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Strengthening, Preparing & Connecting Youth |
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2007 Youth Programming Needs Assessment |
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What’s old is new again in Rhinebeck. Nearly 13 years ago Rhinebeck Connections (now known as Young Rhinebeck) was formed to address the problems of drug and alcohol use among local teens. One strategy was to pursue the development of a teen center. Today, drugs and alcohol, along with boredom, are viewed as the biggest problems among Rhinebeck teens, and calls for the development of a teen center still resound from community leaders and parents; it is the most frequently mentioned need for local teens. The 2007 Youth Programming Needs Assessment identified those and other issues as it examined programs and activities currently available, and surveyed community leaders, parents, and youth regarding existing activities and types of activities needed/wanted. The majority of Rhinebeck teens are involved in some sort of after school activity as well summer time programs/camps. Parents indicated having some difficulty finding local activities, especially in the summer. For working parents, transporting their child to and from summer activities has often been problematic, particularly those requiring drop-off or pick-up during work hours. Past surveys have uncovered a need for programming for middle school youth in particular. In the current survey this need has now expanded to early high school, as teens from 13-15 were perceived as having the least programming available to them. In general, both parents and students felt that more could be offered locally. Sports seem to be “the only game in town” when it comes to youth programs, a number of Rhinebeck parents observed. But when given a choice of programs to enroll in, the majority of students made athletics/team sports their first choice. Surprisingly, parents still ranked it high, making it their second choice topped only by programs focusing on art/music/dance. While those may be activities other groups and organizations might pursue, Young Rhinebeck’s youth programs would center on programs that focus on helping people in need or programs exploring jobs/careers. Those two choices were among the top three of both parents and students. Locally, there is a definite community-based gap in this type of programming. The potential exists here for collaboration between YR and the schools, businesses, service organizations and others. We anticipate that the data collected in this assessment will fuel an informed discussion. We hope that discussion will ultimately result in the implementation of programs that provide new opportunities for promoting the development and growth of Rhinebeck youth.
For more information about this report: E-mail: jen@youngrhinebeck.org |
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Executive Summary |
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Download the full report : |
