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Youth Coalition Director Wants to Fullfill PromisesBy Jen Thomas - September 07, 2007
ADAMS - Jacquie Betti, the new director of the Adams-Cheshire-Savoy Youth Coalition, has big plans for the future.
"My main goal for this year is to get the community more aware and more involved in Adams, Cheshire and Savoy youth," said Betti on Thursday afternoon in her new office at Adams Memorial Middle School. "I want to get into the communities, get into the businesses, and get them to sign on for the kids."
Formerly run by AmeriCorps fellows, the ACS Youth Coalition acts as an umbrella agency for area youth organizations, helping to facilitate programs among several different groups and acting as a general support system. Starting in August, the coalition was able to hire a full-time director and Betti has worked it into her job description to draw more attention to the agency.
"I'd like to keep going in the direction it was going, but I'd like to make the coalition more visible and strengthen the practices already in place," she said.
Those practices include fulfilling the "Five Promises," five developmental resources as outlined by the America's Promise Alliance, which grew out of the 1997 Presidents' Summit for America's Future. The promises youth need to lead healthy and productive lives are caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education and opportunities to help others.
"The Five Promises are the key to the organization and it is a known fact that the more promises in children's lives, the better they'll do," Betti said.
Most of the coalition's initiatives are geared toward the Five Promises, whether it's providing safe after-school space at the drop-in center at Youth Center Inc. or finding mentors. Betti's motivation to involve the community is a way to directly put the promises into practice.
"I'm hoping I can get a commitment from businesses for sponsoring youth either in theory or financially," she said. "I'm looking to get something like a decal for businesses to put in windows so that kids can feel safe on the streets. They would know to go to the places with decals if they feel in danger or if they just need to call their parents."
With more than 80 member organizations promoted, the coalition is looking to expand its board of directors, especially with members from Cheshire and Savoy. Currently, the ACS Youth Coalition board has 13 members.
With a new home at the middle school, Betti said she'll be able to get a better idea of what programs will best benefit area children.
"It's an advantage being here amongst a target group; middle school is a critical age for reaching out to kids and I can get direct feedback from them," she said. "I can ask 'what are your needs that aren't being met?' This is the group we don't want to feel like they're floundering out there. We want them to feel like there are great programs and great places to be."
With plans to expand in the future, Betti intends to be a driving force behind the coalition's forward motion.
"I'm going to be more visible," she said. "I'm not making an impact sitting in an office."
Jen Thomas can be reached at jthomas@iberkshires.com |
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