Champions for Youth

Closing of Youth Emergency Services (YES) Leaves a Gaping Hole in Central Indiana’s Early Intervention & Prevention Efforts

2009-11-17T17:42:00.011-05:00

By Shanna Malott

On December 31, 2009 a valuable service in Marion County will be closing its doors; what will happen to the children, youth and families who will no longer be able to walk through those doors?

Youth Emergency Services (YES) provides what YES Program Director John Kennedy calls, "pre-system, in person, crisis care, twenty-four/seven, without an appointment, adjudication or diagnosis!" These services are available to provide comfort and safety to children and families during crisis or to intervene before the situation becomes a crisis. Now who will provide these services? Department of Child Services (DCS) Director James Payne is adamant that DCS will pick up the ball and step in to provide the services that have been provided by YES for the past 11 years. What Director Payne fails to recognize is that YES equals Early Intervention and Prevention while DCS equals Treatment. YES is there to prevent children and families from entering the child welfare system or to minimize their involvement with the system as much as possible. DCS IS the system and is meant to provide treatment after the crisis. Children and families historically do not trust the system... but they trust YES! Read full article.

Video a video about how Youth Emergency Services works in the lives of children in our community.

If you would like to contact DCS about these changes, you can write to: Indiana Department of Child Services, Attn, James Payne, Director,402 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Go to the DCS website for addition contact info.

2010 Learning Network Preview

2009-12-08T18:12:00.002-05:00

MCCOY’s Learning Network provides professional development opportunities to enhance the knowledge and abilities of the local youth services community. Workshops and trainings provide participants with new insights as well as opportunities to share their own knowledge and experiences.

See what' learning and networking opportunities will be available in 2010 through MCCOY's Learning Network. Download 2010 Preview.

Learn more about MCCOY's Learning Network.

How Do We Engage Young People?

2009-11-30T14:03:00.001-05:00

Engaging young people in the programs youth organizations offer is easier said than done. And the reality is, the fact that youth simply “show up” doesn’t mean they’re invested or engaged in the activities. So how do we create better opportunities for young people to really get engaged in? Better engagement ultimately leads to better results. Here are some ideas to jump start your youth engagement approach:

Be youth-centered, not just outcomes-centered. Build relationships, and respect young people’s relationships with their peers and families. While building relationships, help build futures by planning for what happens when they’re not at your center or program.
Pay special attention to how your center’s programs coordinate with each other. Tailor your services so they’re accessible and allow young people to pursue their goals across interests.
Encourage personal choice and social responsibility in the young people you work with.
Get to know what the young person’s support safety-net looks like; who are the key people who make a difference in his or her life?
No matter what the program, focus on assisting young people achieve greater self-sufficiency and confidence.

Some of the tips above are adapted from the Transition to Independence Process (TIP), developed in a partnership with the University of South Florida and the Department of Child & Family Studies. Click here for many more resources about the findings.

Everyday Champion: Wanda Spann Roddy

2009-11-19T11:37:00.008-05:00

While the community has focused on reducing teen pregnancy, the fact remains that many teens in our community do get pregnant. Future Promises educates and advocates for pregnant and parenting teens, improving their health and life outcomes.

What is your profession or vocation? By education, I am a pediatric/adolescent nurse practitioner. After many years being a nurse, then becoming a nurse practitioner, I have had the great opportunity to take the knowledge and experience and my love for adolescent reproductive health to develop a comprehensive program for pregnant and parenting teens called “Future Promises – A Program for pregnant and parenting teens”.

How are you an Everyday Champion for Youth?
While teen pregnancy prevention advocates continue to place much needed attention on reducing teen pregnancy and teen birth rates, little emphasis has been placed on providing services for teens that are already pregnant and/or who have become parents. In an effort to address this gap, everyday I work hard at improving services, educating and advocating for the special needs of pregnant and parenting teens in order to improve their health and life outcomes and those of their children.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?
I hope that the work that I do, the young lives that I touch – even just everyday – demonstrates to youth that there are adults in this world that sees a promising future for them and will advocate and support them, either directly or indirectly, as they work to reach their dreams and their goals.

What’s the one thing that you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person? As I recall, when I was younger, I surrounded myself with positive people that gave me a lot of good advise and support. So I don’t know of any one thing that I wished an adult had told me. However, the two things that was said to me that I have never forgotten and continues to nudge me are

An 8th grade English teacher said – “You will never be good in English – not like your sister”

The Nursing School Dean told me that “… maybe you should change your major because you aren’t going to make it through nursing school or be a good nurse”.

It’s a good thing that I didn’t take to heart either of those negative comments –thanks to the supportive people around me and my courage and determination to prove them wrong. I frequently write long papers – mostly grants and make many public presentations with excellent feedback. I successfully graduated from nursing school, became a great nurse, received a graduate nursing degree with honors and have won awards for the work that I do. But yet those comments still haunt me 30 to 35 years later. Adults never know the impact of what they say to young people – so it should always be positive and show support.

What do you want to do next to support youth?
As I prepare for my next phase of life – retirement – I hope to spend these next few years preparing myself to be able to train others on developing youth programs that work. I have learned a lot over the past 30 years on youth development and program development. I have had lots of success developing a wide range of youth programs, particularly the “Future Promises Program” and I want to give young professionals who desire to work with youth, the skills and training that I have acquired that has made a difference in the lives of youth.

Support the Federal Youth Coordination Act

2009-01-26T18:50:00.001-05:00

The Federal Youth Coordination Act (FYCA) of 2008 (H.R. 7004) seeks to create a White House Office on Children and Youth, which would strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of youth programs.Learn More.

Sign on now! Join us in championing the positive development of youth in Indiana and across the nation. It’s as easy as signing our letter of support.

Sign the letter now.

Hoosiers Support Legislation to Coordinate Youth Services and Programs

2009-03-11T18:48:00.001-04:00

MCCOY Urges Community to Support the Federal Youth Coordination Act by Joining the 36 Organizations and 100 Individuals Who Have Signed a Letter of Support

MCCOY is asking the community to sign a letter of support for the Federal Youth Coordination Act (H.R. 7004). This bill seeks to create a White House Office on Children and Youth, which would strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of youth programs and services. The letter is directed to Representative Mark Souder of Indiana's 3rd Congressional District, who is a member of the Education & Labor Committee. As of Tuesday, 100 individuals and 36 organizations have signed the letter of support.
Read full article.

MCCOY Seeks Proposals from Organizations Supporting Positive Outcomes for Youth

2009-05-27T18:45:00.001-04:00

Does your agency offer opportunities for young people to develop the skills necessary for learning, leading, thriving, connecting or working? Are you involved in a successful partnership or initiative achieving positive outcomes for youth? Do you utilize an approach you believe to be cutting-edge or "best practice"? If so, consider sharing your experience and insight with community and business leaders at Central Indiana's Summit for Student Success: Bringing the Community Together to Tackle the Dropout Challenge, which will be held at Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis on Monday, August 10, 2009.
Read complete article.

Meet ROY: Resources Online for Youth!

2009-03-10T16:45:00.002-04:00

It's finally here - central Indiana's new, searchable database of youth activities and opportunities! ROY is now gathering information from youth-serving organizations about their programs and activities. Creating a profile is FAST, EASY and absolutely FREE (music to a non-profit's ears).

Just visit www.roymccoy.org, scroll down to the bottom right and click on "Create a new account". If you can't finish filling out your profile in one setting, it's not a problem. Just log out, then log back in later to fill in the blanks

Need some help getting to know ROY? We have dedicated a page on our website to this very purpose. Click here to learn more about the project and its purposes or download cheat sheets of required information.

Micro-Grants Available for Organizations Working to Strengthen Families

2009-04-01T15:51:00.008-04:00

Good Works Indiana: Good Works Indiana Announcement: Strengthening Families Grants Now Available!

The Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (OFBCI) through its Good Works Indiana (GWIN) initiative has launched the 2009 Strengthening Families micro-grant program.

2009 Youth Activity Directory Now Available

2009-05-28T18:33:00.001-04:00

Just in Time for Summer...
This year's Youth Activity Directory (YAD) contains over 20 pages of summer camps and programs that offer a wide variety of fun and enriching activities. Plus, you'll find a full year's worth of activities that support academic achievement, healthy development and positive outcomes for youth, including:

Programs that engage and empower youth
Educational enrichment programs
Career exploration and work readiness programs
Volunteer opportunities
Fun family activities
And much more

The YAD will be available at several community events and for pick-up at MCCOY office. Email Juli or call: 921-1266. Please complete and submit a YAD request form: Complete form online. Download the form.

Summer and Learning Make a Great Team

2009-07-09T18:31:00.002-04:00

Thursday, July 9th is National Summer Learning Day. That's right-contrary to popular belief, summer and learning DO go together and young people across our community are the direct beneficiaries of this new way of thinking. If young people are going to do well in school and be fully prepared for the world of work, they need year-round opportunities to learn more and build essential skills. It is past time that we revise our notion that summertime is when learning takes a vacation.
Read full article.

Registration Now Open for Central Indiana's Summit for Student Success

2009-07-13T18:29:00.001-04:00

Keynote Speakers to Include Tarik Glenn, Tony Bennett and Karen Pittman
MCCOY announced that registration opened this week for Central Indiana's Summit for Student Success: Bringing the Community Together to Tackle the Dropout Challenge, which will be held at Hilbert Circle Theatre in downtown Indianapolis on Monday, August 10, 2009. Keynote speakers include Tarik Glenn, former Colts offensive tackle and Founder of D.R.E.A.M. Alive, Dr. Tony Bennett, Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Indiana, and Karen Pittman, Executive Director of the Forum for Youth Investment in Washington, DC.
Read full article.

You Get What You Pay For

2008-10-29T11:35:00.000-04:00

The citizens of Indianapolis who live within the Indianapolis Public Schools boundaries will have the opportunity on November 4th to choose to make a long term investment in the educational success of children and young people by voting to approve a bond issue that will allow IPS to improve facilities in which one of the most important activities in our community takes place - the pursuit of knowledge and learning.

Why shouldn't those facilities be comfortable no matter what the temperature is outside; have adequate spaces for learning, eating, and physical activity; be well-lit, inviting, and welcoming? We wouldn't go to a hospital for treatment if it was dingy, sub-standard, cramped, and run-down. Clearly we want the schools in which our most precious resources are being nurtured and prepared to become the next generation of community leaders, scientists, doctors, and captains of industry to be at least equal to the places where games and sports are played, meaning they should be spacious, well-equipped, and filled with the most modern amenities.

IPS students need to feel that the community really means it when we say we value them and their education. We clearly do this when we provide them with facilities that meet basic standards of comfort and health (which is where most of the bond money will be spent) and when we provide them with access to learn and use modern technology. Computer and internet skills are not a luxury but an absolute necessity in the world today. If we want students to be successful as they move into high school, college, and the world of work, we have to provide them with the tools they need.

I am confident that the voters of our community will see the wisdom in investing their hard-earned dollars in something that will yield significant returns in the long run - our young people and their education. After all, you get what you pay for.

-John

Assessing quality in youth programs

2008-12-11T11:26:00.000-05:00

Around 40 youth development professionals and community leaders gathered recently to learn about the Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA). This is the strategy we're employing within the Ready by 21 Quality Counts initiative to improve the quality and reach of youth programs in central Indiana. Erica Curry, from the Forum for Youth Investment presented a dynamic workshop designed to get on board early those organizations who want to pilot the project with MCCOY and build overall quality improvement. YPQA sites will be eligible for comprehensive training and custom technical assistance – all completely free.

If you're interested in learning more about YPQA or becoming a pilot site, please e-mail Kirsten Eamon-Shine.

MCCOY - Employment Opportunities

2009-05-12T11:22:00.011-04:00

We're looking for a staff member to support upcoming Early Intervention and Prevention efforts in central Indiana.

Early Intervention Resource Development Officer

This new position will generate resources for a new Marion County effort for coordination of Early Intervention and Prevention services geared toward helping young people avoid continued involvement with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Bachelor degree required and additional education in a related field very favorable.

Additional information about the position, as well as complete position description, can be found at the MCCOY website. To apply, respond with resume, cover letter, and salary history to jim.wark@mccoyouth.org.

Everyday Champion: Trevor Holloway

2009-08-05T15:16:00.005-04:00

This is the second in our profile series, Everyday Champions. Helping youth succeed takes commitment and action from our whole community. Everyday Champions are people who are committed and who act in small and big ways to support youth in central Indiana. Find out more ways you can be a champion through our Community Compact for Youth. You can also check out our previous Champion, Chad Richards.

We're thrilled to feature Trevor Holloway in this edition of Everyday Champions. Trevor, a recent graduate of North Central High School, is also a MCCOY Board Member. This summer, in addition to getting ready to head off to college in Bloomington, Trevor has been assisting MCCOY staff with the upcoming Summit for Student Success. He's been a joy to have in the office, not only for his remarkable skills and fun personality, but also for his engagement and excitement for youth development.

What is your profession or vocation?
I’m a recent graduate of North Central High School and about to start my first year at the Kelley School of Business of Indiana University Bloomington. As a direct admit, I plan to study Public Policy Analysis and International Business. I plan to be a millionaire by age 27.

How are you an Everyday Champion for Youth?
I have been involved with MCCOY since my sophomore year of high school. I am a board member and serve on various committees. This summer I am volunteering at MCCOY helping out with various tasks. I also do some work with the JCC Teen House and David Waldman. It’s a good gig. Last summer I traveled between community centers and spoke to at-risk youth about life skills and values.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?
I don’t know if I’m really focused on one specific endeavor. I just understand the struggle that youth go through. No matter what background, being a youth is challenging and when I help by providing resources to make life easier for youth and their families, it is one of the most fulfilling things.

What’s one thing that you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person?
Hah. I am still young. I think I have had adults tell me plenty of good things but it was usually more of a challenge to get me to listen to what they were saying. Something that I wish an adult had told me and that I had listened to would be to think long-term.

What do you want to do next to support youth?
Well I plan to continue to work with MCCOY in some capacity even when I’m away at IU. But short-term I will continue to help out MCCOY staff members around the office, and long-term I will be the biggest philanthropist in the USA.

Everyday Champion: Rebekah Mazanowski

2009-10-14T13:42:00.002-04:00

This is the second in our profile series, Everyday Champions. Helping youth succeed takes commitment and action from our whole community. Everyday Champions are people who are committed and who act in small and big ways to support youth in central Indiana. Find out more ways you can be a champion through our Community Compact for Youth.

We're excited to feature Rebekah Mazanowski in this edition of Everyday Champions. Rebekah, a Parent Liaison at Howe Community High School, is also the sister of Natalie Mazanowski, MCCOY's Communications Director. Rebekah appreciates the role that her parents and the community have had in helping her develop into the person she is today. Growing up in a large family, she understands that parents and families need the support of a strong and healthy community.

What is your profession or vocation?
I am a 2007 graduate of IUPUI with a degree in Sociology. I am currently the Parent Liaison for IPS school 420; Thomas Carr Howe Community High School. My job is to communicate with parents at home and within the school. I focus on increasing parent involvement in order to improve the chance of student success.

How are you an everyday Champion for Youth?
Working in a school and interacting on a daily basis with kids and teens enables me to visualize the things that are most beneficial to high school students today. Participation in sports and school activities inevitably gives kids a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I organize activities and club opportunities for the students. Additionally, parent involvement is essential to a child’s success. I facilitate workshops within the school strictly for parents. The workshops address ways for parents to help their child or they provide information and resources for parents to incorporate into their parenting role.

What impact do you hope to make on youth?
I hope to impact the students through parent involvement and/or parent interest in the child. Educating parents will directly effect youth. The more I can help a parent by providing knowledge and resources, the better off a child will be.

What is one thing you wish an adult had told you when you were a young person?
I think so much about life is figuring it out on your own, but I think it is good to tell young people to be explorative, try new things and venture out of comfort zones when thinking about future goals and educational plans. Think big and plan accordingly.

What do you want to do next to support youth?
I will continue my work with the Indianapolis Public School system. I host family reading nights every month at the school. I have noticed in the past that kids really enjoy discussing their most current read, whether it is for school or for pleasure. I would like to get some type of book club going where kids are free to read and discuss the books that they enjoy.

Family Meals Make a Big Difference for Girls

2008-07-28T14:11:00.000-04:00

A report released by the University of Michigan (read the summary or the abstract) reveals that, while boys do not see the same impact, middle school girls who regularly eat meals with their families are at a significantly reduce risk for negative behaviors. In the study of 800 middle school students, girls who ate meals with their family at least five times a week were half as likely to engage in substance abuse five years later.

The study doesn’t tackle the roots of the disparity or why boys did not demonstrate the same reduced substance abuse. Perhaps society’s heightened emphasis on social interaction for girls bears some role in the difference.

Regardless of this disparity, family meals are an example of how caring relationships with adults support healthy youth development and help young people make positive decisions. Family meals are one way of fostering a connection between youth and caring adults, but there are many more that can achieve similar impacts.

EASY (Essential Aid & Services for Youth) Book Now Available

2009-08-20T17:29:00.005-04:00

The EASY Book is Back!
We've heard that the recession may be coming to an end. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean an end to the struggles faced by families in central Indiana. Fortunately, the EASY Book provides a directory to local organizations that can help. It includes tips, hotline numbers and contact information for central Indiana organizations that provide a wide range of family and support services – from help with basic needs to parenting-skills development to assistance with home ownership.

Reserve Your EASY Books Now:
Complete the reservation form online or download the form.

Quick & Easy EASY Book Pick-Up
United Way Garage, August 26th: 8a - 4p
Just pull up and will load your EASY Books into your car. Our Youth Activity Directory will also be available. Just submit your reservation form (see link above) so that we have your order ready. Get map/directions.

Help Us Get The EASY to the People Who Need it Most
Is your organization open & accessible to the general public?
If you answered yes, consider joining our distribution network. As an EASY Book/YAD distributor, you simply agree to stock the EASY Book and/or YAD so they are readily available to the families you serve and provide basic tracking & evaluation so that we can continue to improve EASY and YAD!

MCCOY provides everything you need: the books, promotional materials and tracking sheets. In addition, we'll include links to your website & location on our website and as part of our marketing efforts for the YAD/EASY Book.

If you're interested in offering the people you work with a valuable tool for accessing the resources they need to build stronger families, just email Chris or call 317-921-1286.

Everyone has A Stake in the Positive Development of Youth

2009-07-13T13:34:00.000-04:00

The Case for a Community Compact for Youth
By Christopher Collins

As a city and as a community, we like to say that we make young people a priority, particularly when we talk about education. Words, however, are easy. Putting young people at the center of the discussion and making their success a true priority takes innovation and a willingness to re-think our assumptions.

Making sure kids have better opportunities and healthier futures isn’t only the job of teachers, or youth workers, or parents. It is everyone’s responsibility, and no matter what you do for a living, whether you have kids in your life or not, you play an important role. Marion County Commission on Youth (MCCOY) has created a series of Community Compacts for Youth – informal agreements that let you demonstrate ways you support the young people in your life and in our community. Now, beyond simply saying young people’s healthy development is important, you can show it.

Read complete article.

Want to be a Champion for youth? Here's how.

2009-06-24T15:23:00.006-04:00

It’s easy for us to say we value young people and the programs that provide them opportunities to grow, learn, and connect with the community. But sometimes it’s hard to put good intentions into action. That’s where MCCOY’s Community Compacts for Youth come in. They’re designed to help you discover concrete ways to improve how you or your organization supports youth development in central Indiana.

Maybe you’re in healthcare and want to improve the ways your staff interacts with youth? Check out your Compact here. Or maybe you work in a faith-based community and want to ensure the people in your organization know about high-quality youth programs. Click here for your Compact.

After you sign yours and send it in, MCCOY will soon offer you the tools you need to make your commitments realities. If you already serve youth, add a comment below and link others to your programs and projects – the ways that others can fulfill their commitments and support your work.

It's not just teachers and youth workers who improve opportunities for young people -- everyone plays a role. Check out our Compact page today.

Assessing Quality in Youth Programs

2009-07-09T11:26:00.006-04:00

Around 40 youth development professionals and community leaders gathered recently to learn about the Youth Program Quality Assessment (YPQA). This is the strategy we're employing within the Ready by 21 Quality Counts initiative to improve the quality and reach of youth programs in Central Indiana. Erica Curry, from the Forum for Youth Investment, presented a dynamic workshop designed to get on board early those organizations who want to pilot the project with MCCOY and build overall quality improvement. YPQA sites will be eligible for comprehensive training and custom technical assistance – all completely free.

If you’re interested in learning more about YPQA or becoming a pilot site, please e-mail Kirsten Eamon-Shine.

Children Needn’t Go from School Days to Summer Daze

2009-04-20T13:24:00.000-04:00

Take Advantage of the Many Summer Learning Opportunities Available in Central Indiana
By John Brandon

This is the time of the year when lots of folk’s minds turn to planning how they and their children will spend their summer vacation. To succeed in school and life, children and young adults need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills. This is especially true during the summer months. Many of us have an image of summer as a carefree, happy time when “kids can be kids,” and take for granted the prospect of enriching experiences such as summer camps and family trips to museums, parks and libraries. When you are making your summer plans with the children you care about, be sure to take advantage of the many learning opportunities available in central Indiana.

Read complete article.

Indianapolis Celebrates Summer Learning

2009-07-06T17:57:00.004-04:00

Local Celebration Shines Spotlight on Programs that Combat Summer Daze
National Summer Learning Day Provides Opportunity to Honor and Raise Awareness about the Benefits of Summer Youth Programs

“There are literally hundreds of quality summer programs and learning experiences in central Indiana that offer a safe place, caring adults, and countless occasions for children and youth to expand their horizons, develop their talents, and build their skills,” says John Brandon, MCCOY President. “Our Summer Learning Day Celebration will honor these programs that combat summer learning loss and help kids in Indiana get ahead.”

Summer Learning Day Agenda

Posted using ShareThis

Indianapolis Celebrates National Summer Learning Day: Photos

2009-07-16T10:19:00.003-04:00

Children filed into the gymnasium at St. Richard School on Thursday, July 9th, joining community leaders, youth workers and other caring adults to celebrate National Summer Learning Day. Filling the bleachers, they cheered as Willis Bright, Director of Youth Programs at Lilly Endowment, asked them if they were learning new skills and having fun in programs this summer. Through performances and discussion, these youth shared the great experiences they are having while participating in programs that provide safe places, opportunities for learning, and fun activities throughout the summer.

Read more & see photos from the event.