Friday, November 22, 2002
|
Friday, November 22, 2002 |
|
PTC needs volunteers to hash out teen, youth issues By JOHN MUNFORD Peachtree City is looking for up to 200 citizens from all walks of life to help study a variety of issues relating to the city's youth. Organizers of the "Youth and Adults Working Together to Build Community" study circle hope to have as many youth involved in the process as adults. Participants will serve on a small group called a study circle that will focus on a particular issue. Each group will be led by a specially-trained volunteer facilitator. Those groups will meet between three and five times beginning in January; a final meeting to develop an action plan will involve all 200 participants. The City Council agreed to spend $8,500 to fund the process at a meeting earlier this year, hoping that problems and solutions about various issues relating to local teens could be hashed out. The goal of the process is to develop "creative plans to build on the community's substantial assets for teenagers and create a network of activities and resources," according to Jon Abercrombie of Common Focus, which is organizing the process. At the final large group meeting, Abercrombie will lead the group to develop a plan of action which he will write up and present to the group for implementation at a later date. Volunteers are being sought from the business and religious communities, local schools, elected officials, civic groups, older Americans, public safety agencies and other citizens, according to organizers. Anyone interested in volunteering may contact Sherry McHugh at the Peachtree City Recreation Department at 770-631-2542. An organizational meeting for interested persons will be held Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at Peachtree City United Methodist Church, located at the intersection of Peachtree Parkway and Windgate Road. The study circles will address a variety of questions, such as: Are there adequate and healthy activities for young people in Peachtree City? Do local youths have neutral places where they can spend time together? Are the voices and opinions of the community's young people valued? Are the gifts of teenagers and children used in community volunteer improvement efforts?
|
||