If you were caught up in the frenzy of mid-term elections and the flood of political messages aimed to raise doubts in the current state of our communities and direction of society as a whole, you may have missed the powerful, week-long activities that sparked a dialogue on strengthening youth development across Bartholomew County.
The Council for Youth Development, a network of Bartholomew County stakeholders and partners, hosted the first county-wide Youth Empowerment Summit the week of Nov. 5. This event was the latest initiative where a coalition of local schools, businesses and community organizations have shown their support to ensure every young person is healthy, safe, educated, engaged and supported. The success of the week was demonstrated by the unifying commitment to prioritize the well-being of all young people in our community.
The 2018 Youth Empowerment Summit was kicked off with a public event at The Commons, followed by three days of school assemblies, and additional youth and family centered activities throughout the week.
Nearly 200 community members listened to keynote speaker Steve Pemberton share his motivational messages: Believe in your dreams, rise above obstacles, create opportunities for others and, most of all, persevere.
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As a child Pemberton was orphaned into the foster care system where he struggled physically and emotionally. With resilience he rose to become a champion for equality, a visionary youth advocate and a sought-after corporate executive. His life story was published as a bestselling memoir and made into a major motion picture, “A Chance in the World.” For those unable to attend the event, Pemberton’s memoir is available at Viewpoint Books for a special community price.
During a session with community leaders, Pemberton referenced the long standing tradition of the Masai people of East Africa. The Masai commonly uses the greeting, “Kasserian Ingera?” Translated, it means, “And how are the children?” Or, “Are the children well?” This greeting speaks to the belief that children are the center of a community. As a community, all children are our children.
Do Bartholomew County residents believe all children are our children? That is a question I leave you to ponder. For the Council for Youth Development, this belief is the center of our work and reflected in our vision and mission as a coalition.
The commitment to focus on our children influenced our decision to work with Bartholomew County Youth Services Center and school corporations across Bartholomew County to bring Indiana native and nationally recognized speaker Nathan Harmon to share his story with middle school students. Harmon’s message to young people is not about achieving perfection but meeting challenges head-on in order to make positive life choices. More than 2,000 public and private school students listened to his message, hundreds connected through social media and many shared appreciation for a powerful message that helped them feel less alone in their struggles to reach their full potential in life.
Recognizing the summit would spark a wide community interest, seven local organizations provided youth and family engagement opportunities during the week. These organizations included: Turning Point Domestic Violence Services, Bartholomew County Public Library, Foundation For Youth, Latino Education Group, Alliance for Substance Abuse Progress, Columbus Parks and Recreation, and Advocates for Children. In addition, social and emotional well-being resources were provided throughout the week to residents and school educators by Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative and Communities That Care.
Consider this first Youth Empowerment Summit the beginning of a broader community conversation. While Bartholomew County has taken great strides to improve youth well-being, challenges remain for many local children, teens and young adults. To address this, the Council for Youth Development has detailed a Youth Master Plan for Bartholomew County and is actively working with over 75 community partners to implement the plan’s objectives. By collecting and sharing data, we can address key concerns, tackle complex issues and work collaboratively to foster a caring community that ensures a promising future for every young person in Bartholomew County.
But a caring community also starts with you. National data and research conducted by Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child suggests quality relationships with a parent or caregiver can help buffer a child from the effects of stress. These relationships help youth build core life skills that strengthen the building blocks of resilience and put them on the pathway to reaching their full potential.
Does this mean only parents and caregivers can do this important work? We say, “No.” There is likely a student or even a neighbor that would benefit from your support and interest.
Join our efforts to ensure a supportive community that sees every child as our child. The Council for Youth Development, in partnership with local schools, is sharing simple strategies for you to become a developmental assets builder in our community. Building assets protects young people from risky behaviors and promotes positive youth development.
To learn more about our work and your next steps, visit our website at cydbartholomew.org and join our online Facebook and Instagram community.
Heather Carson is the director of the Council for Youth Development. The mission of the Bartholomew County coalition is to identify, coordinate and align community efforts to ensure the development of the whole child. Send comments to [email protected].
