Community In Action (CIA)

CIA is the perfect opportunity for a group who is new to volunteering to get their feet wet.  With the help of Learn and Serve Iowa Reach Out Iowa funds, CYC has been able to engage several groups of youth, ages 12-18, in service-learning.  Working through three short sessions, CYC will help youth identify their idea, research the need, develop a plan, and reflect and celebrate their success over four 45 minute sessions.

Alyson Cardwell of the Carver Chrysalis program said, “That was sneaky.  The girls thought they were identifying the things they loved for themselves, only to show them how they could do service with the things they love.”  Brooke Findley of the Chrysalis Foundation commented, “It was awesome! I was very impressed with Danny’s skills working with the girls- getting 5th graders to concentrate is so hard, and he made it look easy!”

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Completed Projects – October to December 2010

Carver 5th Grade Chrysalis Group – Understanding a passion for clothes, 5th grade girls identify a need for clothing within their school. With their facilitators and CYC’s help, they coordinated a clothing drive for their school, providing “new” clothes to their fellow classmates just in time for the holidays.

Young Women’s Resource Center Young Moms Group recognized the difficulty single moms face and they wanted to do something to help.  Through brainstorming, they identified that they wanted to help young moms staying at Iowa Homeless Youth Centers.  The young moms made six blankets for delivery to the shelter.  Throughout this opportunity, a Drake senior helped CYC.  Jolene commented, “I had no idea we have these types of needs in Des Moines, and this is four blocks from my house.”

South Union Chrysalis Group were at odds with what they would want to do.  After learning how to compromise, the girls decided to create keychains that will be sold on Valentine’s Day.  The proceeds from the sales will go back to the charities of their choice.

CYC Chrysalis Girls Group wanted to help youth get involved in the community.  The girls helped plan a Halloween party held at CYC to benefit UNICEF and then took their efforts one step further and volunteered with Respite Connection.

IJAG students at North High School are in the process of determining how they can best impact their community.  More details to come…

Ballard-Huxley students are identifying their next steps in a school-wide project.  After their 6th and 7th grade students participated in Dream It. Do It. workshops, they are researching the most needed activity in their community.  More details to come….