Children First 2005 Conference Summary

Community Groups

Assets for Youth

            ▪ Involve youth in the planning of events and activities.  Get their feedback on what they like to encourage participation.

            ▪ Encourage church mentoring programs after school.

            ▪ Groups can donate money/supplies that can be used to provide incentives for youth to get involved in community service and other positive programs/activities.

            ▪ Take action in establishing larger network of volunteers. Have sign-up rosters.

   ▪ Community groups can provide organized tutoring/education programs.

Child Welfare

            ▪ Improve housing assistance by increasing referrals as well as advocating for safe and decent housing. 

            ▪ Collaborate with schools and family focused agencies in order to better understand what resources are most needed in the community.

            ▪ Improve the foster care system by decreasing the length of time for permanent placement of children in the foster care system and assure that children with special needs are afforded the availability of well-trained, well-compensated    foster care.

            ▪ Create more advocacy for Domestic Violence shelters to make it possible for an advocate to work together with DSS as well as law enforcement in dealing with domestic violence cases.

            ▪ Campaign to raise the community's awareness and education in regards to methamphetamines.

Early Childhood Development

            ▪ Non-profit organizations could take on youth as board members to gain a better understanding of their perspective on what works and what doesn't.

            ▪ Work together and advocate.  In advocating keep educated and informed as to what the current issues are and what some of the best methods are for getting the point across.

            ▪ Establish ways to offer affordable parenting classes.

            ▪ Raise community awareness of the unmet needs of young children.  Launch an  education campaign aimed at parents, business, educators, elected officials, etc. regarding the impact of developmentally appropriate stimulation during the first   3-5 years of a   child's life.

            ▪ Faith groups can open child care centers at churches.

Physical Health

            ▪ Support programs that encourage healthy lifestyles such as recreation leagues, backpack programs, walk-a-thons and community gardens.

            ▪ Offer community events featuring healthy lifestyle choices including healthy food, exercise and information that will raise community awareness in regards to health.

            ▪ Campaign using strategies similar to those used in tobacco or drug use reduction campaigns such as soliciting speakers who have suffered from obesity and overcome it.

            ▪ Advertise information on healthy lifestyles in newsletters and bulletin boards.

            ▪ Make healthy lifestyle choices more accessible by providing transportation, healthier food choices, health clinics and fresh produce.

School Success

            ▪ Get involved.  Put effort towards bringing the students and community together by getting involved in schools and creating opportunities for students to get involved in the community.

            ▪ Family Resource Centers in communities or at schools.

            ▪ Get more involved in planning, sponsoring and budgeting.  Advocate.

            ▪ Mentor and volunteer in schools.

            ▪ Create after school tutoring programs in the community.