YOUTH POLICY STATEMENT

The Cleveland Heights and University Heights community is committed to providing an environment that supports and encourages youth to reach their fullest potential and to become responsible and contributing members of society. To this end, the cities, schools, public and private community groups and organizations shall seek to offer all youth appropriate opportunities at their different stages of development which will enable them to:

• Think critically, problem-solve, and exercise good judgment.
• Engage in productive careers and vocations.
• Participate in leisure, cultural, and recreational activities.
• Understand and appreciate cultural, social, and religious differences.
• Value and respect others and assume responsibility for themselves.
• Exhibit respect for law, order, and justice.

We believe that these important ends are reached by providing:

• Instruction and training in academic and vocational skills.
• Opportunities to participate and experience success in a variety of recreation and leisure time activities.
• Information about and opportunities for sharing cultural, social, and religious diversity.
• Models of value, respect, and responsibility in personal and social relationships.
• Opportunities for leadership, participation, and volunteerism in group processes.

The Cleveland Heights-University Heights Youth Policy is being developed for the following purposes:

• To assess the needs of youth in the cities of Cleveland Heights and University Heights and the current cooperative efforts of the cities and public schools to address these needs.
• To encourage community understanding and agreement on goals and the development of priorities to address youth needs.
• To offer direction to the cities and public schools in planning, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating services and programs for youth in an effective and efficient manner.
• To recognize and define the roles and responsibilities of the following participants in the development of nurturing the youth in the cities of Cleveland Heights and University Heights:
• the cities, schools, and community organizations providing services and support to youth,
• the youth themselves,
• families and potential and prospective parents.

• youth themselves and their parents and family members,
• elected and appointed officials and members of commissions and boards,
• religious, community, and social leaders and members of organizations and groups,
• members of the business community and professional associations,
• staff in government and in public and private elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools,
• members of the police, courts, and legal systems,
• providers of cultural, recreational, health, mental health, and human services and activities; and others who, through private, public or voluntary services, provide for the growth, care, development, and well-being of Cleveland Heights and University Heights youth.

COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT AND ADVANCE YOUTH POLICY

In order to support this youth policy, the cities, schools and community agencies that work with and provide services to youth will:

1. Coordinate and collaborate with each other whenever appropriate and feasible in order to provide the most effective and efficient services to youth.
2. Remain sensitive to the importance of incorporating needs-based programs into their long-range planning procedures to ensure that agencies maintain a focus on the highest priority needs of youth.
3. Pursue funding opportunities at the national, state, and local levels, as well as in the private sector, that will support or complement efforts to meet the needs of youth.
4. Develop processes and opportunities that will ensure meaningful community involvement in the planning and implementation of services and programs for youth.
5. Utilize the City and School Staff to promote collaborative efforts to address youth issues.

This broadly worded policy provides a framework of direction for addressing the community's vision for youth and family.

Approved by the Board of Education August 14, 1995