Children First 2005 Conference Summary

Children & Youth

Assets for Youth

            ▪ Create a method of getting youth involved in board and committee decisions and planning.  Establish a method of collaborating with youth for feedback and allow them to voice their opinions.

            ▪ Work on getting youth that are already involved in extra curricular activities to recruit more students and get more kids involved.

            ▪ Allow youth to create their own needs forum where they can safely express their ideas, struggles concerns etc.  Put the power of organization in their hands.

            ▪ Create a Resource Directory for youth that holds information on all the programs and services for youth in the area.

            ▪ Attempt to reduce the stigma attached to after-school activities.  Listen to students and develop a method of making extra curricular activities more appealing to students.

Early Childhood Development

            ▪ Make it mandatory for high school students to have some education in early childhood development.  This might help in getting more students interested in Early Childhood Education as a career.

            ▪ Youth can provide childcare for parenting classes and other family support groups.

            ▪ Non-profit organizations should work with the high schools to develop volunteer programs that get youth involved in the field of Early Childhood Development.

            ▪ Offer more outreach programs at the high school level.

            ▪ Devise a method of getting feedback from youth about their experiences in childcare growing up.

Physical Health

            ▪ PLAY!!!! Spend time outside, ride bikes, hike, swim, play with siblings and ask adults to play outside with you.

            ▪ Adolescents can be role models for younger generations.  Mentor and make health cool to eat healthy and exercise.

            ▪ Help parents cook dinner and go grocery shopping.

            ▪ Join Healthy Buncombe.

            ▪ Participate in community events that are health or activity based.

Mental Health

            ▪ Develop peer support groups that youth facilitate and organize.

            ▪ Encourage students in recovery to share their experiences, wisdom and strength with teachers, students and the community.

            ▪ Keep the responsibility in dealing with mental health issues off of children. 

            ▪ Volunteer to communicate and share experiences with public leaders.

School Success

▪ Get involved in school and extracurricular activities.

▪ Do community service in areas of interest.

▪ Mentor and tutor younger students.

▪ Ask for help when it is needed.

▪ Set goals and be aware of what opportunities and decisions will help those goals be met.