| "Get
Connected" Youth Conference 2003!
 The
"Get Connected" Youth Conference was designed
to connect northern Manhattan youth to e xisting services
that will help them grow into healthy successful adults.
There are great youth services provided by many great programs
in northern Manhattan, but the majority of youth are not
connected to these services. All too often youth conferences
mostly attract youth who participate in existing programs
and conference organizers don't have consistent follow through
with issues raised after the conference day itself.
This conference aimed to link youth, especially those not
normally connected to programs and services. During the
actual conference youth
were connected to service providers and mentors as well
as examine
how computer technology can be used to access youth services.
The
connections began during the conference but will continue
thereafter. Youth will be invited back again after six months
to assess
and evaluate their progress and results in connections made.
Website
hits will also be used to assess youth initiative to get
connected to
services provided.
 The
conference focused on education, health,
personal finances, computer technology and mentoring as
tools for service connection. The conference was coordinated
through a
partnership of the Adolescent Initiative Project, NYC Mission
Society, Harlem Live, Harlem Hospital, Harlem Impact, Northern
Manhattan
Perinatal Partnership, People of Color in Crisis and The
Valley Inc. Approximately 40 agencies attended the conference
with tables
and staff to connect youth to services. These agencies provided
various youth services, as well as key community leaders,
who serve as
gatekeepers to open doors for our young people.
The conference targeted 350-400 youth and was Thursday,
October 30th from 2:00pm until 7:00pm, at Columbia University's
Lerner Hall. Youth attended the various seminars between
3:00-7:00pm incorporating time for connections to be made.
Each youth left the conference with a resource directory,
map of Harlem technology centers, portfolios on each of
the subject areas covered and an assigned networking mentor.
At the end of the conference youth were not only more aware
of youth friendly services, but make necessary connections
with providers on site.
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