by Van Johnson II
The following is a preview of one of the topics to be covered during Leadership Training Institute seminars at the Congress of Cities and Exposition in Reno, Nev., Dec. 5-9.
From the year 2000 to the year 2009, the number of American older teens and youth ages 15 to 24 will surge by 11 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, National Population Projections. This age group is ?the high impact? youth cohort in its effect on systems of higher education, employment, justice, social order and social change.
We can expect increases in demand for educational resources and entry level jobs, among other things. Many youth could find themselves in more crowded classrooms and recreational facilities, face increased competition for access to higher education, and encounter shortfalls in services and entry-level economic opportunities.
Many of these youth were the beneficiaries of America?s significant investments in early childhood development during the 1990s: including increased funding for Head Start, early Head Start, and quality child care. The nation must help nurture and protect our investment in this generation of youth as it move towards adulthood and self-sufficiency.
America?s aging population will increasingly depend on the ability of adolescents to grow to become self-sufficient and economically successful adults. The quality of life for older adults will greatly depend on the responsibility and generosity of this next generation of young workers.
Finally, the challenges of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the tsunami in Indonesia and Hurricane Katrina have had the effect of re-energizing a spirit of community, a new civility and a commitment to working for the greater good. Young people can be in the forefront of this service on the home front, just as they are now on the front lines of the nation?s battle overseas.
It is time for public administrators to find innovative and creative ways to recognize and celebrate the assets and strengths of the nation?s youth. It is also time to be intentional about our commitment to youth who face difficult challenges, because the story of the nation?s youth has both good news and bad news.
The good news is that many youth are doing just fine ? their futures look bright, they don?t engage in risky behaviors that might endanger their health, they are in high school or college, in vocational school, or working at a job. Many are involved in their communities, they have adults who believe in them, and most importantly, they have a future.
But there?s bad news, too. While three out of four kids are doing fine, the future of the fourth kid looks pretty bleak and in many inner-city communities the story is depressing. And as it stands now, one quarter of the nation?s youth are not getting what they need from their peers, their families and their communities.
These youth all need safe places to grow up in, support and guidance from caring adults and opportunities to learn and serve and make a difference. They need caring role models and energized communities to help them grow into healthy, productive adults.
If the U.S. does its best to provide this in every community, it will help not only those young people most at risk, but all the young people will benefit as well. This will also lead to stronger communities, today and in the future, so one day they will be adults who come back, give back and help others succeed in future generations.
Details: The ?Just Do It! Building Coalitions and Connecting Cultures with Youth? Leadership Training Institute seminar will be on Tuesday, Dec. 5, from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information or to register for Leadership Training Institute seminars, visit www.nlc.org.
Van Johnson II is vice chairman of city council in Savannah, Ga.