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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-YB-1998-04-13 • Julie Conley Holcomb City Clerk ITHACA YOUTH BUREAU ADVISORY BU�cu do f r t„ ..Mod�,Apr 3I $M „ Ithaca Youth Bureau Building 1 James L. Gibbs Dr. First Floor Activities Room Call to order/approval of minutes H. Special Items: Cass Park "ield'A ilab Guidel es f :< Re quest for Suppo far Get Proposal fox`Abstinence Counsel R clip ( ached) -= l echa r All tars New Computer Ii 'din Pro m see attached) III. STAFF AND COMNIITTEE REPORTS 1) Youth Development • Application Process—'99 County Funding • Work on Measuring Program Outcomes • Program Updates 2) Director • Roller Sports Park • GIAC/YB Report • Diversity 3) Recreation Items • General Recreation: - Spring and Summer Program Updates - Recreation Partnership -Future funding discussion • Cass Park: (see Special Items) • Recreation Mainstreaming Services - Spring and Summer Program Updates IV. BOARD COMMENTS/ISSUES V. OLD BUSINESS VL NEW BUSINESS VII. ADJOURNMENT X111 iMi ,( T rl r ,:,; cbq ►%QP. CASS PARK \)s CITY OF ITHACA r�■ 701 TAUGHANNOCK BLVD. ���' ITHACA,NEW YORK 14850 1 4STIFW4 Telephone:(607)273-1090 + Fax: (607)273-8633 TO: Sam Cohen FROM: John M. Doyle DATE: April 1, 1998 RE: Field availability guidelines for Cass Park Field use If the staff at Cass Park(Recreation Facilities Manager, Working Supervisor or Maintainer) deemed the field(s)unplayable, they may not be used. This determination will be based, in part, on the following criteria: 1. Our ability to make the fields playable, based on time left during the City work day. 2. The timeliness which is required for the field users to let their players know if fields are not playable. 3. Our knowledge of fields, work required, possible damage caused by playing on unplayable fields. 4. Keeping safety and liability of users as our primary concern. In addition, based on the time of the year(early spring, late fall), our ability to provide rest rooms and our lack of staff(once ice rink opens, staff is not available)will be considered. As to the specifics of the Lacrosse"Turkey Shoot"which is held in November(last year 8th and 9h), I feel that given the time of the year, freezing of water pipes in restrooms is a concern, playability of fields is always questionable due to the weather and this particular event can only be played on one weekend. There is no flexibility. It's this weekend or none. The past 2 years much damage has been to the fields due to the lacrosse tournament and the extremely wet conditions of the fields. An Equal Opportunity Employer with an Affirmative Action Program" tP Recycled Paper FROM `: MacBAIN & MacBAIN, LLC PHONE NO. : 607 275 3607 Apr. 06 1998 01:05PM P2 Collaborative Abstinence Project Program Outline Tompkins and Cortland Counties Collaborative Abstinence Project or TCC-CAP originated in the fall of 1997. Individuals from the Cortland and Ithaca communities met regularly to discuss the need to find a new way to address teaching young people about the importance of self respect and lasting commitment in relationships,including the concept of remaining sexually abstinent until marriage. The membership currently includes the Ithaca Pregnancy Center(or 1PC), Family Connections, Inc. from Cortland,the Director of SUNY Cortland's Center for the 4th and 5th R's (respect and responsibility),a pediatrician from the Cortland area,the Director of Greater Cortland Youth Rally, and other volunteers with backgrounds in consumer economics and health care consulting. The program developed by TCC-CAP is based upon the philosophy that lall young people are at some level of risk for premarital sexual activity and need to hear an abstinence message delivered by a person who finds this approach credible and worthwhile. At the same time, there will be other youth who are at greater risk for sexual activity,or who have already become sexually active. These will be identified for a focused array of services including the opportunity to be paired one-on-one with an older,positive role model for mentoring and guidance. Parents need assistance, also,to take on the task of educating their children about moral decisions and the importance of developing self control and looking at long range, life goals when making decisions about sexual activity. Our program includes messages to the community at large and within our faith communities concerning the validity of a personal choice to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. _ Abs!:•once-• ,1 Ed .:tion th: 'romot:: a_ stinen :nd De a : he Onse 1 . nal Activity, The TCC-CAP steering committee reviewed three nationally recognized abstinence-only curricula and have chosen Me, My World and My Future from Teen Aid. Materials will be purchased with grant funds and provided at no cost to the participating schools. Both private and public schools will be offered an opportunity to participate in the program. Of these,four will be selected for implementation in the first year of the program. Training will be provided by the curriculum organization for participating school recommended teachers as well as project staff engaged in abstinence education. Presentation of the curriculum within the schools may be done by classroom teachers or by project staff at the discretion of the school. Following the first year of experimenting with the selected curriculum,participant schools will be invited to evaluate the curriculum and its presentation. Modifications to the program of instruction will be suggested for year two of the program. Additional schools may join the program at that time. 1 -ROM : MacBAIN & MacBAIN, LLC PHONE NO. : 607 275 3607 Apr. 06 1998 01:05PM P3 Also beginning in year two of the project,the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs(Respect and Responsibility) at the State University of New York at Cortland will host a 2-day Summer Abstinence Education Conference. The conference goals are: • For schools,parents, student leaders,church youth group leaders, and other community leaders to hear national experts on abstinence education programs, including success stories from around the country. • For NYS funded abstinence education projects to share what is working in their communities. • For teachers and other school representatives to examine a variety of abstinence education curricula that are available nationally through displays and workshop presentations. • For funded project representatives to share experiences in implementing their programs in focus group discussions. This conference will be planned and coordinated by a project staff person under the direction of the Center for the 4th and 5th R's at SUNY Cortland. Conference expenses will be largely supported by participant fees. It is expected that participants in the TCC-CAP program will attend the Character Education Seminar(a four day program also sponsored by the Center for the 4th and 5h R's) For additional reinforcement of the abstinence message, the project has a goal of providing at least one assembly speaker for each participating school for each year of the program. The speaker will be an outside expert on abstinence education who is able to present an entertaining yet informative and encouraging program for students in the middle or high school grades. Peer presenters would also be used(example: a panel of teen mothers who have newly adopted an abstinent lifestyle following their experience with alternatives). Members of the medical professions who have attended the MISH conference will also be suitable for assembly presentations. III Outreackfp High Risk Youth Project abstinence curriculum instructors will work with the classroom teachers and school counselors and community agencies currently working with youth to identify students at risk for out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Abstinence curriculum instructors will work with school personnel to encourage high risk youth to become involved with school mentoring programs, area youth programs or personal mentoring sessions. College students supporting abstinent lifestyles and providing a positive role model will also be recruited to work with at-risk youth in one-on-one relationships. 2 b =ROM : MacBAIN & MacBAIN, LLC PHONE NO. : 607 275 3607 Apr. 06 1999 01:06PM P4 Many area youth organizations have been identified by TCC-CAP's Community Advisory Board and will be ready to provide activities after school and on weekends for identified youth at risk. The opportunity for personal mentoring experiences will be encouraged in these activities. III. Projects t at Enhance Parent/Ch' d Communication About Se ualty The school curriculum Me, My 1porla; and My Future includes assignments designed to involve parents in the learning process. These assignments encourage parent/child discussion about the importance of delaying sexual involvement and the importance of remaining abstinent until marriage. Recent research has indicted that the opinion of the parents about the timing of sexual experience has a great deal to do with young people's decisions to abstain or delay. A speakers bureau is planned and will be composed of area experts in abstinence education, the medical considerations of teen pregnancy,and the health and social cost of the proliferation of STD's. The speakers bureau will be made available to school PTA's, faith communities and youth groups in participating counties. The goal would be to expand parent,youth and community awareness of the importance of an abstinence only position when instructing children. It would also open a dialog for parents,teachers and youth leaders with area experts on how to introduce the concepts of puberty, sexuality and life goals and relationships with children in the home and at school. Local physicians have agreed to host at least one training seminar by the Medical Institute for Sexual Health for the medical community in targeted counties. A goal of this seminar is to instruct area health personnel in the importance of abstinence from sexual activity for young people. Area churches in each of the targeted counties have expressed interested in providing parent/child workshops and parenting classes,especially for single parents in that locale. A church-coordinator would mobilize churches and facilitate the distribution of curricula as well as to advertise these parent support opportunities. IV. Mentoring and Counseling Programs to Promote Abstinence from Sexual AAsetivity • The Ithaca Pregnancy Center and Family Connections of Cortland would continue to offer free pregnancy tests, counseling and commitment to "renewed virginity"to young men and women seeking help. Mentoring experiences are available through these organizations,also. These centers often maintain long relationships with clients who have faced unplanned pregnancy. Clients who have chosen to carry to term as well as those who have chosen abortion and returned for post-abortion counseling are available to talk with other teens either one-on-one,or as a teen panel in a group assembly. 3 FROM : MacBAIN & MacBAIN, LLC PHONE NO. : 607 275 3607 Apr. 06 1998 01:07PM P5 More in-depth counseling is available at the Ithaca Pregnancy Center through their association with two marriage and family therapists who are on site two days a week. V. _ou 1 eve • •J ent 'ro'e •. tha ro • .. uth . •1f-Est• m L' • kills • • • •ti• • The project will work with a community based group representing area youth leaders and organizations as well as youth from the area high schools. Participation from any other providers of adolescent services will be invited with the proviso that all participants recognize the validity and importance of a consistent abstinence-only message. The purpose of this group is to advise and coordinate different aspects of this program so that the abstinence only message is projected to youth in as many venues and activities as possible. Member organizations in this group will be encouraged to conduct youth and parent-child outings that will promote a better self image for the youth, help them to learn new life skills and engage in planning for a brighter future. College student male mentors will specifically work with young males at risk for early sexual activity. An underlying goal of these activities will be to help youth see that early sexual activity and unplanned pregnancy will curtail opportunities to achieve their life goals. VI. Community Inforn Lion and Education Efforts to Sensitize the Public About the Local Need to Promote Abstinence from Sex al Activity Among A olescent_ Regular articles in area papers will be used to promote speakers appearing at area schools and to inform the public of all areas of this project. Success stories of various youth volunteers who are strong role models can be highlighted as feature articles in area newspapers. Local radio talk shows can provide an open forum for discussion and inquiry about the merits of postponing sexual activity. No-cost Public Service Announcements can be prepared by the local Ad Council in cooperation with area radio and television stations and cued for regular play. A billboard in each of the participating counties can be used to highlight the importance of the abstinence until marriage message. Area religious organizations will be encouraged to emphasize the scriptural basis for abstinence and how this lifestyle is consistent with the practice of all major religions. Informational material in the form of a pamphlet or fact sheet will be prepared for distribution to all religious Ieaders in participating counties to assist with presentations to their congregations. One goal of the project would be to have an annual "Abstinence Sunday" in which all area religious institutions would be encouraged to present an abstinence until marriage message for young people,possibly in conjunction with a youth directed religious service. The efforts of local physicians who will be hosting the training seminar by the Medical Institute for Sexual Health will also impact community awareness of the need to promote abstinence from sexual activity among adolescents. A goal of the Medical Institute for Sexual Health seminar is to encourage the medical community advise teens to adopt the healthier option of abstinent living until marriage. It is hoped that literature supporting this position will be prominently displayed and used at all area health care facilities and private medical offices 4 FROM : 'MacBAIN & MacBAIN, LLC PHONE NO. : 607 275 3607 Apr. 06 1998 01:08PM P6 VII, Coordination Within each participating county, a local committee of area youth leaders,educators, parents, and students will be assembled under the direction of a County Coordinator. This will be the steering committee for implementing the above action steps within that county. The County Coordinator position would be part time and could be done in conjunction with other abstinence education activities. 5 Kid Build '98 is an event sponsored by TENET, Incorporated, Information and Referral Services, A Program of the Human Services Coalition and Center Ithaca, Inc With the proliferation of computers in schools, even at the lower grades, it becomes necessary for all children to have access to computers, printers and electronic mail or search services. At the base level, children who can use computers to produce superior looking papers for class have an advantage over those who either type or write by hand. At higher levels, the ability to connect to the outside world via computer(World Wide Web or Electronic Mail, for examples) can provide opportunities for learning unavailable in any other medium. For this reason, TENET has been refurbishing and distributing computers to children in need for many years. Kid Build '98 springs from this ongoing effort. The idea is to allow children who have no access to, and cannot otherwise afford a computer either to get older, otherwise unwanted computers or to build their own computers out of parts and old systems donated by individuals, institutions and corporations. Thus, the kids will be able to build and maintain their own systems, and work with donated software to be able to do their homework, type papers or stories, start projects of their own devising, etc. Some machines may be capable of electronic mail or net access, though this seems unlikely, given the quality of the donated systems we've been seeing. In any case, the children will be allowed to take their computers home, and to keep them, upgrade them over time, and use them for both school and recreation. People have generously provided not only computers (for which we are still looking), but also licensed software (for which we are also still looking), printers, monitors, and lots of information. In addition, many have come forward to volunteer as teachers and on-hand technicians for the day. As the Human Services Coalition is a not-for-profit charitable organization, donations of equipment, software and supplies are completely tax deductable, and donors may receive a receipt for their generous gifts. Wegmans Food & Pharmacy of Ithaca will be providing refreshments for the children and volunteers who will be working at Sunday's event. Bishops Home Center will be providing free tools for the children to use in assembling systems. We currently need not only equipment, but also volunteers to help children take their computers home from the event. If you'd like to help provide transportation for these kids, please join us. It is likely that a major software manufacturer will be sending us copies of their programs. Kids will be recruited through various agencies and organizations, but individuals from anywhere who are in need of equipment and unable to supply it for themselves are welcome. We hope to make this an ongoing success by transferring the function of the event to Ithaca's Youth Bureau, where anyone will be able to work on computers at any time, and be able to take home a system, or upgrade one. We envision it looking much as the RIBS program for bicycles does now. Kid Build '98 will take place on 22 March 1998, at Center Ithaca, and should run all day. Volunteers will begin setting up at about 8 am, and cleaning up at about 4:30 pm. For more information, or to arrange a donation please contact: Bill Altman Kid Build '98 Coordinator TENET, Incorporated 273-3670 e-mail: morlock @clarityconnect.com