Teens work on management plan for ManiYAC Center

by Nancy C. Butler

Having a new teen center that serves the needs of Orofino's youth is far more than raising funds and seeing the walls go up and youth have been learning those lessons from adults who are working to help them develop the organizational structure necessary to be successful.

Last week, Matt McCarter, Executive Director Healthy Community* Healthy Youth, Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Boise, helped a group of teens and their adult mentors develop an organizational plan for the center.

Their "Purpose Statement" recognizes that without positive activities and adult mentors, that teens often get involved with drugs, alcohol, sexual activity and being disrespectful. They expressed concern that Orofino does not have enough positive activities and mentors for its youth.

Their vision is that 'The ManiYAC Center will exist to unite youth and create a bridge between youth and the community. The center is aimed at giving youth what they need to reach their full potential."

The management plan they developed addresses how the center will be governed and other issues such as membership, rules and expectations, suspension and expulsion, staffing and security, volunteer assignments and an outreach to the community.

There will be an executive board of three to five people that will be elected to make decisions about overall operation with the direction of Anne Riley and paid staff as needed. There will also be committees to oversee the various functions needed in operating the facility. While the physical structure is coming together a piece at a time, the teens are working to see that it is something more than blocks and mortar. They are also building the organizational structure to make it a place to fulfill their vision.

Photos: Top-Matt McCarter listens to ideas from the group gathered to discuss a management plan for the ManiYAC Center. Second-Students and adult mentors were split into groups to define different areas of the management plan. From left are: Alex Palmer, Joey Wityczak and Hannah Uhling, who were in one of the groups.