Issue 4 | |||
"All of
the speakers invoked much thought and reflection about what we are doing
and need to do." --Patrick Schommer, Missouri Department of Human Services. |
St. Louis Community Builder Helps Build Youth Development Network St. Louis Mayor Clarence Harmon invited youth development professionals in the St. Louis metropolitan area to respond to a national call to help America’s children. The Mayor wanted his City to be part of the new Federal Support for Communities Initiative (http://www.afterschool.gov/sponsor.html), which helps local communities access federal resources to finance the creation and expansion of after- school programs for youth and is housed at Vice President Gore's National Partnership for Reinventing Government (www.npr.gov). Responding to the Mayor’s invitation, St. Louis education and youth-development leaders met and decided to form a Community Planning Committee to ensure a coordinated local approach. The Committee, which consisted of leaders from public, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations, met regularly over a period of several months. Community Builder Marion Eisen was asked to serve on the committee, to represent the perspective of federal agencies in the planning process. The Committee sought to support local after-school providers by: linking providers with federal resources; identifying and highlighting elements of successful programs; and helping to foster the creation of a network of youth service providers. "The Committee found that federal agencies are not as easily accessible as they might be," Eisen said, "They discovered that federal programs and agency staff often are not as close to the people and communities as they need to be." The Committee chose to hold their first event, the St. Louis Community and Federal Resource Fair, on November 6. Eisen was nominated by the committee to coordinate the efforts of the planning committee. She worked with other organizations to assess the need for workshops; develop partnerships to ensure an effective outcome; secure facilities and speakers; and promote awareness of the event. The objectives of the Fair, held at Harris-Stowe State College, a historically black college with a strong community service tradition, were to: connect youth development resources with needs; provide training on successful programs; and expand the base of St. Louis youth service providers. Over 160 participants and 35 exhibitors attended, taking part in workshop sessions, problem-solving in roundtable discussions, and providing a rich showcase of program options and opportunities. Workshops focused on program management, accessing resources, marketing, and sustaining programs. Shirley Robinson Watkins, Under Secretary at the US Department of Agriculture, served as the keynote speaker for the Fair, underscoring the importance of providing nurturing and support for young people. "She added just the right touch of wisdom, warmth, and wit to our activities," said Peg Pedersen of the St. Louis Public Schools Community Education Centers, commenting on Under Secretary Watkins’ keynote address. The Resource Fair was a significant step towards
the goal of developing a St. Louis youth development consortium. "All
of the speakers invoked much thought and reflection about what we are doing
and need to do," said Patrick Schommer, Manager of Youth and Family
Services for the City of St. Louis. Several HUD officials not only attended the Fair, but also volunteered their time to help coordinate various registration activities and booth assignments. The assistance of these HUD colleagues led to a smooth process for participating organizations and Federal Resource Fair attendees. "It was great to see a gathering of very committed local, state, and federal personnel, as well as others come together to share information about a topic of mutual concern, said Patricia Straussner, HUD St. Louis Public and Indian Housing Director. "The speakers were excellent, and the audience was enthusiastic about an opportunity to meet and share information." HUD St. Louis’s Community Planning and Development Director Ann Wiedl thought that the number of people in attendance was a testament to "the fact that there is growing realization that we must do more for our children-and we must do it now." "Everyone is energized about our potential," said Eisen. "The event was the result of the efforts of many people working together to achieve a common objective, that is, to engage our youth in meaningful after-school programs. Already we are hearing reports of increased use of federal programs —in fact, one official of a sponsoring organization for the Department of Agriculture official reports that applicants for food programs have increased over 50%, an increase that she attributes to the Fair." Community activities are scheduled to continue the process of building the youth development network and fostering growth of youth after-school programming next year. | ||
