Youth Leaders Allocate Funding

Each year, Valley United Way’s Youth Leadership Program distribute small, venture grants to community organizations in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton. These grants are aimed at helping to fund new and/or expanding programs that serve the needs of Valley teenagers.

At its November meeting, the members of the Program reviewed the applications that were received as a result of their recent Request for Proposals. The members, at that meeting, also made their decisions on which of the proposals will be granted funding for 2000.

Thirteen applications were received with funding requests totaling over $8,900. After each program was presented to the group and discussed at some length, six programs were fully or partially funded. The members had $3,000 to allocate to the programs they felt were worthy and met the needs of teenagers in the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

The Youth Leadership Venture Funding Program funded the following programs:

• Tinney Community Center’s Alcoholics / Narcotics Anonymous Program - $750.00
• Tinney Community Center’s Student-to-Student Homework Crew - $150.00
• Healthways’, a subsidiary of Birmingham Group Health Services, JobWise Program - $600.00
• Derby High School’s Arts Festival - $600.00
• Junior Achievement’s Elementary Program: "Our Community" & "Our City" - $600.00
• The Umbrella Children’s Program - $300.00

In the fall, members of the Program did an extensive needs assessment by surveying parents, relatives, teachers, clergy, medical professionals, teenagers and others. Allocation decisions are made based on how well the proposed programs meet the needs as identified in this annual Needs Assessment. The following were identified as areas of critical concern to teenagers in the Valley:

Recreational Activities for Disabled Teens

Self-Improvement Workshops (i.e. time management, stress management,
communications, academic help, etc)

Arts Programs (i.e. art, dance, theatre, music, etc.)

This allocations process is the final step in a year long leadership training. Jessi Young, President, said, "The allocations process is the high point of the year, in which Youth Leadership Members make difficult decisions that positively impact the community." Laura Condon, Secretary, also commented that "the allocations process highlights the leadership and decision making skills that Youth Leadership Members develop throughout the Program year."