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Accomplishments
Since its creation in 2002, the Waterbury Prevention Policy Board has been bringing Waterbury community members together for the benefit of all Waterbury children and families, which the PPB highlights as one of its major accomplishments. The PPB has created a forum for organizations to talk about and work to solve issues, break territorial boundaries, and advocate for increased programs in the City.
Some of the Prevention Policy Board's accomplishments are:
- Evolving from the after-school program focus of YouthNET to the present-day collective that has engaged the broader community in the discussion and work of positive youth development.
- Creation and implementation of a three year Community Youth Plan.
- Engaging in significant efforts to sustain and grow after-school programs in Waterbury by affiliating with the After School Alliance, CT After School Network, and others to advocate for after school funding on the federal and state levels.
- Conducted focus groups with youth ages 13-17, as well as conducted a needs assessment of all public, parochial and private school students in grades 8-12.
- Hosted Lights on After School Event at the Brass Mills mall to increase awareness of the importance of after school programs.
- Creation of a city-wide Youth Council.
- Creation of a community Youth Provider Directory to use by families, providers and agencies.
- Adoption of the 40 Developmental Assets framework.
- Creation of a comprehensive Directory of Mentor Programs and Mentor Training.
- Gave the Search Institute Attitudes and Behaviors survey to a sample of 750 Waterbury 6th and 9th grade public and non-public students.
- Gave an Agency Survey which resulted in learning what Developmental Assets Waterbury agencies are providing to our young people.
- Presented the 40 Developmental Assets framework to the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Truancy for the purpose of further city-wide collaboration and inclusion.
- 2007 "What's Up With Our Youth" Summit for the purpose of presenting the 40 Developmental Assets and the results of the Waterbury Youth Survey.
- Development of a multimedia audiovisual presentation that conceptualizes the Developmental Assets framework to Waterbury youth.
- Developmental Assets training to encourage agencies and individuals to adopt and implement the 40 Developmental Assets.
- One-on-one Developmental Assets consultation to assist organizations and agencies as they work to intentionally embed the Developmental Assets into new and existing programs and policies.
- Development of a Prevention Policy Board web site for the city’s networking purposes with regard to Prevention Policy Board activities.
- Regular and periodic placement of Developmental Asset information in area newspapers for greater saturation.
- Proposed State legislation for Waterbury after school funding which successfully resulted in the introduction of Senate Bill # 232 in 2008 by the Waterbury delegation.
- Applying, as partners, for after school grants from the 21st CCLC program, the State After School Program, and the Motorola Foundation.
- Worked with the School Readiness Blueprint Taskforce and School Readiness Council (SRC) representatives to close gaps and identify areas of common interest and overlap for the School Readiness Council and the Prevention Policy Board.
- Provided input into the development of a Leadership Council to include Prevention Policy Board executive committee members and School Readiness Council executive committee members to support community-level efforts going forward, while reducing duplication of effort wherever possible.
- Leading the community in its efforts to improve the lives of children in the City of Waterbury.
- An Urban Community UNITED in its efforts to assure positive youth development.
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