January Member of the Month: Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well-Being

Does the name Central Center for Family Resources ring a bell? How about Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well-Being? Whether you call them by their former name or their current name, both are synonymous with exceptional and affordable services for families, children, youth, and adults in our community. I (Rachel) recently spent part of my afternoon with Patty Halvorson, Lee Carlson’s Marketing and Development Manager and a recipient of YIPA's 2010 Friends of Youth Leadership Award for Innovative Funding. The third Friday of each month, Lee Carlson Center hosts a “Lunch & Learn Tour,” where participants can meet staff, volunteers, board members and someone directly impacted by their services. I took part in this month’s “Lunch & Learn Tour” and could not believe all the phenomenal ways they are boosting the health and wellness of our communities.

Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well Being has a Youth Intervention Program that offers an early intervention Peer Support Program onsite at schools in Anoka County. This program addresses a significant gap in how our community supports the healthy development of youth. As a prevention and early intervention program, their services reach youth before a crisis occurs (e.g. violence against oneself or another) or before the youth's behaviors lead to interactions with the juvenile justice system. This program works with youth who are beginning to engage in behaviors that are of concern to parents and teachers. These behaviors range from depression to truancy to shoplifting and vandalism to self-cutting to experimenting with alcohol and other substances. At the high school level, many of the students are self-referred: They know they are struggling and they want a better and healthier life. Most of the youth participating in the School-based Peer Support Program are from families living in or near poverty. Consequently, families are not charged for services provided. Therefore, the Lee Carlson Center must rely on community support to be able to reach and work with at least 300 students each school year.

Regardless of the specific behavior, most often what these youth need is a supportive environment with someone guiding them in exploring feelings and in developing positive decision making skills. This program provides that needed support. Conducting the program onsite at the school allows the services to be fully integrated into the student's day-to-day lives. They know their School-based Peer Support Program changes the lives of youth because at the end of each school year, the majority of participating youth report improvements in their behaviors. This includes improved relationships with peers, parents and authority figures, as well as being better able to stay on task (e.g. completing school work) and having greater self-esteem. Parents and teachers concur with the reports from youth. The program most recently received an 'outstanding' rating from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Youth Intervention Program.

Aside, from the School-based Peer Support Program, the Lee Carlson Center offers an array of services including, but not limited to: marriage and family counseling, play therapy for children, parenting classes and bariatric psychological assessments. There are three convenient locations for services – Fridley, Blaine and Spring Lake Park. Although each site does slightly different work, they all strive to reach lower income clients and pride themselves on being the only organization in the northern suburbs that provides mental health services for all age groups. For more information, I would highly encourage you to attend a Lunch & Learn Tour, or if you’ve got time on April 9th, head to Anoka High School to take part in Anoka County’s Got Talent, a fundraising event you wouldn’t want to miss! Click here to become a fan of their facebook page, and show your support for youth and families struggling with emotional and behavioral issues.

2011 Update on the Legislature by Executive Director, Scott Beaty

Wow! What two years will do in the ever-changing political world! Not only has the

Federal political landscape changed but so has Minnesota’s!

Minnesota is facing a $6.2 billion deficit, and after many years of budget deficits there is no low hanging fruit. This means cuts to government supported programs will be deep and sharp even if the Governor and Legislature can come to some agreement on raising revenues. In order to keep the Youth Intervention Program and other youth programming from being severely reduced or eliminated we all have our work cut out for us. It is critical that we educate legislators about the proven benefits of early intervention programs.

The first thing I want all of you to know is that this is probably going to be the toughest legislative session we will have since former Governor Ventura tried to eliminate the Youth Intervention Program. The YIPA membership fought hard and strong that session and we were able to save the program but with a reduction in funding. Since that time we have been able to increase the funding only to have it reduced the next biennium because of deficits within the State budget. I can’t stress enough how important it is going to be for the YIPA membership to contact their legislators (email works but a personal phone call or face to face meeting is better) and ask them to support the Youth Intervention Program by ensuring that the current base funding of $1.6 million per year be maintained. Remember, the Youth Intervention Program Social Return on Investment (SROI) is our best ally and every legislator you meet with should get a copy of this report with you highlighting the cost savings the research has found. We will soon be getting the YIP outcome data from the Office of Justice Program within Public Safety and this too can be a tool you can and should use to show legislators that not only does the YIP save money but it has measurable results. If you are unsure who are your State legislators, click here.

Another important action I hope everyone reading this takes is to plan to attend the Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol on Thursday, March 3. This is the time for you and your constituents (your youth) to be in St. Paul talking with your legislators about the importance of the youth intervention program in your community. The Youth Rally Day is sponsored by the Youth Policy Alliance. Click here for an application to participate in this event. If you have taken part in the rally in the past, you will notice a couple changes that have been made for the 2011 rally. The first major change is that participants will not be meeting at the Kelly Inn for pre-rally training; instead, rally preparations will be communicated to adult leaders through live webinar and it is the responsibility of those leaders to disseminate this information to their youth. Applicant deadline to participate in the rally is January 21. Even if you cannot bring a group of youth to the event, I hope you will attend the noon rally and plan to meet with your legislators.

Remember, the world is run by those who show up!

Rally for Youth Reminder: 3-3-2011

Happy New Year, everyone! From all of us at MN YIPA, we hope 2010 ended on a positive note, and that you’re as enthused as we are to begin fresh in 2011! We’re taking part in planning some really exciting events this year, including but not limited to the 2011 Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol! By now, all YIPA members and other youth-serving organizations across the state of Minnesota should have received the application materials needed to participate in this event. If you haven’t, feel free to check out the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota’s website to download the materials. And again, if you have any questions now or at any time before the event on March 3, 2011, do not hesitate to be in touch with a representative at any of the Youth Policy Alliance (YPA) organizations.

If you have taken part in the rally in the past, you will notice a couple changes that have been made for the 2011 rally. The first major change is that participants will not be meeting at the Kelly Inn for pre-rally training; instead, rally preparations will be communicated to adult leaders through live webinar and it is the responsibility of those leaders to disseminate this information to their youth. The second major change is that applicants are given three options for ways to arrange meetings with legislators:
1. Arrange the meeting on your own. This option is for those who have personal relationships established with their legislators and would prefer working directly with them as opposed to using an intermediary.

2. Arranging your own meeting with legislators with assistance from the rally committee. This option is for those who are confident they will be able to organize a meeting with a little guidance from experts.

3. Have the meeting arranged for you. This option is for constituents who may not be familiar with their legislators and would feel more confident and conformable having an intermediary contact their legislator and plan their meeting.

Some important information to remember:

January 21, 2011 – All applications are due

Mailed or emailed applications can be sent to:

Lindsey Carlson * Attn: Rally for Youth

7350 Chesham Lane

Woodbury, MN 55125

Lindsey.carlson08@gmail.com

Faxed applications can be sent to:

Carolyn Herman * HIRED

Attn: Rally for Youth

651-999-5641

January 28, 2011 – Rally applicants will be notified of acceptance

February 9, 2011 – Live webinar to prepare adult leaders will be streamed from 2pm-1pm.

Additionally, there will be an informational video available during the month of February, which will highlight youth who have personal experience utilizing services in the six focus areas of the rally: Homelessness Prevention, Mentoring, Out-of-School Time, Youth Intervention, Workforce Development and Juvenile Justice. We are still looking for youth with experience in these core areas, who are able and willing to share their story both in video form, and at the actual event at the Capitol on March 3, 2011. If you are connected with youth who feel confident sharing their experiences with others, feel free to email me (Rachel) at promisefellow@mnyipa.org or leave a comment on this blog.

What is MLK Day of Service?

January 17 marks the 25th anniversary of a holiday that recognizes a person who helped significantly change our country for the better – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On this day, organizations across the nation will lead or participate in MLK Day of Service projects. This milestone is a perfect opportunity for all Americans to honor Dr. King’s legacy through service. Whether you spend the day reading to children at a community library, or helping organize food at a local food shelf, take some time to serve your community. Click here to find a project in your area. Or if you’re interested in planning a project for this exciting day of service, click here. If your agency is hosting a service project and could use some additional help, feel free to comment on this post and tell us more about how you’re spending MLK Service Day!

Here are some organizations in Minnesota who have service projects planned and are seeking volunteers:

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

Minneapolis Community and Technical College

University of Minnesota – Morris

The Digital Divide Initiative

Lutheran Church of the Redeemer

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?” We’d love to hear what you’re doing for others.

December Member of the Month: Northwest Youth and Family Services

Northwest Youth and Family Services (NYFS) is happy to announce a new program called The STEP Program. STEP stands for Service + Tutoring Equals Pride, and is a free program designed for youth who are not reaching their full academic potential and/or may be struggling socially. NYFS has partnered with Americorps, Minnesota Alliance with Youth and the Mounds View School District to offer the youth in our community a safe and caring environment, enabling them to spend their time connecting with caring mentors. Through the resources that the program offers, youth are challenged to stretch themselves academically, pursue leadership and service opportunities and to learn more about planning for college and post-secondary educational opportunities.

STEP operates at three different sites: NYFS, Highview Middle School and Edgewood Middle School. All three programs are coordinated by Americorps Promise Fellows. At NYFS, STEP is offered three evenings a week. Two of the three evenings are focused on academic tutoring sessions and educational activities. The goals of this program are that each student improve their grades by one full letter grade, have better study skills, learn time management, gain leadership skills, learn about future career paths/educational opportunities and understand the importance of helping others. Student in this program even have the added bonus of receiving transportation to and from the program should they need it!

The youth in their program have received the opportunity to participate in interest-based field trips such as a visit to the Shoreview Community Center's indoor water park, which was a highlight of the program. They are also planning field trips to go bowling, play at Eagles Nest Indoor Playground, visit Mall of America's Nickelodeon theme park and so much more! Additionally, they are providing their youth the opportunity to serve a Christmas meal to senior citizens and their families at Presbyterian Homes of Arden Hills on December 8th and 9th. Through this event, they anticipate the youth will learn leadership skills and get a glimpse of future career paths they may want to embark on in the future. Within the next month, they will also be providing tours of local colleges (Century College and Bethel University) so their youth can begin to plan for the future.

Of course, they want their youth to be well rounded, and be equipped to better serve their community so they have designed some service-learning opportunities to assist them in this area. They are in the process of having their youth participate in a Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty unit, where students were given the opportunity to tour Simpson Housing Services in Minneapolis. They are planning more shelter tours and eventually would like to have a fundraiser to raise money so they can donate food, as well as serve a meal at a local shelter. While participating in such a unit can be emotional, the AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, Holly “believes it is very important to have [their] youth realize the tragedies that exist in [their] community.” In Minnesota alone, each shelter turns away approximately 1,000 individuals each night. Holly’s hope is for the youth in her program to realize they can make a difference. During her childhood, there were economic struggles that often made it difficult for her mother to put food on the table. Despite this, she persevered, and to this day her mother is her role model. When Holly was 13 years old her mother had her volunteer at their church for the entire month of December, and it was during that time that she begin to realize that she could make a difference. At their church, they offered a shelter in the basement for those in need; she remembers the first night, when she began to understand the power of helping others. It was this experience as a child that has pushed her to want to help others such as the youth in STEP to realize that they, too, can make a difference.

Although Holly has only been in the position of serving as a Promise Fellow since August, she says that “it has been one of the greatest challenges and most rewarding experiences [she has] ever had.” She feels fortunate to have the support of the NYFS family and Promise Fellows on her School-Community Partnership team. Although she was not expecting to see much success very early on in the program, recently one of the STEP youth asked her what she wanted to do when I “grew up.” She told him she wanted to be a counselor and help others. His exact words were “you are already a counselor. You continue to help me, even though I am a challenge. You haven't gave up on me yet.” AmeriCorps Promise Fellows do make a difference in the world.

March 3rd, 2011: Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol

On Wednesday of this week, the Youth Policy Alliance (YPA) began distributing some important materials to help prepare you and your youth for the 4th Rally for Youth Day at the Capitol! Many of you may have already received your application and Frequently Asked Question sheet via email or snail mail, but if you haven’t yet don’t fret! Applications and other information will be sent to you in the days, weeks and months to come. YIPA members can expect to receive their application materials on December 15th, 2010.

The YPA is a coalition of youth serving organizations, associations and alliances with a statewide presence working to ensure sound youth policy in Minnesota. The YPA has come together to create a framework of support that ensures all children and youth move into adulthood ready for life.

On behalf of the YPA, MN Youth Intervention Programs Association (MN YIPA) welcomes you, your staff, and your youth to join us on March 3rd, 2011 as we seek to educate our policy leaders about the need for a comprehensive youth system of services. If your organization houses a program that provides services for youth in any of the following areas, please consider working with the YPA to arrange meetings with your legislators:

Homelessness Prevention

Mentoring

Out-of-School Time

Youth Intervention

Workforce Development

Juvenile Justice

This day-long event will be organized in a way that will help youth familiarize themselves with the Capitol, the legislature, and communicating openly and honestly with legislators about issues involving them. Youth services do not exist or work in an exclusive, solitary environment to meet the needs of young people. We must engage communities and enact policies, which promote a comprehensive approach to youth policy ensuring that all young adults are ready for life.

If your organization wishes to participate in the full day's activities and has not received an application, please comment on this blog or contact me (Rachel) via email at promisefellow@mnyipa.org! We are asking that all applications be returned by January 21st, 2011. If you have any additional questions or need more information about the rally itself, please contact Lindsey Carlson at lindsey.carlson08@gmail.com.

Click here to RSVP to our facebook event!

November Member of the Month: Benefits of Hosting a Promise Fellow

Minnesota is in the middle of a “perfect storm." At the same time baby boomers are leaving the workforce, we also see major changes in youth demographics. Youth of color and low -income youth make up a growing percentage of total school-age children, yet many of these youth are most at-risk of dropping out. If we are to adequately prepare a highly trained workforce and remain economically solvent as a state, we need to turn the tide. Dropping out of school is a process, not a one-day event. Using the research on early warning signs, we can identify the youth most at risk and use evidence-based intervention strategies to prevent youth from dropping out.

We know that when communities come together, they can meet the challenges of the dropout crisis head on – but it often requires the added capacity of staff to support their efforts. And that is precisely why hosting an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow through the Minnesota Alliance with Youth can benefit both your organization and your community.

AmeriCorps Promise Fellows serve for one year with schools and organizations across Minnesota to mobilize volunteers, create new after-school programs, build mentoring and tutoring initiatives, and engage youth in service-learning. AmeriCorps members allow schools and communities to pilot strategies and programs on a small and cost-efficient scale, and then seek long-term local funding. Promise Fellows receive significant training and experience that helps grow and strengthen the youth development field in Minnesota. This year, the Minnesota Alliance with Youth placed 80+ Promise Fellows in schools and organizations across the state of Minnesota, and next year they are looking to increase this number to reach even more youth!

There are currently six Promise Fellows serving at three different MN YIPA member sites, and all six are doing great things for our communities. Shane Thompson from the Seneca and Odawa Nations is the Education Coordinator Promise Fellow with the Ginew/Golden Eagle program based out of the Minneapolis American Indian Center. He works closely with Rachel Greenwalt who is the Volunteer Coordinator Promise Fellow also serving with the Ginew/Golden Eagle program. They serve American Indian youth ages 5-18 and offer groups for various age groups four nights a week, providing a meal and transportation to and from groups. According to Rachel, “it has been such a great opportunity to get to know all the kids in our program. We currently have just over 80 kids enrolled in the program and we are continuing to recruit more families to be involved at Golden Eagles.”

Other YIPA sites that are currently hosting one or more Promise Fellows:

The Link

Northwestern Youth and Family Services

If you know anyone who is interesting in becoming an AmeriCorps Promise Fellow, refer them to the Minnesota Alliance with Youth website.

To achieve goals and support students, the Minnesota Alliance With Youth invites schools, community organizations, government agencies, and other nonprofits to apply to host one or more AmeriCorps Promise Fellows to support their School Community Partnerships.

If you are interested in hosting a Promise Fellow for 2011-2012, please go to the Minnesota Alliance with Youth website for additional information about writing a letter of intent. And keep in mind that the deadline for Letters of Intent is right around the corner: December 15th, 2010.