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Join us for the YES! Weekend YOUTH EMPOWERING SOLUTIONS 2007March 30 – April 1, 2007
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.– M.Williamson
What is YES !Youth Empowering Solutions (YES!) is a collaborative event sponsored by Empower New Haven, Inc., Christian Community Commission and Youth@Work. YES! is about solutions, not just talk. Our mission is to inspire a call to action among the entire community – churches, parents, community advocates, businesses, legislators and youth, facilitating a discussion and creating a real plan of action for our youth, with a special emphasis on developing youth employment opportunities. The goal of the YES event is take a community-driven approach to tackling youth issues, from both a logical and spiritual perspective.
We want to craft a message of empowerment that connects with young people and charge the entire community to be a part of a “covenant” with New Haven’s youth, resolving to take specific action to combat the issue of youth violence in their neighborhoods, providing leadership in developing and mentoring youth, and investing our collective resources into healthy alternatives for youth.
Why YES? Why Now?Like many communities nationally, New Haven is experiencing a troubling trend of increased violent crime among youth, specifically homicides among African-American teenagers. While the city is undertaking several promising initiatives in attempts to curb this trend, it truly “takes a village” and we recognize the essential role that all must play in this effort, including our churches, the pillars of the community for generations.
During summer 2006, Empower New Haven, a preeminent economic empowerment organization created to provide sustainable improvements in the economic status and quality of life of individuals, families and businesses; Christian Community Commission, a non-profit Christian community outreach organization which encourages the collective participation of churches in pro-active involvement with inner-city neighborhoods; and Youth@ Work, a year round employment, career development and job readiness program for youth in the City of New Haven presented our first collaborative effort. The benefit concert, “Recapturing our Youth,” featuring national Gospel artists, including Minister Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers, was a resounding success, raising thousands of dollars to support work opportunities for youth through the Youth @Work program.
We recognize that real impact is does not occur with a singular event. We intend to build on our efforts by inviting the community to join with this partnership, providing a weekend full of activities in which the community can participate in a tangible way. We are also offering youth learning experiences which will significantly impact their futures. By expanding to a weekend-long event, we will increase awareness by keeping the challenges youth are facing paramount in the minds of all who will listen.
Y.E.S. (Youth Empowering Solutions) will also include an exciting Youth Empowerment Summit Saturday, March 31st - James Hillhouse High School, 9am
Interactive Workshops for youth will include:
“Lost Ones” Combating Youth Violence in our Communities
“Are Your Hiring?” How to Get and Keep the Job you Want
“Is College for Me?” Navigating the College Application Process
Bringing Sexy Back” Real Talk….Educating, Protecting and Expressing Yourself
“So You Wanna be a “Baller?” Securing your Financial Future
“What Does Faith Mean to Me?” Faith, values and integrity in the “hip-hop” generation
Youth Empoweing Solutions will also will also feature a powerful youth summit, exhibits, special guests and much more!
YES! Sunday
Sunday April 1st - Churches Citywide
As part of Y.E.S. Weekend, we are challenging area churches to become involved in a joint effort to support youth by implementing a citywide funding drive to benefit the Youth@Work Summer Jobs program.
For more information on Y.E.S. Weekend events, please see www.empowernewhaven.org or call 946-7582 or 776-2777. For ticket info, please call 624-9228
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