Selection as one of the 2007 100 Best Communities for Young People.
Neighborhood Networking Grants Signing Ceremony.
Ch. 1 Summer Kickoff sponsored by Promise Partners.
PROMISE PARTNERS: MISSION STATEMENT
Promise Partners mobilizes all of Pottawattamie County and empower people to share resources to fulfill the Five Promises for all children.
We work to mobilize people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of our nation's youth by fulfilling Five Promises:
1) Ongoing Relationships with Caring Adults;
2) Safe Places with structured activities during non-school hours;
3) Healthy Start and future;
4) Marketable Skills through effective education;
5) Opportunities to Serve and give back to the community.
PROMISE PARTNERS: VISION STATEMENT
All Pottawattamie youth will be healthy and safe, have marketable skills and opportunities to serve, and will be engaged in positive activities with caring adults.
NEWS & EVENTS
Young Leaders Wanted
Building the Leaders of Tomorrow Today
Youth Leadership Council Bluffs (YLCB) , a program of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce & Promise Partners, is seeking sophomores to apply to participate during the 2012-2013 year. YLCB is an exciting leadership development program that exposes students to different aspects of the community. This 8-month leadership program invests in high school Juniors through teaching them about community-minded subjects.
These subjects include:
- Leadership and Teamwork training
- Law & Government
- Heritage and Culture
- Human Service
- Economic Development
- Education
"YLCB is a chance to be a part of something greater in our community," said JD Cujat, 2010-2011 YLCB member.
Faith Oswald, 2010-2011 YLCB member said, "It is a great opportunity to meet other kids like you, learn more about the community, and leadership, of course!"
To apply for Youth Leadership Council Bluffs, complete an application and have two reference complete forms here.
Recent Survey Indicates Young People Desire Meaningful Roles in Their Community
A recent survey highlights feelings about present and future in Pottawattamie County
A recent 2011 survey comprised of 2,400 participants from ages 11 to 24 in Pottawattamie County gives local attitudes, opinions and needs of area youth. Those surveyed were asked what their favorite part of the community is, where it needs to improve, what the future holds and what their attitude of the future is.
The county-wide survey, funded by the Iowa West Foundation, conducted with assistance from Promise Partners, Pottawattamie County's Alliance for Youth and the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, was designed to capture the area's voices and let their opinions be heard.
Jerry Mathiasen, Interim President & CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, explained that the youth survey is a "key follow-up" to a Pottawattamie County Community needs assessment done in 2007. Iowa West funded both assessments. "The Foundation believed it was important for local communities to hear the voices of youth," Mathiasen said. "The youth assessment supplements the community survey because those were household calls and this one was a grassroots outreach to our youth," he added.
The community report reflected more than anything else young people want to be heard and taken seriously. They want to be engaged and involved in their community. They want meaningful leadership roles alongside adults in an effort to make their community more desirable.
Some of the highlights of the comprehensive survey include:
Community Strengths: Small, close-knit, and yet close to the city, midwest friendliness and beautiful parks and open nature space.
Community Weaknesses and Concerns: Drug and alcohol abuse among adults and youth, bullies and crime, lack of entertainment, lack of employment opportunities and appearance of the community.
With a number of young people accessing area programs, services, clubs and facilities, young people gage these at average or below average. Youth were often cited saying there is a lack of youth input on service provision and delivery.
Participants in the survey were also asked how they spend their time. The highest rankings went to social networking Web sites, cell phones, watching television and streaming radio and video.
The future: Of the 2,400 surveyed, 71% said they intend to go to college or a technical school after graduating high school. 35% say they plan on staying in the area after high school, while 38% say they plan on leaving.
When asked what is important to them in creating an ideal community, participants ranked job opportunities, housing, college access programs, additional college and universities and more recreational activities at the top.
Respondents suggest youth planning events in the community, input in local government, city planning, school issues, as well as time to speak with local leaders on an equal playing ground.
Jessica Simons, Youth Engagement Coordinator for Promise Partners, explained the philosophy of "nothing about us, without us". Young people have valuable ideas and input and want more opportunities to be involved in their community – especially when it comes to programs, services, and decisions that impact them directly.
To view the Capturing the Voices Youth Report, click here.
Empower Youth, Empower the Community
Young people making a difference in one’s community can help bring a sense of involvement and empowerment to enrich lives. Members of the Council Bluffs Asset Champions Network agree young people need to feel valued and valuable; this happens when youth feel safe and respected. A youth’s involvement at home, in their neighborhood, at their school, or in their city can bring about a world of difference and give them the confidence to lead and make decisions. Not only does volunteering and getting involved in the community help develop personal experience, but it also helps those that are being served.
In addition, youth leading in community events and organizations helps bring fresh ideas to the table, creativity, and increases the youth’s perception of adults in the area. Let youth make decisions when applicable and always provide adequate resources and support. In youth’s words, “Let me take care of things when I think I can. Applaud my efforts and successes.”
The assets highlighted this month that help youth are:
Community Values Youth:
Young people can perceive when adults in the community value youth. Youth who feel valued are more likely to grow up healthy, exhibit leadership, value diversity, and succeed in school.
Only 64% of youth in Pottawattamie County say that adults in the community give them praise to tell them they are proud when a hey do something well. Only 22% feel that adults value their opinions and input in the community. Be sure to celebrate the big and small accomplishments of young people. Allow them to makedecisions and have an active role in day-to-day activities. This will help increase trust and give youth the feeling that they are valued. Ask what they think and be sure to listen carefully without being judgmental.
Youth as Resources:
Having a voice means more than making a sound when you sing or shout. Helping young people find their voice through their talents, skills, and interests is one of the best ways to help them feel empowered to contribute to the community, school, or home in a positive way. When young people are given useful roles in the community and meaningful tasks, this will increase the likelihood that they will want to contribute. Have regular meetings that help set these tasks aside for youth and help encourage them to solve problems and lead.
Service to Others:
When young people start reach out and help others, their world grows and so does their confidence. Many people say that when they volunteer and serve others, they receive much in return. In Pottawattamie County, 46% of young people are volunteering an average of an hour or more a week. 97% of young people feel that it is important to help other people.
Serving others doesn’t always have to be something big like organizing a coat drive or developing a website for a local church, it can be something small like holding the door open for someone else or helping your neighbor shovel their driveway. Try to serve as a role model and consider volunteering alongside a young person.
Safety:
When young people feel safe at home, school, and their neighborhood, they can learn and grow. It seems like in today’s world, fears of crimes and accidents surround us. Young people pick up when adults feel anxious or in danger, even if they don’t tell children how they’re feeling. This may unintentionally add to young people’s insecurities. Be aware of your body language and words when talking with a child about dangers. Listen to their fears or concerns and identify people that they can turn to when they feel they are in trouble. Take an active role in ensuring the safety of the community by reporting unwanted behavior to school administrators or police if applicable.
Young people need to feel safe and valued in the community. This can be achieved when youth feel respected by the adults that surround them in their daily life. Playing an active role in the development of youth will help them attain a healthy future and help the community at the same time. For more information, visit www.assetsforeveryone.org.
Program Helps Young People to a Better Life
By Dennis Friend, Published: Sunday, December 18, 2011 in the Daily Nonpareil
It’s about the kids, it’s by the kids and it’s for the kids. “Working with young people gives them a voice,” Promise Partners youth engagement coordinator Jessica Simons said.
Promise Partners and the Pottawattamie Youth Council used the voices of youth to award more than $14,000 in grants to 10 local organizations. The money will be used for projects and activities that directly benefit children, young people and families in the community.
Members of the Pottawattamie County Youth Council like Brittany Rupp, 17, decide who gets the money.
“We look to see if the groups will foster relationships between adults and youth,” Brittany said.
A Dec. 7 recognition and “signing ceremony” at the Micah House gave Rupp and the other young people a chance to meet the members of the organizations receiving the grant money.
The grants are for activities that include family centered events, children’s enrichment activities, mentoring teams for teen parents and service projects benefiting the foster care community. All projects are aimed at increasing family stability and support, relationships between children and adults and overall well-being of children.
Lea Spitznagel, 15, said she and other youth council members reviewed and critiqued the applications and conceded, “Sometimes it’s difficult to make these decisions on who to fund because they’re all worthy causes.”
Sydney Russmann, 16, said the notion of young people making the choices and decision makes sense because “we can understand. We see and hear things most adults don’t” since young people “might be intimidated by adults.”
The Youth Council included Abraham Lincoln High School students Jennifer Olinde, Hope Philbrick, Brirrany Rupp, Lauren Myers and Melanie Krohn; A-H-S-T high school students Sydney Russmann, Lea Spitznagle, Moriah Mahan, Abby Plymale and Travis Hoffmann; St. Albert High School students Emma Munger and Joe Faust; Thomas Jefferson High School students Jacqueline Lemus, Sarah Ingwersen, Idil Ahmed, Ikran Ahmed and Yarenzy Morales; Treynor High School students Madison Clark, Ryan Hempel, Nolan Mantell and Avery Umphreys; and Underwood High School student Emily Watts.
Ten local organizations and projects received grants.
Bridge Builders of Pottawattamie County: Through the Dream Team Teen Parent Project, support teams and mentors will offer “a means for removing the barriers that sometimes stand in the way of goal attainment for youth who are already parents,” Joni Griffin said. She’s facilitator for the project aimed at “at-risk youths, to help them plan their lives.”
Kanesville Alternative Learning Center in Council Bluffs: Kanesville will host family meals with speakers and entertainment. They will be held three times over the spring semester to create a positive neighborhood environment and to promote positive behaviors and attitudes for students through family oriented events.
Carter Lake Community Resource Center: Three Family Bingo and Pizza Nights will be held to create a safe and drug free environment by engaging youth, families and the community in social opportunities and experiences.
Council Bluffs Community Education Foundation: A winter carnival will be held for STARS Scholarship recipients and their families, as well as the children and families of Kids & Company. It will provide the opportunity for these families to get to know one another, thereby creating a support network within the community.
AMP: Youth Driven at Children’s Square USA: AMP Youth will plan and implement a project to include a holiday party, meal preparation and service and community service projects. This is a group for young people who are in foster care or who have “aged out.” The goal is to connect foster-care youth with people who can help them in areas ranging from “people they can call when they have a problem, or something as simple as providing a place to go during holidays,” Griffin said.
City of Council Bluffs: The city of Council Bluffs once again provides a First Night New Year’s celebration. Along with guest musicians, the city has partnered with Council Bluffs Community Schools to help students create and perform their own music at the event.
Crescent Elementary School & PTO: Crescent Elementary School has planned six monthly after-school enrichment activities around the metro area. These events will allow parents and children to connect with other students, staff and families attending Crescent Elementary.
Trailblazers in Council Bluffs: Trailblazers will be providing multiple opportunities for youth to engage in inspiring and activity-based adventures, as well as serving throughout the community. They will also provide family safety training adventure activities and host Christmas and Easter performances for the community.
Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska: A holiday gathering will be hosted for families involved in the Pottawattamie County Center for Healthy Families Young Families Incentive Program. This program serves families that are expecting a baby and/or have a child under the age of five. This event will be an opportunity for the youth involved to participate in a fun family activity and practice social skills with other children in a warm, safe environment.
Walnut Youth Advisory Board: The goal of the Walnut Youth Advisory Board’s “5th Quarter” program is to offer the junior and high school students of Walnut a safe and positive alternative to post-game activities.
Members of the Pottawattamie Youth Council and Promise Partners select the Community Networking Grants recipients. The funding is provided by the Iowa West Foundation and the Community Partnership for Protecting Children initiative.
“These kids do an awesome job,” Griffin said.
Simons estimated about $38,000 a year has been distributed by the young people since the twice-a-year grants began in 2007, “and we’ll do another round of grants early next year.”
THANKS TO
