Community-Wide Youth Services Website

Challenges Entered:

To make this vision a reality, our community will need a comprehensive database of all the services available. We need the support people to assist us in creating a google map. We also need the technological knowledge to create a user-friendly website to provide all this collected information to the community in an interactive way.

What else have you done in this area of work?

We have begun researching and collecting information about the various services, programs, grant opportunities and volunteer opportunities available to youth. We are also working with agencies to expand services to fill gaps in the community.

We are working with local colleges to ensure we will have the knowledge and resources to maintain this website in the future.

In April a new youth group will hold there kick-off event in Dubuque. This group will serve as an advisory board to provide feedback about the needs of youth in our community. Their feedback will be essential in the format and development of this website.

We have an old, out-dated domain name, which we hope to update/change and use as the HTML for this new concept

Project Details

Project video:

Supporting organization:

Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, MS Valley Promise, Juvenile Court Services, Iowa Workforce Development, Northeast Iowa Community College, Dubuque Community Schools, Hillcrest Family Service

Project Assessment

Financial support:

Project has financial support

Project goals:

Our proposal is to develop a website, which houses all the programs available in the community to youth ages 13-24 as they prepare or experience a transition from childhood to adulthood. The website will provide information for programs, services, grants, volunteer opportunities, etc and their location using a google map mashup. The youth or provider using the website would answer a questionnaire regarding the youth and be provided with a list of programs/services he or she is eligible along with the information and location for the agency providing the service. This website will be updated monthly to reflecting the constantly changing programming within the community. This pilot program can then be duplicated in communities all over the world. Transportation and communication are major barriers for residents to connect to services offered. If we could provide this one-stop website with the services and locations and promote it city-wide, then these two barriers may be resolved. Locally we have a collaboration of over 16 organizations committed to improving services for youth to ensure we are developing well-rounded and supported individuals.

Identified Obstacles:

Right now we are in the planning stage. We need assistance developing what this concept would look like and determining what is required to make this idea reality. We will collect all the data, but we need assistance with presenting the data in a comprehensive manner. An MIS specialist would be helpful to organize our data. Additionally, we need assistance creating an interactive, user-friendly website for youth and providers to youth in the community. We also need assistance mashing all our information to a google map.

Location

Dubuque, IA

United States

See map: Google Maps

Submitted by sharedyouthvisions on March 11, 2008 - 7:34am

Web

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 14, 2008 - 4:12pm.

I think it is great that people work with our youth and take the time for them.

The Youth Services Website

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 13, 2008 - 7:50pm.

The Youth Services Website would be an excellent resource and I am all for it. Sometimes there is a lack of knowledge of what services are available out there. This would help out tremendously.

Website

Submitted by Eli Licht (not verified) on March 13, 2008 - 7:38pm.

I think this sounds like a great idea. The youth of today can always use guidance as they progress from children into adults. This sounds very beneficial for them!

website

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 14, 2008 - 4:11pm.

The youth are our future!!!

Website

Submitted by Judi Simon (not verified) on March 14, 2008 - 4:03pm.

I think this would be very good for the youth in the area.

This sounds like a way to

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 13, 2008 - 7:00pm.

This sounds like a way to reach out to kids that they are fimilar with.

I think this website would

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 13, 2008 - 6:24pm.

I think this website would greatly assist the community in finding assistance for their needs. The majority of the Dubuque population does not know what services are provided. This would provide a one stop shop instead of making phone calls all day.

Access to assistance

Submitted by Rhonda Simpson (not verified) on March 13, 2008 - 12:33pm.

I am so excited to see this Vision unfold and help more youth transition into adulthood successfully. There are so many opportunities available that many of us that work with this group of people did not now about or how to access them. I have already had the opportunity to assist a group of students overcome some common barriers to further education by connecting with one the agencies involved with this committee. As we continue to make this information available to all and keep it up-to-date, we will only have more success stories.

Youth Services Website

Submitted by Ron Axtell (not verified) on March 13, 2008 - 5:12am.

Excellent idea! The Youth Services Website would create an increased awareness of youth services within the community and improve the connection for each youth with the individual services that they need. Benefits could include increased high school graduation rates, reduced ricidivism for youth offenders, improved supportive services, and enhanced education/training opportunities.

Our community has been

Submitted by Joyce Monahan (not verified) on March 12, 2008 - 7:43pm.

Our community has been recognized for outstanding work with our youth, however, we realize that there are many gaps in providing direction to ALL youth especially those who seem to fall through the cracks. The Shared Vision Team has pulled together a comprehensive listing of services available to young people that include projects such as aftercare for aged out foster children, vocational and technical opportunities for high school dropouts, GED assistance, college opportunities, medical and dental care, housing and many more. This project will help provide a tool to bring the information to those who can gain from it the most. It allows providers to focus their efforts and shrinking funds on meeting needs of those we serve rather than developing and maintaining a website.

Great idea

Submitted by Jenny Manders (not verified) on March 12, 2008 - 2:10pm.

A great opprotunity and youth friendly idea to inform about resources in the community

Youth Connections

Submitted by Jill Kluesner (not verified) on March 13, 2008 - 8:22am.

This is a great way for the community to help youth get connected with local, state, and national resources. Our community has many wonderful programs and services, and this would enhance the accessibilty of the resources available here in our community. This database would empower youth to search out services and programs that interest them and would benefit their future.

Service providers in the community would greatly appreciate the organization of this information. Providers could work with youth and support youth in their 'search' for resources. This database has the potential to impact hundreds of youth and service providers.