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Youth programs must continue

To the editor:
The un-allotment process that Governor Pawlenty used to balance the State budget for the current biennium has had an effect on the programming provided by the Youth Service Bureau (YSB). All of the stateís After School Prevention & Intervention grants were canceled with 30 days notice. This means that the Youth Activities Program in North Branch, which was created to provide new and safe activities for youth in grades 5-10, has lost its funding for a full time youth activities manager.
With the 30-days notice clause, the funding would have ended as of March 8. However, the YSB and North Branch Community Education are committed to funding the project full-time until June 30. After that, plans are to continue the Project on a part-time basis with funding from YSB and North Branch Community Education. The goal is to continue working with the Youth Advisory Board, continue many of the activities already in place such as teen dances, teen lock-ins, open gym on Sunday, skateboard competition, billiards league, and to develop new partnerships that will eventually result in activities being taken over and continued through those new partnerships.
The Youth Activities program has served over 600 kids during its first year with 63 percent - 71 percent (depending on the activity) of those reporting that they would have been home alone or with siblings and unsupervised if they had not participated in our activities. That is the outcome the program strived to achieve and was being achieved.
What does this mean for the youth of our community? Activities already planned will take place as planned. The final planned activity will be completed by June 30. After that, Carrie Dobie, the prevention counselor at the YSB will take on the role of youth manager on a part-time basis. The process of planning the transition is currently underway.
It is our goal to continue the important work developed through the efforts of YSB staff member Katie Seagren in her role as youth activities manager. We know what bad things can happen when children are left home alone and unsupervised during after school and non-school hours. We are committed to developing activities in partnership with area groups, businesses and adult volunteers that will offer children and youth a fun, safe and supervised alternative to being home alone or unsupervised.
Please join our efforts by volunteering to supervise activities, by providing in-kind and cash donations, and through promoting planned and future activities for youth. Please call me at the YSB: (651) 464-3685 or Jeanne Leland at the Community Ed department: (651) 674-1025 for details.
Jeanne Walz
Executive Director
Youth Service Bureau

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