GREENWOOD’S PARTNERSHIP FOR YOUTH

 

UPDATE – OCTOBER, 2002

 

 

After reviewing issues and concerns for Greenwood, South Carolina, approximately 55 community leaders agreed that Activities and Care for Youth is the priority for the immediate future.  Individuals from non profits, churches, and government divided into 4 task forces to work on various key concerns.

 

TASK FORCE 1

 

TEAM A – Twenty-one individuals became members of Team A and are working on developing after school programs for area youth.  This team has met five times over the past two months, with attendance from 8 – 12 per meeting.

               

Members of this team have accomplished the following:

                *Approval of a model and best practices format that will build activities and

                                programming for youth in schools after the regular school day

                *Gathered information about current youth activity involving 32 organizations

                *Set goals to be focused on for the short-term:

                                *Increase the number of children and youth involved in enrichment

                                                activities

                                *Ensure attention is given to equity and diversity of impacts

                                *Appropriate and/or adult supervised activities are available for all

                                                children of all ages, with an initial focus on school-age children

                                                4-18

                                *Increase in literacy and basic skills among school-aged children, as

                                                evidenced by higher test scores

                                *Improved coordination and the enhancement of youth services through

                                                greater community involvement which includes parents, adults,

                                                and corporate partners

                                *Community institutions and civic groups adopt more inviting approaches

                                                directed at youth, especially among area churches and faith-based

                                                agencies

                *Outlined the qualifications for staffing of after school programming

                *Began developing a list of the key components that need to be included in

                                programming

                *Met with additional District 50 after school staff

                *Began discussions about transportation, the costs, availability, etc.

 

The Team will focus on short-term plans, building upon what is available and expanding that as possible with limited resources.  School sites will be selected based upon areas of need, capacity of assets, and resources available.  Once those site programs are operating, the team will develop plans for the longer term, making programs available for more youth, and researching possible funding to support the expanded efforts.

 

Once specific schools are identified for after school programming, youth and their families will be invited to the table to assist in developing the programs and activities.

 

Team A will be writing a collaborative grant during October for 21^st Century Community Learning Centers.

 

 

TEAM B -  Fourteen individuals joined Team B to work on developing programs and activities for parents, families, and other adults interacting with youth.  This Team has met four times with attendance ranging from 6 to 10 per meeting.

 

Team B has:

                *Approved a model and best practices format to use in their action plans

                *Developed an agreed upon guideline for what “Support” and “Standards of

                                Care” involve

                *Determined that activities and programs need to occur within neighborhoods in

                                conjunction with the sites selected by Team A

                *Agreed that families and neighborhoods will determine the strengths and needs

                                for themselves

                *Determined that the population the Team is focused on is “family” and includes

                                all members of that family as defined by the family

 

Team B is developing an action plan that can be replicated for all neighborhoods and will focus on selected neighborhoods for the short-term.   They are beginning to gather information about current programs and activities available upon with to build.

 

TASK FORCE 2 – CHILD CARE

 

This Task Force has joined with Success By 6 and First Steps and will working with those standing committees to address their goals:

                *Establish a community-wide strategy for achieving adequate childcare that is

                                acceptable to DSS, Major employers, Lander University, Piedmont

                                Technical College, SB6, First Steps and Childcare Providers

                *Available, quality, affordable childcare in the evening hours

                *Increase in the skills and knowledge of the childcare workforce

 

These goals are directly inline with the goals of SB6 and First Steps.  The group is currently compiling a list of childcare providers in Greenwood County and the level of licensing and/or accreditation. 

 

TASK FORCE 3 – SUBSTITUTE CARE

 

Eleven individuals joined together to work on the issues of children placed outside their homes for care, addressing the reasons why children are placed elsewhere and how to advocate on behalf of children, and providing enhanced support for relatives caring for children other than their own.  This group has met three times with attendance ranging from 6 – 8.

 

The group developed an awareness/advocacy campaign that would involve 12 months of intense, public support for the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of all children in Greenwood County.  Grant opportunities will be researched for possible funding of the campaign.

 

This Task Force is:

                *Developing an action plan to increase and/or enhance family support and

                                earlier intervention on the behalf of children and youth

                *Looking at ways of increasing and/or enhancing transition homes

                *Developing consistent and effective policies and case planning in the placement

                                of children and youth

                *Looking at a seamless system of care and has identified two specific groups of

                                populations to focus on:

                                                *All children with the potential of placement outside of their home

                                                *Children and families needing case management by a multi-

                                                                agency team

                *Researching respite care and enhancing current programs

 

Members of the group are gathering information about current programs and activities upon which to build.

 

 

Efforts are also underway to create a GIS map of neighborhood characteristics.  City and County officials are working with the Coordinator to gather and map crime statistics, 2000 demographic census data, the location of churches, schools, community centers and non profits, as well as other data by neighborhood.  Once created, these maps will assist all Task Forces in looking at the area by neighborhood to determine what resources are needed and where they would be of best benefit.  These decisions will be made in conjunction with members of the neighborhoods.

 

 

 

Anyone from the community is graciously invited to attend any of these meetings.