Public Relations Campaign
We are proud to announce the hiring of Anne Lawrence Guyon as our public relations coordinator. The goal of the public relations campaign is to shift the way the public thinks about young people and in turn how they act towards them. Young people are valuable resources in our community and every adult has a role to play in their positive development. We will be launching this multi media campaign in the spring.

Summer Activities
The Youth Initiative is convening all providers of summer activity programming in Windham County on Monday March 8th from 2:30-4:00 at the Marlboro Technology Center, 28 Vernon Street, Brattleboro. The purpose of this meeting will be to increase collaboration in an effort to maximize our collective resources and knowledge to benefit all young people in the County. Please feel free to pass the word along to anyone you know that provides summer programming.

Education on Positive Youth Development
The Asset Development Initiative, in collaboration with the Youth Initiative, trained an additional four volunteers (two adults and two youth) to give presentations to community groups on the 40 building blocks necessary for young people to grow up healthy, caring and responsible. At least 7 presentations have been given throughout the County for groups including Youth Services staff, Pathways for Youth staff, Big Brothers Big Sisters staff and volunteers, WSESU administrators and Health Action Team leaders, Brattleboro Area Middle School parent teacher organization, and more. Please contact me if you know of a group that would like to have a presentation at their next meeting.

The Asset Development Initiative is also providing a workshop covering more in-depth information on key building blocks necessary for youth to grow up healthy, responsible and caring as part of The Mentoring Project and Alliance for Life Long Learning seminar series. Youth program directors, outreach workers, counselors, teachers, parents, and anyone else interested will gain knowledge and skills from a variety of youth asset and leadership development models. The workshop will be held on March 26th from 9:00am-12:00pm. The cost of the workshop is $25 (scholarships are available). Please contact The Mentoring Project/ALL at 802-258-2255 for more information or to register .

Community Dialogue to Promote Understanding and Change
A planning committee of about 13 community members has begun the process of developing study circles in the Brattleboro area focusing on how we can create a more welcoming and supportive community for all people.

Study circles are small group discussions where everyone has a voice. They provide a simple way for people of all ages to talk respectfully and solve problems together. Through study circles, adults and teens can get to know each other, form new relationships, and build a community where everyone thrives.

We need more input and participation from the community to make this a successful process. Please join our next meeting on Thursday February 19th from 3:00-4:30 at Center Congregational Church on Main Street in Brattleboro. Youth and adults are welcome. Refreshments will be served. Please contact me for more information.