Youth Programming Initiative an outgrowth of communitymeetings and recognized needs

By Cathy Goevert
From the Community Town Hall
meetings recently conducted it was
recognized that the Crestone-Baca
Community youth need enrichment
opportunities. This Initiative
is designed to provide opportunities
for the community to demonstrate
their commitment to the area youth
and to provide an opportunity for
the area youth to demonstrate their
commitment to the community.
With that guiding light as the directive,
the Crestone-Baca Community
Alliance-Youth Programming
Initiative was born.
Given the crisis of youth mental
health and the feelings of sadness
and hopelessness experienced by
approximately 40% of youth in this
country today (as measured according
to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention’s Youth Risk
Behavior Surveillance System), it
has become apparent that the Crestone-
Baca community needs to
address the youth crisis as it exists
within our own community.
The initiative is designed to support
community youth in a safe, proactive
way that is drug and alcohol
free.
Currently in the planning stages,
the initiative has secured two adult
sponsors: Cathy Goevert and Sam
Prien.
Discussions have occurred with
the Crestone Charter School’s mentorship
facilitator.
The topic was to be discussed at
the Crestone Town Trustees Aug. 26
meeting with a presentation to the
board, whose support is requested.
The meeting date did not allow for
an update in The Crestone Eagle’s
September print edition.
The initiative is designed with
four prongs:
Mentorship with the community
at large — finding the interests of the
youth and pairing these to community
members/elders
Fun bonding activities such as
taking the group bowling, hiking, to
the movies etc.
Community service — becoming
a resource for the community such
as cleaning up the park after a community
event; helping with odd jobs
for elders of the community
Peer to peer mentorship — building
the confidence and resilience
of our Crestone-Baca community
youth.