Valley United Way"The members of the Program felt that we needed to focus on some very different issues this year," Gina Rochelle, Youth Leadership President said, as she described the results of the member's discussion of the results of the needs assessment the group had just completed. "Several needs presented by members of the community in response to the needs survey were consolidated into three key areas that we felt were very critical to teens in the Valley," Gina continued.
The needs that were agreed upon by Youth Leadership members are (1) Empowering Teens and Increasing Teen Involvement In Community and School; (2) Jobs and Job Training Programs; and (3) Violence and Intolerance of Difference. "There is an interrelationship of the three needs," Gina added. "As we discussed the many issues that were brought up as a result of the needs assessment, it was clear that some of the key issues were self esteem, having a greater voice in matters that affect us, and `raising the consciousness' of teens to differences between and among people. All of these issues were `boiled down' to the three general areas on which we are focusing in the request for proposals that has been sent out," Gina concluded.
"A Request For Proposals was sent to nearly 100 organizations that serve teens in the Valley," according to Vince Palacino, Youth Leadership staff and Valley United Way Assistant Director.