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Arkansas Promise
What is it?
The Alliance for Youth is a campaign to meet the needs of
children and youth in Arkansas. It’s a bold attempt to generate commitments,
energize communities, and sustain attention on the needs of children and youth.
It will engage businesses, government, nonprofit organization, civic groups,
churches, schools, and the community at large to focus on strengthening existing
programs that successfully serve young people. It will also look to youth
themselves as resources.
Where did it come from?
The historic 1997 Presidents’ Summit in Philadelphia announced
America’s Promise - The Alliance for Youth, chaired by General Colin Powell. It
challenges individuals, corporations, nonprofit, communities of faith,
philanthropists, and states and communities to assure that children and young
people have access to five fundamental resources. They need specific resources
to grow into healthy, productive citizens.
What is Arkansas’ Goal?
Arkansans have pledged that by the end of the year 2000, an
additional 20,000 young people in our state will have access to these same five
fundamental resources that can maximize their chances of success. This goal will
be met by using existing youth serving programs, engaging more individuals as
volunteers, and building new and stronger collaborations within communities.
Every young person in America can develop the competence,
character, confidence and connections needed to be full contributors today and
tomorrow.
Every county, city and town should be a "Community of Promise":
A place that claims all its children as it own and does for them what any loving
parent would do - mentor, protect, nurture, teach and inspire them to serve.
Young people, with the help of caring adults, need to stay in
school, stay involved, stay inspired, stay in charge of their lives. Doing this
requires early and ongoing connection to five fundamental resources needed for
development - caring adults, safe places with structured activities, a healthy
start for a healthy future, education for marketable skills and opportunities to
serve.
Extension Contact: Cynthia Klumpp
University of Arkansas
Cooperative Extension Service
P. O. Box 391
Little Rock, AR 72203
E-mail: cklumpp@uaex.edu
Phone: 501-671-2000
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