to help communities:

• Build and sustain effective community partnerships
• Generate maps of community resources
• Develop evidence-based youth programs addressing risk and protective factors
• Access up to date information on Federal programs, funding opportunities and youth-related issues

This website features many Federally-developed interactive tools to help users build quality partnerships within their communities and help America’s youth reach their full potential. Online tools include social bookmarking, a calendar of events, news feeds, mapping tools, searchable youth program database, and much more.

FindYouthInfo.gov will be continually updated with new features and enhancements. Comments and suggestions on the site are appreciated, and can be submitted through the online Feedback Form. Visitor feedback will be used to enhance the website in the coming months.

Visit FindYouthInfo.gov today and learn about all its great features and benefits for individuals and communities. Sign up for e-blasts to stay abreast of the latest youth-related news and new site features.

About The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs: The Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP) includes members from: the U.S. Departments of Agriculture; Commerce; Defense; Education; Health and Human Services (Chair); Housing and Urban Development; Justice (Vice-Chair); Labor; the Interior; and Transportation, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Established February 7, 2008 by Executive Order 13459, Improving the Coordination and Effectiveness of Youth Programs, the IWGYP is responsible for promoting achievement of positive results for at risk youth.

Leapfrog Institutes
Leapfrog Institutes (LFI) is part of the University of Minnesota’s Department of Educational Policy and Administration. Leapfrog Institutes offers collaborative services to educators, school leaders and their communities throughout Minnesota and elsewhere, including China, Finland, and Mexico.  LFI collaborators champion competitive technologies in hardware, software, and mindware. 

What is Leapfrogging all about?
Leapfrogging means to jump over obstacles to achieve goals. It means to get ahead of the competition or the present state of the art through innovative, time-and-cost-saving means. Leapfrog denotes leadership created by looking and acting over the horizon. Leapfrog creates the future in the present based on what is found over the horizon.

Leapfrog institutions relentlessly disrupt themselves to compete successfully in the global knowledge and innovation economy. They work ahead of the competition in teaching, research, innovation, and service. They avoid playing catch-up.

What’s practical about of all this?  That’s easy!  Together, we can better help Minnesota’s kids move to the front of the line in their capacities to learn and to apply their learning innovatively!

For more information, contact  John Moravec (moravec@umn.edu, 612-625-3517); or Arthur Harkins (harki001@umn.edu); or visit the Leapfrog Institutes Web at www.leapfroginstitutes.org.

FUTURE EVENTS
 

Quality Youth Development Practice Webinar
The National Learning Priorities is proud to offer a Webinar focused on the 4-H PRKC core competency of Organizational Systems/Scholarship entitled… 

Quality Youth Development Practice
Thursday, April 2, 2009
1:00-2:30pm CT

Keynote speaker is Dr. Joyce A. Walker, Professor and Director of the Youth Work Institute at the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development. Joyce will share her perspective on the Theory of Developmental Intentionality and its application for quality Youth Development practice.     

Howland Symposium – A European Perspective on Youth Work Concepts, Policies and Practices
The Howland Symposium is designed to bridge research and practice around critical youth development issues. It is hosted by the University of Minnesota Extension’s Center for Youth Development and made possible with funds from the Minnesota 4-H Foundation’s Howland Endowment.

Dr. Lasse Siurala, Director, Department of Youth, City of Helsinki
Non-formal learning has gained some political recognition in Europe and in the youth field. It is seen to have wide potentiality to contribute to social integration, to develop work-related skills, to increase social capital, to promote active citizenship and to enhance social change. However, despite this boost, non-formal learning is defined very differently across Europe and a shared understanding of its meaning is lacking. Furthermore, there is controversy over its relation to formal education. It is not agreed whether non-formal learning should be seen as a complementary, as an alternative or as an autonomous field of learning in relation to formal education. This presentation makes an effort to find clarity in the concept.

When:         April 20, 2009, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
Where:        McNamara Alumni Center, Memorial Hall, 200 Oak St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
Cost:           FREE and open to the public

Register Today!

“Connecting the Dots" ~ Adults Coming Together to Engage and Inspire Youth
A regional conference for youth workers
This exciting event is for anyone who works with youth as part of their job, through volunteer efforts or as a career. The registration form and flyer has all the information necessary and may be reproduced and forwarded to all youth enthusiasts throughout Minnesota. It will be an exciting day of learning and sharing with colleagues across all youth interest areas.

Central Region – April 17, 2009 in St. Cloud
South Region – April 24, 2009 in Mankato
North Region – May 13, 2009 in Grand Rapids

Register online today at www.mn-mcea.org. 

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