
"It's Time for Kitsap Kids" is an initiative of the Kitsap County Commission on Children and Youth that
promotes the concept of developmental asset building in Kitsap County. The
initiative actively works on building community awareness,
networking, and training that nurtures positive, caring and
responsible young people. The
Commission on Children and Youth is an appointed body of the Kitsap County
Commissioners, with up to 24 representatives from education and
schools, health and social service providers, juvenile justice and
law enforcement, community leaders and non-profit organizations.
Established in 1988, the Youth Commission's charge is to:
- Advise County Commissioners and residents on the needs of
children, youth and families based on periodic assessments;
- Facilitate coordination of information among agencies to
maximize resources; and to
- Advocate for an environment that fosters healthy,
self-sufficient, responsible and productive children, youth and
families.
The Commission on Children and Youth has adopted "It's Time for
Kitsap Kids" as a way for all of us to build a stronger community
for children and youth in Kitsap County. Our Vision Each of us
serves as a builder, partnering with youth to participate, develop,
and grow through family, school, work, and community. We envision a
community where all young people know they are valued, have hope
for the future, and possess the resources to achieve their
goals.
Our Model
"It's Time for Kitsap Kids" initiative is based on the Search
Institute's developmental asset model of positive youth
development. Search Institute's research using 200,000 youth
subjects indicates that assets help protect youth from risk taking
behavior including the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and
other drugs, as well as reducing antisocial behavior and youth
violence.
Developmental Assets are building blocks for healthy youth
development that research tells us have the power to help youth
grow up healthy, caring, and responsible. Assets are factors
promoting positive development. These assets may result from
"external" factors such as positive relationships in families,
friendship groups, schools, and the community, or they may result
from "internal" factors reflecting the teenager's personal
convictions, values, and attitudes. Assets can equip adolescents to
make wise choices.
Our Youth Perspective
Rather than seeing young people as problems, this positive youth
development approach views them instead as resources and builds on
their strengths and capabilities to develop within their own
community. To succeed youth must acquire adequate attitudes,
behaviors, and skills. It is an approach, a framework, a way to
think about young people that focuses on their capacities,
strengths, and developmental needs and not their weaknesses and
problems.
Our Commitment to Building Assets
"It's Time for Kitsap Kids" has developed a comprehensive,
long-term plan to increase the number of assets in Kitsap County
children and youth. Long-range goals include:
- Youth empowerment--To actively engage children and adolescents
in building assets in their own lives, in the lives of their peers,
and in contributing to community-wide initiatives.
- Families--To motivate and equip families to build developmental
assets.
- Citizen engagement--To activate the asset-building capacity of
all citizens, regardless of age or family status.
- Organizations--To motivate and equip schools, religious
institutions, youth-serving organizations, and other institutions
to develop and implement asset-building strategies.
- Community awareness--To raise community consciousness about the
urgency and feasibility of mobilizing individuals, communities,
policy, and resources to take positive action on behalf of all
children and adolescents.
- Evaluation--To provide qualitative, strength based assessment
through Community Asset Mapping.
- Shared Visioning--To engage the community in creating a shared
vision through conferencing and reporting back to the
community.
- Community mobilization--To assist the community in developing
and implementing coordinated, and long-term efforts to promote the
healthy development of all children and adolescents.
Our Funding Approach
The Commission on Children and Youth has initiated the formation
of Kitsap Youth Partnership, a public-private funding
partnership designed to broaden the base of financial support for
positive youth development programs.
Kitsap Youth Partnership joins the public sector
(federal, tribal, state, local officials and agencies) with the
private sector (employers, philanthropists, civic groups, citizens,
parents, and youth) in pursuit of increasing developmental assets
among youth and leveraging funding for asset building programs.
Kitsap Youth Partnership’s Mission is to promote
positive youth development through investing resources in programs,
services and opportunities to increase developmental assets among
children and youth in Kitsap County.
Nearly 200 individuals, businesses, organizations, and elected
officials from throughout Kitsap County are participating in this
partnership.
Kitsap Youth Partnership has identified five prioirites
for future program funding including:
- Mentoring Programs
- Teen Centers
- Before/After School Programs
- Programs addressing youth homelessness
- Programs preventing child abuse and neglect
Kitsap Youth Partnership funding prioritites for calendar
year 2005 – 2006 will focus on Teen Centers and Before/After
School Programs. Kitsap County government has designated state and
local dollars for the partnership to use in leveraging private
contributions.
Strategic Investments
Working together we are leveraging public and private financial
and human resources to achieve our goals. Options for making
investments include:
Aligned Funds: Private sector partners (employers,
philanthropists, civic groups, citizens, parents, and youth) make
individual grants (Aligned Grants) that advance the shared goals of
the partnership to increase developmental assets among children and
youth in Kitsap County. This could include private contributions to
the five priority program areas or other asset building
activities.
Matching Funds: Public partners provide matching funds
for Aligned Grants. Kitsap Youth Partnership Leadership Team will
first use their expertise in grantmaking to select viable,
high-quality programs that meet the funding priorities identifed.
During the calendar years 2005 – 2006, Matching Grants will
focus on Teen Centers and Before/After School Programs.
Shared Funds: Both public and private partners invest
jointly through the Shared Fund to share resources, knowledge and
experience in the five priority program areas and in activities
that build assets among children and youth in Kitsap County.
For information on how you can contribute to one of the
Kitsap Youth Partnership Funds please contact the Kitsap County Commission on Children and Youth at 360-337-4879 or email
Gay Neal at gneal@co.kitsap.wa.us .
Imagine the Vision Fulfilled
What would it look like to live in a place where all young
people know they are valued, have hope for the future, and possess
the resources to achieve their goals? What happens when people come
together to learn, to dream, to share, to envision growing healthy
children at home, in school and in community? Over 8,000 persons in
Kitsap County have received education about developmental assets.
During training sessions, here is a sampling of what that vision
looks like:
Before School - Schools open early. Breakfast is
available. Tutoring & homework help is provided. Childcare is
available.
In School - Opportunity for student voice, expression,
and recognition. Friendship, social skills, and conflict resolution
are part of the curricula. Programs are in place to give struggling
kids hope. Curriculum is meaningful, academics are important, and
address the whole child.
After School - School buildings are in use. Consistent
after school programs. Community organizations partner. Activities
are affordable. Transportation is available. Intergeneration
activities are encouraged.
Young People - Identify priorities and values. Educate
and mentor peers. Build relationship skills. Set up community
activities. Join task forces. Engage in service learning
projects.
Parents - Support family needs. Serve as volunteers in
classrooms. Share parent education information and mentor each
other. Are actively involved in their children's lives and
education.
Youth Serving Organizations - Have youth develop
meaningful service projects. Help newspapers with positive stories
about youth. Partner to create services for all youth, especially
after school.
Faith Communities - Youth are on committees, write
newsletter articles, Supportive of youth who have struggling
families, family activities.
Businesses - Check to see if policies are family
friendly, encourage flextime to take care of children¹s needs,
and family flexible benefits. Offer internships and work experience
opportunities for youth.