MANDEL CENTER FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

January 31, 2008

Community Forum: Initiatives Focusing on Children and Youth in Cuyahoga

SAY YES (Strategically Aligning Youth and Young Adult Enrichment Services of Cuyahoga County) hosted a forum focused on out of school time programs and opportunities for local youth.  SAY YES is an interest group composed of representatives of a diverse group of local organizations who are interested in youth engagement during non-school hours. Its focus is out of schooltime programs and opportunities for Cuyahoga County youth.

On January 31, 2008, from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM, SAY YES presented a forum addressing initiatives being developed to meet the needs of youth, the current funding environment, and services available for youth program providers.

Forum speakers included: Lisa Bottoms, The Cleveland Foundation; Yvonne Hunnicutt, Voices for Ohio Children; Billie Osborne-Fears, Starting Point, and Pat Heilbron representing the Ohio Afterschool Network.

October 17, 2006 Community Forum

On October 17, 2006, The Mandel Center for Nonprofit Organizations' Treu-Mart Youth Development Fellowship Program hosted a forum led by M. Christine DeVita, President of The Wallace Foundation. Ms. DeVita's remarks focused on "Hours of Opportunity: New Community Approaches to Helping Kids Flourish After School."

Ms. DeVita opened the community forum with the traditional Maasai greeting used in parts of Kenya and Tanzania: "And how are the children?"

The following are excerpts from Ms. DeVita's talk:

"In recent years...the youth development movement, drawing on the work of youth researchers, practitioners, policy makers, funders, advocates and others, now views youth needs and interests more holistically. It looks at the transition from youth to adult not just as a time of risk but also as a time of opportunity. Both goals, preventing unsafe and risky behavior and making the most of the opportunities for individual development, are crucial to the success of our nation."

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