"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.