CYC News 2013
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AmeriCorps State Positions Available through CYC!
Gain valuable experience working with youth, networking with nonprofits in the Des Moines area, and receiving extensive free training in best practices in youth development/volunteer management, all while giving back to your community!
AmeriCorps State members with CYC will work in schools and community organizations coordinating in-school or after-school programs that engage youth in service learning. This is a great opportunity for those looking to get into nonprofit work, education, working with youth, volunteer management, or who just want to give a year of service. In addition to being eligible for a living stipend, education award, health benefits, and more, AmeriCorps State members are able to hold second jobs and attend school. Give a year of service through CYC at one of these great sites: Community Youth Concepts, Children and Family Urban Ministries, Girl Scouts, LGBT Health Forum, EMBARC, and Metro West Learning Academy. Read the CYC Youth Service Movement AmeriCorps Position OpeningsAnnouncement for more information. Positions will start in September.
CYC is Hiring!
CYC is hiring two new full-time, salaried positions. The Development and Partner Relations Director will start in early June while the Volunteer Coordinator is expected to begin in late June. Both positions will receive a monthly stipend that can be used to offset benefits such as health insurance, AFLAC, and long-term disability. Both positions also qualify for the CYC retirement package, vacation, and sick leave. Pay will commensurate with experience. Resumes and cover letter, stating the position of interest, should be addressed to Amy Croll and can be sent via e-mail or snail mail to Amy Croll, Community Youth Concepts, 3826 1/2 Douglas Ave., Des Moines, Iowa 50310. No phone inquiries, please.
Community! Youth Concepts’ Spring Gala
Visit the silent auction online page here!
Simpson Barn at 6169 Northglenn Drive in Johnston, Iowa
Sunday, April 21st, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
The Spring Gala is a new fundraiser featuring a ukulele band, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction. The event will start at 1:30 p.m., and tickets are $30, which includes 2 drink tickets. Proceeds from this event will support Community! Youth Concepts and service-learning programming.
For more information about this event or to purchase tickets for this event, please contact Michelle Raymer at 515-243-4292.
Global Youth Service Day will be celebrated April 26th-28th this year, and CYC will be planning projects surrounding Hunger and Homelessness. Stay tuned!
January has been declared as Mentoring Month by President Barack Obama and Governor Terry Branstad. A supportive mentor can mean the difference between struggle and success. Learn more about how you can be involved with CYC’s Mentoring Advantage Program (MAP)!
UCAN to host a Snow or No Snow Day pn January 19th from 1-3pm at Lion’s Park in Urbandale. The event will feature activities, crafts, treats, and a game truck.
The Iowa Task Force for Young Women is presenting a “Girls Circle Facilitator Training” on promoting resiliency in adolescent girls. March 21st-22nd, 2013. Cost is $295. Register and more info here or call 415-419-5119.
CYC News 2012
Know families who are struggling? Check out HOLIDAY RESOURCES 2012 for some resources this holiday season.
The Urbandale Community Action Network (UCAN) in partnership with Verizon Wireless and the Urbandale Police Department in sponsoring a Smart Phone Parenting Workshop (no children please) on Tuesday, October 16th at 7:00 p.m. at Lions Park Shelter, 72nd and Prairie Avenue in Urbandale. Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP the UCAN Office by calling 278-3936 or e-mailing info@
The Healthiest State Walk will be on Oct 3rd this year- take the survey to sign up, and invite your friends, family, and coworkers!
The Des Moines NAACP is seeking minority high school students to compete in its annual ACT-SO Program. The Afro Academic, Cultural, Technological & Scientific Olympics program is designed to encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. Click here for more information.
Disability.gov has a new scholarship search tool. Search more than 7,000 scholarships, fellowships, loans and other types of student financial aid.
Have expired or unused prescription drugs? Protect our kids by disposing them safely. Free safe disposal on Saturday, September 29th, from 10-2pm at participating locations. Find the one closest to you here.
It’s coming… CYC’s 3rd Annual Sidewalk Chalk Flood! Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 25th, from 9am-1pm at Western Gateway Park, downtown. There will be music, zumba, yoga, face painting, games, activities, and free chalk! Add your artwork to the park and have some fun! We hope to see you there!
Engaging Youth in Service Learning Training to be offered by CYC on Thursday, August 30th, from 8-10am at Walnut St. School. Click here for more information.
CYC and the KWAKers recently helped demonstrate service learning at the Iowa Afterschool Alliance’s Expanded Learning Forum. Check out recommendations from the forum here.
CYC is currently accepting applications for its Board of Directors. Four year term begins on January 2013, applications are due August 31st. CYC Board Member Application
Join us for CYC Night at the Ball Park! Wednesday July 18th, 7:05pm, Principal Park. Watch the Iowa Cubs take on the New Orleans Zephyrs! Ticket proceeds go to support CYC programming. Contact us to get yours for the discounted price of $5 for adults and $3 youth ages 12 and under.
CYC’s Junior Police Explorers featured in the Des Moines Register!
Calling all Youth Interested in Gardening! CYC is looking to engage youth in community gardening this summer. With two plots in the Franklin Community Garden, CYC is inviting all young people interested in learning more about gardening and giving back to our community to join them.
There will be opportunities for youth to plan, plant, and maintain the garden. Everything that grows will be donated to Des Moines Area Religious Council’s food pantry, Move the Food (DMARC).Families and community members are also invited to join CYC in this effort! If you have any questions or are interested in giving your time, please get in touch with Michelle Raymer.
KWAKer Kleaner available in stores! You’ve heard about KWAKer Kleaner – an environmentally safe cleaner made with love by the Kids With a Kause (KWAKers). It’s now for sale at Campbell’s Nutrition (42nd Street in Des Moines) and Tall Grass Grocery (5th Street in West Des Moines). Pick up a bottle today to support youth development programs!
Youth Program Quality Intervention (YPQI) Study Released
A recent study looks at the YPQI, a data-driven continuous improvement model developed for afterschool systems by the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality. Results determined it works well, works everywhere, works with everyone, works over time, and works with modest staffing plans and budgets. Click here to learn more. Interested in using YPQI at your afterschool program? Contact us for more information.
Addam C. Medina Foundation Benefit Saturday, April 21st, 2012 6pm-11pm
Come for live music, Holy Family School Art Exhibit, Silent Auction, Face painting, Refreshments, and more!
Cost is $15/person.
CYC to hold benefit concert! Come hear Roslyn Stone and Seedlings Music for a wonderful night of music, while supporting the work of CYC! Free will donation. All ages show. We would love to see you!
Thursday, April 12th, 2012 ~ 6:30-8:30pm ~ 4th Street Theatre @ Java Joes, Downtown Des Moines
The Iowa Pride Network has released the 2012 Iowa School Climate Survey. This is the only statewide survey that documents the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and straight allied students, as well as levels of racism and sexism in schools and on campuses. The survey has been conducted biannually since 2005 and was instrumental in passing Iowa’s Safe Schools Law in 2007. High School and College students are asked to complete the survey, which can be found here. For more information, check out their blog.
CYC staff busy training in February! CYC staff have been quite busy this month! Amelia and Amy were able to train 14 new individuals in the Wyman Center Teen Outreach Program’s Changing Scenes curriculum. New facilitators are very excited to roll out this youth development curriculum in their programs. Julie had the opportunity to train staff from three organizations in how to plan with youth and Amy was able to train 28 youth workers running the AMP foster care councils and providing outreach services at Iowa Homeless Youth Centers, both affiliated with Youth and Shelter Services in Ames, Iowa.
CYC News 2011
CYC adds e-mentoring component to the mentoring program! To better meet the needs of the community and providers across the metro, we have added an e-mentoring component available for high school students. Find out more under Youth Programs – MAP!
Want to help the environment while promoting service? Our KWAKers (Kids with a kause) group is selling 12oz bottles of their self-made and earth-friendly Kwaker Kleaner for just $4/bottle. Proceeds go to support their future service projects. To make a purchase, or for more information, contact us!
Interested in what CYC has been doing since we started? If you didn’t happen to know about us a year ago, never fear, you can still get a feel for the type of work we do. We are in the process of loading all of our archived newsletters to the site. Find them under the E-News section of our website!
CYC announces the Mentoring Advantage Program (MAP). CYC is partnering with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Des Moines Public Schools, Urbandale Community School District, YESS, Iowa Comprehensive Human Services, and Iowa Homeless Youth Centers to bring a unique mentoring program to Polk County. The MAP program focuses on exploring career opportunities and civic literacy. MAP is supported by the Iowa Department of Public Health and private donations. Become a mentor or a participant in the program! Find out more by contacting Michelle Raymer.
CYC to be at the Beaverdale Fall Fest, September 17! This year, join us either in the parade at 10:00 am as we hand out candy or twist away your afternoon from 2-4 pm on a giant TWISTER game on Rice Field! Volunteers are still needed for both as well. To volunteer or learn more, contact Michelle.
Youth Program Quality Assessment Basics Training helps youth-serving professionals, volunteers, and supervisors understand the key component of high quality work and how to make small changes to have a big impact. Registration is now open for four fall regional YPQA Basics trainings. Click here for the registration information.
Over 400 came out to join us for a beautiful day of chalking at the Sidewalk Chalk Flood August 20! It was a fun-filled morning of creating chalk art on the sidewalks, music, and activities! A special thanks to CITI, Principal Financial, Des Moines Parks and Recreation, Hy-Vee, Wal-Mart, O’Donnell Ace Hardware, Wellmark, and the SCF Planning Committee for their support!
Creating Community Kids, CYC’s new blog, is now up and running! Created to help connect families, parents and other adults involved in youth’s lives can expect to find ideas for engaging with their youth, activities that are fun for the family, tips on connecting with the community, and ideas for giving back. (8/12/11)
CYC worked with 120 Urbandale Middle School students completing 9 service projects! Throughout the day, youth completed team-building activities, learned from community experts, gave back to the community, and reflected on how their contribution made the community better. Special thanks to our partners – Urbandale Community Schools (Jensen, Olmsted, and Middle School), AdventureTime Family Services, Urbandale Food Pantry, Urbandale Police Department, Urbandale Parks and Recreation, Urbandale Citizen Action Network, Urbandale Senior Center, and Link Associates for making it a fantastic opportunity for the youth and the community! (8/9/11)
ID Action Youth Present Ideas, Experiences with Bullying and Disabilities This summer, the ID Action Youth Advisory Board developed and presented a series of activities and discussions around bullying and disabilities. They gave the presentation to the KWAKers (Kids with a Kause), who served as allies during their second presentation to the First Christian Church Boys and Girls Club. Youth shared their experience with bullying and disabilities, ways they’ve overcome bullying, and advice they have for others. The ID Action Youth Advisory Board is coordinated by CYC and funded by the Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council. Special funding for this project was provided by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service. For more information, email Amelia. (8/3/11)
Give Five! Take five hours this summer and lend a hand! Youth can participate in service-learning brainstorming and action sessions every Monday and Wednesday from 1-4 pm at the CYC offices this summer. Dates are June 20th to August 22nd. Registration with the program is required using the Give 5 Registration form.
CYC’s KWAKERS highlighted on local “We’re Entrepeneurs” show.The KWAKers will be holding their first KWAKer fundraiser, the KWAK-WALK on Thursday, June 16 from 6-8 pm. Interested in joining us? Meet on the North side of Roosevelt High School. Expect fun, a scavenger hunt, snacks, and prizes!
CYC hires Michelle Raymer! Michelle joins the CYC team to oversee the new mentoring program (Mentoring Program Summary here) and will help us develop and expand CYC’s community engagement. She comes with a wealth of volunteer management experience and has herself been in the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps, working with diverse groups of youth and adults through both positions. (6/10/11)
What’s the BIG IDEA?? (5/6/11) What’s your big idea for community change? Find our boxes at The Village Bean Co in the East Village, Smokey Row, Ritual Cafe, and Grounds for Celebration in Beaverdale to submit your idea or your loose change to power someone else’s idea.
KWAKers Community Parties a huge success! (4/27/11) Check out the link to see pictures from the 6th and 7th grade Merrill KWAKer program’s community parties, coordinated by Jennie Groves! The parties culminated two service-learning groups operating at Merrill during the spring semester. Over 200 youth were engaged in service through the two groups.
KWAKER KLEANER highlighted in service-learning guru Cathryn Berger Kaye’s Take Action Guide (4/20/11) called “Down the Drain: An Action Guide for Water Quality”, which focuses on efforts to improve water quality. Download the guide here. The KWAKER project is found on page 14.
Scavo Urban Garden’s highlighted in the Des Moines Register! (4/19/11). Over 64 people came out to celebrate CYC’s Global Youth Service Day celebration held at Scavo High School on April 15, 2011. Youth from PACE, Scavo, and Simpson College presented their ideas for impacting change in the community. We were joined by Dick Murphy and Patti Link of the Des Moines School Board, representatives from United Health Care and Staples Foundation. Many thanks to Urban Ambassadors who have given great support as technical allies to the Scavo Urban Garden.
H.E.A.T. (Healthy. Eating. Active. Teens)launched their Youth Venture designed to support scholarships for youth to attend the YMCA Trim Kids program. The team is selling recyclable, collapsible water bottles. Order your water bottle and learn more about their project here.
Dreams to Life raise over $1600 during their auction on April 9, 2011. All proceeds will benefit their Youth Venture project, which will provide technology and train elementary students at King Elementary school on how to use it. Dreams to Life is still selling t-shirts. Scroll down for a picture and ordering information.
TEDxYouth@DesMoines! Up to 10 area youth, ages 5-25, will be selected to share their stories and talents through a TEDx youth event in the spring of 2012. TEDx events (“Ideas Worth Spreading”) are exciting independently organized programs at which dynamic people present talks, demonstrations and performances on a wide range of subjects to foster learning, inspiration and wonder — and to provoke conversations that matter. Speakers will be provided resources to implement great ideas through RandomKid and CYC. No speaking experience required, different is good. To nominate and learn more, visit: http://www.tedxyouthdesmoines.com/?page_id=12
KWAKERS expand to Merrill! Check out the Des Moines Register article here! (April 7, 2011)
Youth Venture team Dreams to Life is selling awesome 8/7 Central printed to help raise funds for their Youth Venture project to purchase technology for students at King Elementary. Shirts can be purchased for $15.00 each and can be ordered in S, M, L, and XL. Find out more about their project here!
CYC’s East High Youth Venture team Flipped highlighted on Channel 5. (Feb. 25, 2011)
CYC Youth Venture team Battle the Cavities highlighted in the Des Moines Register! (Feb. 22, 2011)
CYC receives Staples Foundation for Learning grant to support a youth empowerment group. (Feb. 11, 2011)
CYC received $1,000 grants from Metro Waste Authority, UnitedHealth, and State Farm Insurance to support the Youth Venture Environmental Challenge! (Feb. 1, 2011)
CYC News 2010
CYC launches the newest Youth Venture – the King Dreamers! (Dec. 21, 2010)
King Dreamers is an ambitious group of Van Meter high school students who want to bring technology to the youth who attend King Elementary in Des Moines. Students hope to raise over $6,000 to help the students at King get access to technology to document their community. CYC will help jump-start their efforts with $1,000 in seed funding. Find out more and donate to their cause here!
CYC’s work with East High School highlighted on Des Moines Public School’s website.
CYC Geocaching workshop fun and successful
Thirteen people participated in the CYC geocaching workshop, learning how to use GPS equipment, finding caches, and learning about Cache In, Trash Out. CYC will more than likely sponsor another geocaching workshop this winter.
Youth Venture Team Battle the Cavities partner with sponsors to protect kids from cavities. Read the Des Moines Register article.
Sidewalk Chalk Flood Youth Celebration a HUGE success!
Over 350 youth and adults joined us to decorate the sidewalks at the Pappajohn Education Center! Many positive comments were made the day of the event. Many thanks to all of the participants, United Way of Central Iowa, Principal Financial Foundation, and Citi for their support of Youth Venture and the youth/community celebration. Click here to see the results!
Youth Venturers and Culture, Inc youth help put the finishing touches on the CYC mural
Two youth share their PSA on protecting the environment
See the PSA put together by two of the participants in a recent Metro Arts Alliance Green Arts workshop held at CYC!
ID Action Youth Advisory Board
The ID Action Youth Advisory Board is designed to empower youth ages 16-22 to generate strategies to address the barriers youth with disabilities face when participating in school and community life. If you are interested in learning more, please let us know.
Need a space to hold your event?
The CYC Tree House is a 600 square foot open space available to rent with a discount to non-profits. It’s a great place to have club meetings, baby showers, birthday parties, trainings, or any other social function. The rental reservation must be made with Amy Croll and a rental agreement is required. Please call 515-243-4292 or email Amy to see if your date is available. All proceeds go back to support the work of CYC.
Are you ready for a fresh perspective?
CYC provides internship and practicum placement opportunities for up to two students per semester or per year. If you like to be challenged and learn macro-level social work skills, please contact Amy.