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City Platform Section II, Step 5:
"Identify and improve safe places for children to play and youth to get together in every neighborhood in order to promote physical activity, healthy development, and positive interactions with peers."
In many cities and towns, there is inadequate park space for children to play, and the only places for older youth to meet and spend time with their friends are on the street or at the mall - two options that invite trouble. Moreover, childhood obesity has become a growing problem because of this lack of safe spaces and limited opportunities for exercise.
Municipal leaders who address these issues can help young people lead healthier, more active lifestyles, while reducing their risks from unsafe and unsupervised environments.
City Examples
Waukesha, Wis.
The City of Waukesha, with strong leadership from the Police Department, has partnered with Safe & Sound Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Association of Community Oriented Policing, and the Waukesha County Community Foundation to implement the Safe & Sound Waukesha program. This program emphasizes law enforcement, neighborhood organizing, and the provision of safe places for youth.
These designated "safe places" offer both structured and unstructured activities to foster positive youth development, including substance and alcohol abuse awareness, resisting peer pressure, neighborhood clean-ups, computer training, cooking and nutrition, officer drop-in visits to improve relations between officers and youth, and much more. They are open during afterschool hours (3:00 PM to 9:00 PM), weekends, school vacations, and during the summer.
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Kissimmee, Fla.
Kissimmee's Fit for Life program encourages children and youth in the community to choose safe, healthy lifestyles. A major component of this effort is the provision of afterschool opportunities for youth to exercise at community recreation centers. The program combines the resources of the city with those of local agencies and service providers including the school district and the health department.
These centers also offer programs and activities that highlight the importance of fitness, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle choices. In addition, every community center and major park in the city includes a walking path of one to three miles, and youth are encouraged to challenge themselves to make progress by exercising every day.
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Resources
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