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Connecting Youth to Their Communities Feeling a part of the community is something every child wants to feel, but more and more of the youth in Cortland County don't feel that connection to their neighborhoods. Cortland Area Communities that Care wants to help our youth feel like they belong here. As a way to get youth more engaged and involved in their communities and feeling like they are a part of where they live, CACTC offers a rolling Request for Applications: Youth Leadership Community Involvements Projects. A mini-grant, if you will, for youth to create projects or events that will help them and other youth develop a sense of community belonging or bondedness or a project that will directly benefit the community. Applications are reviewed four times each year, with $500.00 being the maximum request amount. Although "mini-grant" requests have been available in the past, and have funded several projects, such as the Youth Bureau's community garden project, and a radon testing program provided by students from Cortland High School, the 2010 RFA has changed in that it is specifically focusing on community attachment. All youth-led projects have a few application requirements, one being that a teacher or advisor must be involved to provide guidance throughout the duration of the project. Applications are available now from CACTC, and when school begins will be available at all Cortland County schools. To pick up an application now, please contact Susan Prier at Cornell University Cooperative Extension Cortland County at 607-753-5077. Susan L. Prier is nutrition education coordinator and ILS Instructor with Cornell University Cooperative Extension Cortland County. She is also Chair of the Youth Development workgroup for CACTC.
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