It’s here! The first report from the 2018 Youth Voices survey rolled out a week or so ago. Called “Good Friends…Online and in Person,” it outlines Itasca area kids’ perceptions of how their online and real-life friendships overlap and are separate – and how these affect their lives. (It also provides ways adults can coach kids about healthy friendships; read [...]
SPARK was excited to co-host a series of talks by Erin Walsh of Mind Positive Parenting in March. Erin’s topic, “It’s Complicated, Social Media and Mental Health” (and her catchy presentation style!) resonated throughout the region, as more than 700 people participated in one of her three talks. Erin Walsh of Mind Positive Parenting SPARK has been thinking [...]
On December 6th, SPARK hosted members of local community groups for a presentation of the preliminary results of the 2018 Youth Voices survey. The survey tool was adapted from the 2014 tool based on extensive feedback from youth and community members. This fall, more than 3,000 6th – 12th grade students from 11 Itasca-area public schools completed the survey. The [...]
The release of the 2018 Youth Voice survey report is just around the corner! The Survey was first completed in 2014. (You can learn more about it here). The design and development of the survey varied from the previous one administered in 2014. The changes in this year’s survey were based on crucial input from students, school representatives, and community [...]
As we start to gear up for the release of the 2018 Youth Voice survey data (reports for this survey will be available in December – stay tuned!), we wanted to take a closer look at how the data from the 2014 survey has been analyzed and used by students. A key priority identified in the 2014 survey was the [...]
The most common response among members regarding Itasca Networks for Youth’s value to Itasca County is: “How the network was able to create opportunities for programs to collaborate and have open discussions, ultimately eliminating or reducing siloed programming.” Members say prior to the formation of Itasca Networks for Youth there was a culture where there were “turf wars” and limited [...]
Itasca Networks for Youth was formed in the late 2000’s to develop a collaboration or network for out-of-school time providers to share programming that was offered in different organizations. Organizations felt a network would be beneficial to help reduce program scheduling conflicts, create partnerships, develop networking opportunities, increase awareness of local programs and continue to support youth beyond Invest Early™ [...]
Itasca Networks for Youth committed to continuous improvement of afterschool programs Across the nation, nearly one-fifth of children in the United States attend public schools in rural communities. Youth-serving organizations that provide out-of-school time programming for these kids face many barriers. The vast geography of the county, the economic struggles, cultural differences and the varying school district sizes all create [...]
Communities will soon learn how a focus on providing positive, sustained connections with youth is paying off. Itasca Area youth are taking the Youth Voice Survey again this fall. Results will be shared publicly in late November. SPARK is committed to ensuring every young person in the Itasca Area has what they need to be successful. Positive, well-rounded, and trustworthy [...]