Youth Service Advisory Board

March 9, 2021 Time: 9 a.m. Zoom Call Attendance Present: Erin Haggan (NYFS), Jodi Savage (NFA), Steve Callender (Norwich PD), Katelyn Wagner (Norwich Public Schools), Kim Charles (Juvenile Probation) Excused: Kevin DiFilippo (DCF), Jaime Miller (Norwich Tech) Unexcused: Sue Dubb (Uncas Health District) Review of Motion to Accept March 2020 & Jan 2021 Meeting Minutes  Both Meeting Minutes Approved Old Business  Board Members Month in Review: o Kim: Juvenile Court is open 5 days a week. Juvenile court is seeing lower numbers at this time due to pandemic. Yet the cases are of a higher level of severity. o Jodi: NFA is currently hybrid. Jodi is waiting on what the learning model will be in the next month and whether they will switch to full in person. This may affect several programs due to scheduling, etc. Current programs: a one‐day workshop “girls power” will be held march 23rd. Community art project: all age community members can design a puzzle piece to represent who they are or what they love about Norwich. These puzzle pieces will be put together to create murals around the city. They would like to see participation that is more adult. Mentor program: Jason B. pilot with NYFS mentoring at Moriarty School. Twenty‐nine NFA students who are participating with Moriarty 3rd, 4th, 5th graders. Tuesdays are after school, Thursday during the day. The first meeting was last week and it went really well. o Steve: Continuing JRB referrals and virtual JRB meetings. As students come back to school, they start to see more cases. Some juvenile cases lately due to the severity are going to court and bypassing JRB. Steve shared that he met with NFA, NPS staff, NPD discussed great work happening and how to collaborate but not have so many people doing the same work so not to recreate the wheel. Norwich PD is continuing Joining Forces. o Katelyn: NPS has relationship with NYFS, offering parent workshops and mindfulness, mentoring and other programs. Exploration of virtual and in‐person groups, a lot of moving parts and trying to accommodate everyone/everything. Hearing great feedback about programs. Summer School planning has started with desire for heavy community partner aspect. Funds left over from 21 Century Grant can be used. Expecting large Summer School participants and using all nine schools. A lot of opportunity to incorporate mentoring etc. Sitting on SEL committee and on Family Engagement side and planning to target families for parent workshops, and possible survey to see what parents want, or just support what is already happening with NYFS. With return to school,  major issues related bringing substances into the building, especially in Middle School. Now that everything to virtual after school, increase in DCF referrals and suicide ideation. o Erin: Current offerings: parent workshops, distracted driving impact teen drivers that is free programming. Showing the moving Life. PQR‐ NFA suicide prevention week. In May, Burn out Professional. Hidden in Plain Site will be offered as well. o FWSN board‐ mostly parent referral at this point. Parents have to sign off on the referral, voluntary. Rose City United‐improving relationships with police. Every Tuesday night, suggested that an NPS staff member attend to collaborate around summer programming. o NYFS is moving to some in person programming, small groups. Meetings will stay in person. o Justin is the main point person while Erin is out on maternity. Easter event last Sat. in March with the Generalist positions: facilitate programming and social media aspects. New Business  Recruitment of 2 New Community Members & Youth Member: o KW can reach out to coordinators for referrals. Kimberly suggested posting on FB to get a parent who may not be associated with any community boards. Outside perspective may be helpful. Jodi asked is there a job description or responsibilities so the community members understand their responsibility when they are on the board.  Community Center o Human Services is in planning stages for a proposal. Ideas are to utilize school space after hours to provide programming and services o Ideas: expanding the senior center, barriers to those locations are buses/transportation and available property around the senior center. o Pool, basketball courts and party rooms can create revenue o JS‐ her experience is this is a constant conversation but funding seems to be the concern. o Low cost but bring in revenue such as AAU o Reach out to NFA to help with funding. o Pilot program with measurable outcomes to present the need. o Look at funding streams‐ possibly 21st CCLC funding and other grants due to COVID there is more funding available for this type of projects.  May meeting cancelled per Board agreement. Next Meeting: July 13, 2021 at 9am, Location TBD Page 2