November, 2009


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
Minnesota Selected to Participate in Spotlighting Positive Youth Development Cohort
Lights On Afterschool is a Success!
YCC’s Policy and Advocacy Committee Meets Next in January 2010
Center for the Inclusive Child Care now has a Podcast, titled “Inclusion Matters”

NEW RESOURCES AVAILABLE
SNAPSHOTS on Minnesota’s Youth: Non-Formal Learning
Strengthening Indian Country through Tribal Youth Programs
Minnesota Center for Professional Development Registry
K-12 Arts Challenge Minnesota Grant
Corporation for National and Community Service Funding Opportunities

FUTURE EVENTS
MnSACA/MnAEYC 2010 Annual Conference
National AfterSchool Association & Afterschool Alliance: April 2010


RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS

Minnesota Selected for the Spotlighting Positive Youth Development Cohort
The State of Minnesota has been chosen to participate in the Spotlighting Positive Youth Development cohort by Building Partnerships for Youth, a partnership between the National 4-H Council and the University of Arizona. The Spotlighting Positive Youth Development cohort aims to identify ways of coordinating efforts to integrate positive youth development into policies and programs, with a goal of generating systems level support for Minnesota’s young people.

Team Members/Organizations Represented:

  • Jen O’Brien, MN Department of Health
  • Beth Holger-Ambrose, MN Department of Human Services
  • Dana Swayze, MN Department of Public Safety
  • Ali Anfinson, MN Department of Education
  • Dr. Maki Kawase, Urban Youth Development Office, University of Minnesota Extension
  • Abou B. Amara Jr., Youth Community Connections: MN’s Statewide Afterschool Alliance

 

Lights On Afterschool is a Success!
We would like to thank everyone in Minnesota who hosted, supported or attended a Lights on Afterschool event on October 22, 2009.  This day provides programs and supporters the opportunity to highlight the great work that happens in our communities for our young people.

We are pleased to announce that Governor Tim Pawlenty declared October 22, 2009 as Lights on Afterschool Day in Minnesota.

 

YCC’s Policy and Advocacy Committee Meets Next in January 2010
YCC’s Policy and Advocacy Committee will NOT meet until January 8, 2010.  YCC continues to work with its partners and collaborators to support nonformal learning opportunities in the out-of-school time.  In January we will discuss our educational efforts for the upcoming session and learn about your own advocacy efforts. 

The 2010 Legislative Session will begin Thursday, February 4, 2010. To confirm your attendance at the January meeting, please contact Abou Amara Jr. by e-mail at abou@youthcommunityconnections.org.

 

Center for the Inclusive Child Care's New Podcast
The Center for Inclusive Child Care has a new podcast entitled “Inclusion Matters” with Cindy Croft and Priscilla Weigel. Each episode deals with strategies for ensuring successful inclusion of children and youth with special needs or behavior challenges in community settings through the lens of an inclusion consultant. Look for upcoming episodes every few weeks on topics like aggression, autism, sensory challenges, and other issues that are important as we work to include all children and youth.  Visit the CICC podcast page.


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.

SNAPSHOTS on Minnesota’s Youth: Nonformal Learning Opportunities
Volume 2, Issue 2 of the SNAPSHOTS on Minnesota Youth series addresses the issue to out-of-school time activities and nonformal learning opportunities. Youth have approximately 2000 hours of discretionary time each year or the equivalent to a full time job. This is time that is not filled by family, school or other obligations. How this time is filled is based on program availability, access to opportunities and the choices youth make about participating. This issue of Snapshots is dedicated to exploring the quality opportunities that are available for youth during their discretionary hours and the characteristics of the youth who participate in them.
www.ojp.state.mn.us/newsletters/Snapshots/2009-10_nonformal_learning.htm 
 
SNAPSHOTS on Minnesota’s Youth is a joint effort of the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and Department of Public Safety (DPS).  Each issue provides research data on issues facing Minnesota youth. 


Strengthening Indian Country through Tribal Youth Programs
The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) just released a new report on the benefits of tribal youth programs.  This report examines how Tribal Youth Programs (TYP), supported by the office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) at the U.S. Department of Justice, are succeeding in improving the lives of youth and strengthening families through detailed case-studies of five tribal communities – including Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. TYP provides funds to Native American tribes to support and enhance tribal efforts to prevent and control delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system for American Indian and Alaska Native youth ages 10-17. AYPF and OJJDP conducted site visits with five TYPs in 2007 and 2008 in order to examine how TYPs are succeeding in improving the lives of youth and strengthening families. The TYPs featured in this report empower youth to lead the community in activities that build a sense of attachment to heritage, promote belonging, support personal development, and provide exposure to career-related skills (October 2009). http://www.aypf.org/publications/documents/TYPReportfinal_000.pdf



Minnesota Center for Professional Development Registry
Attention Practitioners of School-Age Children and Early Childhood! Now you can advance your career online with the new Minnesota Center for Professional Development Registry, developed in collaboration with Metropolitan State University.  The Registry can help you:

  • Create a learning record quickly and easily
  • Find quality training with a searchable database including MNSTREAMS
  • Advance on Minnesota's 12-step Career Lattice
  • Seek credit for prior learning
  • Access career guidance resources
  • Receive recognition for your accomplishments

Trainers can also use the Registry, making it easier for practitioners to find them. Visit http://www.mncpd.org for more details or to sign up.



K-12 Arts Challenge Minnesota Grant
Greater Minnesota schools that would like to host an artist residency are encouraged to apply for a Minnesota State Arts Board K-12 Arts Challenge Minnesota Grant. This is a noncompetitive grant program; funds are awarded on a first come, first served basis. Please download the application materials which contain additional eligibility information and application instructions.

Applications will be accepted any time until April 30, 2010; or until all available funds are expended, whichever comes first.


Corporation for National and Community Service Funding Opportunities
The Corporation for National and Community Service is taking applications for a grant titled SUMMER OF SERVICE. This $1 Million for five to seven grants, is to provide middle school youth, particularly those from disadvantaged circumstances, with service-learning experiences that are designed to inspire them to become more civically engaged and aspire to obtain higher education.

To be eligible, applications must represent:  state education agencies, state commissions, territories, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, public or private nonprofit organizations (including faith-based organizations), public or private elementary or secondary schools, local educational agencies or consortia. Deadlines for applications are December 10, 2009.

For more information including how to apply, please go to:
www.learnandserve.gov/for_organizations/funding/nofa_detail.asp?tbl_nofa_id=75,
 or see this PDF for more detailed information:
http://www.learnandserve.gov/pdf/09_1026_nofa_lsa_summer.pdf

 


FUTURE EVENTS

MnSACA - MnAEYC 2010 Annual Conference
The Minnesota School-Age Care Alliance (MnSACA) and the Minnesota Association for the Education of Young Children (MnAEYC) will be holding their annual conference on February 5-6, 2009 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre (175 W Kellogg Blvd, Saint Paul, MN).

For more information about the conference, including how to register, please go to the MnAEYC-MnSACA website:
http://www.mnaeyc-mnsaca.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=19


National AfterSchool Association & Afterschool Alliance: April 2010
The National AfterSchool Association and Afterschool Alliance team up in Washington DC on April 19-21, 2010 in support of afterschool.  A joint National AfterSchool Association Convention and Afterschool for All Challenge represents a new and unique opportunity for you to meet with elected officials, educate policy makers and make your voice heard in our nation's capital! 

For more information about the NAA annual convention and Afterschool for All Challenge visit the NAA website: http://www.naaconvention.org/. 

 

Youth Community Connections
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PH: 612.627.0160
WEB: www.youthcommunityconnections.org