To identify issues, hopes and concerns of teen-agers in New York state today, Cornell's Upstate Center of Excellence will sponsor a youth forum Tuesday, Oct. 17, during this year's annual meeting of the Association of New York State Youth Bureaus Conference in Rochester.
More than 50 teen-agers from nine counties (Albany/Schenectady/Rensselaer, Cattaraugus, Erie, Jefferson, Monroe, Onondaga, and Otsego) in the state will share their ideas from noon to 2 p.m. at the Rochester Grand Hyatt Hotel about how youths can help prevent violence, substance abuse and risky sexual behavior among their peers; promote health and well-being; and plan and deliver services in their communities.
"This gives us an opportunity to hear directly from youth in New York state about their concerns, ideas and opinions on the issues -- namely, reducing risk behaviors and building assets for youth, which we'll be addressing with the Assets Coming Together (ACT) for Youth initiative," said Frank Barry, senior extension associate at Cornell and director of the ACT for Youth Program at Cornell.
Earlier this year, New York Gov. George E. Pataki awarded the Family Life Development Center (FLDC) at Cornell a grant to administer the ACT for Youth Upstate Center of Excellence. The center is a collaborative project with the University of Rochester School of Medicine, Division of Adolescent Medicine and the New York Center for School Safety (based in New Paltz, N.Y.). ACT for Youth is a New York State Department of Health initiative that integrates prevention strategies and builds youth developmental assets for young people, ages 10 to 19.
The youth forum has been planned by and for young people who have been asked to represent their communities in upstate New York. They will gather to discuss: what aspects of their community most affects young people negatively and positively, what activities they value or want to see in their communities, how teens can get involved to improve the lives of their peers and how teens can work with adults to improve the lives of youths.
The youths then will present a summary of their discussions to the entire group and a panel of decision-makers, including the commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, the mayor of Rochester and officials from the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Youth Bureau Association.
This event marks the first in a series of activities the Upstate Center of Excellence will sponsor to promote a "youth voice" in the planning and implementation of the ACT for Youth initiative. "Agencies that plan and coordinate services for young people need to understand the perspectives of the youth that will use their services," said Barry.
The youth forum and ACT for Youth initiatives are funded by the New York State Department of Health.
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