Additional forums seeking community feedback on what should be included in Little Rock's Youth Master Plan are planned in response to the city board's request for more involvement from certain groups of people in the city.
Such a forum Wednesday was well-attended by professionals in the youth programming field. They discussed the best ways to reach youths at risk of poverty or criminal behavior, services the youths need and ways to measure the outcomes of youth programs.
Other meetings will take place in January, but dates have yet to be set.
Members of the Little Rock Board of Directors had complained that the right people weren't being reached in previous community forums held by a consulting firm and its local partners who are tasked with developing the 3-year Youth Master Plan.
Several city directors asked that people not already involved in city programs be included, particularly at-risk youths, their parents and Hispanic community members.
The finished plan is set to be presented next summer and implemented in 2017.
"This has not been the easiest process," said Jo Thompson, chairman of the city's Commission on Children, Youth and Families. "We all want to have a shared vision, which is to see children, youth and families at a better place in three years. We will start the clock on Jan. 1, 2017, and in 2020 we want to see children, youth and families in Little Rock in a different place."
Ideas mentioned at Wednesday's forum included having more mentoring programs, creating a network where youth services providers can work together instead of duplicating services and locating service providers in one centralized place.
"Youth need to see people that look like them and be encouraged that if the mentors can do it, so can they," said Michele Wright with the Milton Pitts Crenchaw Aviation Training Academy, which aims to provide young people the opportunity to pursue aviation and aerospace careers.
Valerie Phillips, a probation officer with the Pulaski County Circuit Court Juvenile Division, said sometimes it's tough getting youths to the service providers they are referred to because the providers are across town.
"I'd like to see a multicultural center to address all of these things ... that way it's a one-stop shop," Phillips said.
Emma Kelly Rhodes, founder of the Emma Kelly Rhodes Education Center on Wright Avenue, said there needs to be more centers like hers. She works with people as young as 16 and old as 68 to obtain GED certificates and job training.
"A certificate in home health aid can be completed in two weeks. A certificate in certified nursing assistance can be completed in three weeks. These children need skills that are provided to them while they go to school -- because we know not all those kids are going to graduate. Some are going to drop out before then," Rhodes said.
Sandy Becker with the Little Rock School District emphasized the need to create a network of providers.
Another person said, "You don't want [youths] to think you are doing something for them. They want you to have a relationship, not be doing it because you're getting a check."
There were fewer responses from the crowd when the question of how programs should be measured came up.
"Dana Dossett, director of the city's Community Programs Department, said anyone who would like to make comments about the Youth Master Plan or be included in a listserv to receive future information can email the department at ProgramReferral@littlerock.org.
Metro on 12/11/2015