Waterbury Prevention Policy Board

Waterbury Named One of the Nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance and ING

Competition Recognizes Communities Taking Action to Help Reduce Local Dropout Rates and Create Brighter Futures for Young People

The efforts of Waterbury civic and community leaders were honored today when America’s Promise Alliance (the Alliance), the nation’s largest partnership organization dedicated to youth and children, announced the city had been named a winner of the Alliance’s 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition presented by ING, a global financial services company and leading provider of retirement plans and programs for teachers. Its 2010 recognition marks the first win for Waterbury in the competition.

The 100 Best designation recognizes those communities that make youth a priority by implementing programs that help keep children in school and prepare them for college and the 21st century workforce. “Through its innovative and far-reaching programs, Waterbury is taking bold and effective steps to help their young people graduate and lead healthy, productive lives,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, America’s Promise Alliance president and CEO. “Waterbury serves as an example to inspire and educate other communities across the nation to tackle the challenges facing their city and children, and to implement initiatives that give them the essential resources they need to succeed in life.”

Waterbury was named one of the nation’s 100 Best because of its far-reaching, comprehensive plan for youth development called “Bridge to Success–Preparing Waterbury Youth for Life: A Birth to 21 Initiative.” This birth-to-adulthood program is the first of its kind in Connecticut, and it brings community stakeholders from all sectors together to support Waterbury’s youth every step of the way to ensure they are successful in school, work and life.

The Waterbury Prevention Policy Board (Waterbury PPB) is a community collaborative of Waterbury stakeholders working together to increase positive youth development, as well as provide a forum for communication among youth serving organizations and agencies and a vehicle for collaboration among such organizations.

The Waterbury Prevention Policy Board is tasked to identify and/or share research and best practices in positive youth development and youth violence prevention, and establish opportunities for involvement of youth and youth serving organizations in community planning. The Prevention Policy Board encourages and enables collaborative efforts with regard to youth related advocacy, program development, and grants seeking.

Waterbury Youth Service System, Inc. serves as fiduciary for the Prevention Policy Board.

An Ounce of Prevention...

Makes a ton of difference. Start early by involving your children in programs to enrich their minds. Participating agencies of The Waterbury Prevention Policy Board offer a wide range of after school and weekend activities for youths of all ages and interests. Whether it be joining a basketball league or a little help with your school work, click here to find the right program for you.

A Community Collaborative

An Ounce of Prevention...