HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-01-04-YSC-min Minutes of the Youth Services Council
January 4, 2006
Present. Becky Rushford,Amy Berger, Bill Blout, Sheila Butts, Helen Cohen, Christina
Demambro, Eliza Duncan, Tim Johnson,Eric Eid-Reiner, Jennifer Wolfrum
The agenda for this meeting was to help prepare a statement for the Board of Selectmen
to indicate the ongoing needs for youth that exist in Lexington and to review the
accomplishments of the past year-and-a-half.
Becky Rushford began the meeting by describing an earlier, smaller meeting which
began addressing this statement. That meeting reviewed some of the history of the YSC,
including that the Council was established to set priorities and directions for youth
services in the Town. When the Council was created, Town Meeting also funded the
position of Youth Services Coordinator, which Becky now holds. Another request from
the Council was a budget item of$40,000 particularly to help families in need to pay for
counseling services. This request was not funded.
The group brainstormed for the next hour,with Becky leading us, and Jennifer acting as
scribe on the whiteboard.
Accomplishments
--Hiring the Youth Services Coordinator
--Getting a full range of representatives together to share mfonnation(schools,police,
fire department,recreation department, Interfaith Clergy Association, Human Services
Committee, students, and private therapists) A vital first step to surveying, coordinating,
and strengthening services
--Creating a Forum for Therapists to exchange ideas and begin a list of counselors who
would work with youth and/or families on a sliding scale or pro bono
--Number of people growing who seek out the Coordinator as a resource
--Successful middle school half-day event(snow-tubing)with plans for two events this
year, and more the year following.
Needs of Youth and Families
The priorities were accessible, informal safe setting for youth, outreach to youth who are
in trouble and/or isolated, involvement of entire community
--Substance abuse is high.
--Risky behaviors (cutting, anorexia, suicide attempts) in students with no therapeutic
support.
--Families who cannot afford services.
--Lexington is a high stress community Stress creates its own problems and can help lead
to other problems.
--Youth do not have a comfortable, informal place to go to access support and
counseling. (Guidance counselors are too busy, some students don't like to talk to people
in school ) The RePlace program had served this need.
--Need ongoing parent/youth dialogues. They have been successful in the past.
--Just not enough people to talk to at school. The ending of the grant for the substance
abuse program this fall took away two people whom students depended on.
--Large high school. Students feel disconnected.
--Outreach and prevention programs.
--Youth/community center for recreational, social, counseling needs.
-- A sense that the community is committed to supporting its youth.
Programs developing in other contexts
Schools
--social workers more active
--stipend for student leadership program (peer mentoring) in place, and Julie Fenn is back
at the High School.
--Half-time position proposed in next year's budget for an intervention specialist.
--new resource officer is highly visible.
Interfaith.
--five congregations (Hancock, Temple Isaiah, Temple Emunah, Follen, and First Parish)
are begmnmg discussions among their youth groups to build connections and find ways
youth can be together
At the next meeting, Jennifer will bring a copy of the newest pamphlet published by
Concord, which provides advice and resources for youth and families throughout the
town. Everyone believes that this can be a good project for Lexington. We also talked
about the Minuteman, the Colonial Times, and the student newspaper The Musket as
places to publish information about resources and programs
A small group (Becky, Arnie, Bill, Eliza, Sheila) will meet at 1 30p.m. on January 9 to
draft a presentation for the Selectmen. This will be sent around for suggestions/support to
the entire Council.
Next meeting of the YSC Wednesday, February 1, 3-4p.m.
--submitted by Helen Cohen