Authorizing the Mayor to submit a grant application for funding of the "Runaway Shelter" for the year 1980

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V. A. Youth Participation - The Youth Service Bureau Youth Advisory Board. The Youth Advisory Board has been in operation for appriximately three years. Initially the board was geared toward the Shelter only. In the past year the focus of the Board was changed to include the Bureau as a whole. With a goal of ten - twelve members representing various high schools and composed of a mixture of male /female, minorities and cleent /non - client members, the Board gives the Youth Service Bureau the opportunity for youth input in Program planning and evaluation. The Board has also participated in out- reach by conducting a film presentation and discussion of runaways in the area middle schools. Family Counseling - With family systems as a philosophical base, the Shel- ter is able to provide counseling to the families of youth needing terry porary shelter. With the expectation from the point of intake that both the youth and his/her family will participate in counseling sessions the stage is set for both the parents and youth taking responsibility toward working on the problems at home and towards reuniting the family. Since family counseling is expected and encouraged to continue once the youth has left the Shelter, aftercare services can be firmly established. Resident Pro ama ng - The Shelter has established a schedule of educa- tional progranming. Since residents have a multitude of problems and issues to deal with besides those related to specific family problems, the Shelter attempts to address some of these needs. For example, Planned Parenthood, the Alcoholism Council and a student intern provides a weekly presentation /discussion on birth control, the disease of alcoho- lism, and career decisions, respectfully. B. 1. Lack of housing available for youth near the age of majority wishing to live independently. 2. Lack of separate state licensing requirements for shelter care facili- ties and group homes. 3• Neverending conflict with the Department of Public Welfare regarding the 15 day length of stay. 4. High rate of truancy from school and the communities inability to deal effectively with this issue. 5• Dealing with police agencies frustrations in response to limitations imposed by new Juvenile Code. C. Technical Assistance & Training is a valuable resource of Y.D.B. However, for the Youth Service Bureau, the time frames in which the events must be scheduled conflect with the busiest time of the year for the Bureau as a whole. This forces the sessions to be scheduled back to back thus resulting in being over saturated at one time. Also, the amount of money available prohibits obtaining the best and most desirable consultants. As a result, often less important problems and issues are addressed as consultants and trainers for these problems are available for the lesser amounts of money. Thus, a more flexible calendar for scheduling training and technical as- sistance events and more money would greatly improve the effectiveness of training and technical assistance. In the past multi - regional workshops have been invaluable. They have been an ideal way of learning what agencies around the country are doing and how they respond to problems. It is also a good way to lessen the feeling; Of isolation seemingly inherent in alternative youth services.