During the
exploration period, a community assessment was completed which
involved distributing well over 1300 community surveys to the community's
parents, youth, and business leaders. It was determined that both a need and a gap in
services exist in the community - especially with the middle and high school youth. It was
also determined that there was a significant need for safe, evening activities
for the older youth and supervision and activities for our school-aged children on
snow days, school breaks, and summer vacations. The assessment showed strong project
support in the community with 94% of parents supportive of a local Boys &
Girls Club. The youth response included the desire to find safe,
affordable activities that would keep them away from negative peer pressure. It can
be best summarized with the following comments taken from the youth surveys:
"Most teens are involved in
most of these things (risk behaviors)... even I may be involved in a
couple." -- survey comment, 9th grader
"If we had more places to go
maybe less kids would drink, smoke, or do drugs."
-- survey comment, 9th grader
What challenges face our
community's youth...
We asked nearly 700 of our
community's youth this question. We surveyed our 5th, 7th, and 9th graders as well as
other youth from the community. We received an impressive and rather consistent response We also surveyed a large number of
our community's parents. (*N/A indicates a
response not specifically asked on that particular survey).
| Our survey
results showed: |
5th |
7th |
9th |
Youth |
Parents |
| Lack of places to go
on days when school is out, i.e., evenings, Saturdays, and summers |
63% |
51% |
68% |
53% |
78% |
| No place to go after
school that is fun and has a lot of different programs
and activities |
52% |
36% |
57% |
59% |
79% |
| Lack of
respect for parents, teachers, and law enforcement |
36% |
38% |
51% |
53% |
N/A* |
| Concerned about
friends or other youth who use drugs |
13% |
25% |
53% |
71% |
92% |
| Concerned about
friends or other youth who use alcohol |
15% |
20% |
49% |
69% |
92% |
| Concerned about
friends or other youth who use tobacco |
19% |
22% |
45% |
69% |
92% |
| Concerned about
friends or other youth who are dropping out of school |
N/A* |
11% |
47% |
41% |
54% |
| Concerned about
friends or other youth who are involved in crime |
N/A* |
16% |
45% |
59% |
74% |
| Concerned about
friends or other youth who are involved in sexual activity |
N/A* |
23% |
41% |
50% |
77% |
"Most teens are
involved in most of these things (risk behaviors)... even I may be
involved in a couple." -- survey comment, 9th grader
"If we
had more places to go maybe less kids would drink, smoke, or do drugs."
-- survey comment, 9th grader
Our youth were pretty on
target with the existing trends in teen behavior. In pulling together data to illustrate
the validity of these concerns, stats were pulled from a variety of sources including The 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey of Nebraska Adolescents from the Nebraska Health and Human Services System, as well as local
statistics. Below are some staggering trends on the behaviors of Nebraska youth.
Teen Tobacco Use
One third of Nebraska high school students used some form of tobacco in
the last 30 days (compared to 28% nationwide.)
22% of 9th graders
29% of 10th graders
36% of 11th graders
37% of 12th graders
60% of our students have smoked cigarettes during their lifetime.
Teen Alcohol Use
47% of Nebraska high school students have had at least one drink of
alcohol in the last 30 days (compared to 45% nationwide.)
36% of 9th graders
45% of 10th graders
50% of 11th graders
57% of 12th graders
27% of our students had their first drink of alcohol before the
age of 13 (more than a few sips.)
78% of our students have had at least one drink of alcohol during
their lifetime.
39% of our students rode in a car during the past 30 days with
someone who had been drinking alcohol.
Teen Drug Use
Young people who use cocaine or meth usually began with
tobacco and alcohol.
18% of Nebraska high school students used marijuana in the last 30 days
(compared to 22% nationwide.)
15% of 9th graders
19% of 10th graders
22% of 11th graders
17% of 12th graders
35% of our students have used marijuana in their lifetime.
Teen Sexuality
and Pregnancy
43% of Nebraska high school students have ever had
sexual intercourse (compared to 47% nationwide.)
27% of 9th graders (16% of 9th graders are
recently active)
37% of 10th graders (27% of 10th graders are recently
active)
50% of 11th graders (38% of 11th graders are recently
active)
59% of 12th graders (47% of 12th graders are recently
active)
40% of those having sexual intercourse during the past 3 months did not use a
condom.
Pregnancies that occur during adolescence place both mothers and infants at risk for
lifelong social and economic disadvantages.
10.2% of all Nebraska births in 2000 were to teens (teenpregnancy.org)
13% of all Lincoln County births in 2003 were to
teens
Teen Violence/Crime
30% of Nebraska high school students were in a physical fight during
the past 12 months (compared to 33% nationwide.)
32% of our students have had property (car, clothing, books)
stolen or damaged on school property in the past 12 months.
27% of males carried a weapon during the past 30 days
12% were hit or slapped by a boyfriend or girlfriend during the
past 12 months
12% of females have been forced to have sexual intercourse when
they didn't want to.
Lincoln County has recently averaged over 400 cases
annually being filed in the juvenile court system with the majority of these cases being
assault or criminal damage and with an increasing number filed from alcohol &/or drug
related incidents.
Teen Drop-Out Rates
94.42% of local 12th grade students will
graduate high school (sadly 5.58% will not complete their final year of high school.)
83.89% of local 9th grade students will graduate high school
(while 16.11% will not complete their four years of high school.)
This means 54 students from the 2003/2004 9th grade class will not make it
to their 2007 class graduation. There were 86 documented school drop outs locally
in the 1999-2000 school year.
Over 12% of our local adult population do not have a high
school education and 5% have an educational attainment of less than 9th grade.
Other Risk Factor Data
23% of Nebraska's children belong to single parent families (2004)
13% of Nebraska's children under age 6 are living in poverty ('94-'98 avg)
35.15% of local students qualify
for free and reduced meals at school compared to 33.93% statewide (2003/2004)
11.4% of Lincoln County's families with children are living in poverty. The
single-mother households face a 40% poverty rate, and 1,626 of the county's children come
from single-parent homes. Our local figures show 100 substantiated cases of child
abuse/neglect in 2004.
These are just a few of the
challenges our community families are facing that Boys & Girls Clubs have a hundred
years of experience in assisting with. In addition, according to Boys & Girls Club
Alumni - the Boys & Girls Clubs affects our children's lives in many critical ways,
teaching them:
| Right from wrong |
80% |
|
Self-esteem as a child or adolescent |
78% |
| How to avoid difficulty with the law |
70% |
|
Self-confidence |
79% |
| Good leadership skills |
72% |
|
To be goal oriented |
64% |
"I see a need for a social gathering
place for youth that is supervised. And a place that can accommodate all ages for positive
activities" -- Officer Troy Erickson, Crime Prevention, North
Platte Police Department
What services or
organizations are currently available to our youth?
KIDS Klub is a
fantastic organization located within our school buildings with a primary focus of
education and homework assistance for youth ages 5-12. It offers a safe, nurturing
environment for the younger children at a cost of approximately $80/month (some children
are eligible for reduced fees.) It operates mainly after the normal school day and until
5:30-6:00 PM.
The North Platte Rec
Center is a splendid facility and organization with a primary focus of sports,
fitness, and recreation. The Rec Center is not able to currently offer the level of
individualized attention that KIDS Klub or a Boys & Girls Club would offer but it does
appeal to an older group of youth. The Rec Center has a cost of approximately $14/month
per child.
The Salvation Army
is also a wonderful organization that reaches out to the under-privilege in need of care.
They have a nice facility with a gym and outdoor play equipment.
"Families need a place for their
children of all ages to go when school is out, a place that fun social skills are taught
in a supervised setting. I feel that The Boys and Girls Club can fill a gap in services
that our community needs. Older youth need a club like place to go that is supervised and
provides a support to them while parents are at work." -- Nate Jensen,
Co-owner of Turning Point Family Services, Inc., a family support program.
Gap in Services
Lincoln County, as of the last
census, has 7,783 school aged children ages 5-19 that need a place to go when not in
school. Currently 2% of the county's youth participate in the North Platte KIDS Klub each
day (9% are enrolled and attend on occasion.) Where are the other 98% of our children
going? There is a need in our community for a safe, educational, and fun facility for our
children to go to that would also offer solutions for local family challenges - such as varied
parental work schedules, single parenting, lack of
homework assistance for older youth, low income families, latch-key
children, youth supervision on "snow days", safe
and supervised evening activities for teens, and the financial burden of
daycare. These are just a few of the challenges our community
families are facing that Boys & Girls Clubs have a hundred years of experience in
assisting with. In addition, according to Boys & Girls Club Alumni - the Boys &
Girls Clubs affects our children's lives in many critical ways, teaching them:
| Right from wrong |
80% |
|
Self-esteem as a child or adolescent |
78% |
| How to avoid difficulty with the law |
70% |
|
Self-confidence |
79% |
| Good leadership skills |
72% |
|
To be goal oriented |
64% |
I have dealt first
hand with the many problems facing our children concerning drugs, sex, and
alcohol. There are far too many parents, both dual and single, who because of the
need to provide for their families, have children who have little to no supervision after
school or during the summer. This is particularly true with children between the
ages of 10-16. Having a Boys and Girls Club would go a long way in filling
a vast void of community neglect. -- David Bernard-Stevens, Chamber of
Commerce
Who locally will benefit from
Boys & Girls Club?
The single parent
working late who runs into problems with day cares closing at 5:30 or 6:00 PM.
BGC Solution: "Mom" calls the
BGC and advises them that little Suzie can stay for the supper program. With the time
pressures removed, she finishes her day at work knowing her daughter is receiving quality
care and a healthy meal. In fact, since she qualifies for the free lunch program with the
school, Suzie's supper is also provided at no cost.
The working parents with
school aged children on "snow days" who suddenly find themselves without day
care.
BGC Solution: Mom or Dad simply drop
the children off at the Boys & Girls Club for a day of supervised education and fun,
saving their sick or vacation time for real emergencies or family vacations.
The low income family or
single parent who can't afford adequate daycare but who doesn't wish to leave their child
at home alone.
BGC Solution:
Instead of paying $100-$350 per month in dues or daycare expenses, the Boys & Girls
Club offers an educational, safe, and fun environment for their child for a low annual fee
of only $5.
But most of all, the
children...
The
11 year old who currently goes home
after school alone to an empty house, chat rooms, and junk food instead of being tutored
on his math homework.
The 13 year old
who currently experiences negative peer pressure while "hanging out" around town
with friends instead of forming quality relationships and developing self-esteem and
self-confidence through a nurturing and engaging program.
The 16 or 17 year old
who currently "cruises the ones" or hangs out in parking lots instead of
focusing on studies and developing the leadership and self-esteem skills necessary for
success in college.
I have recently heard that North Platte,
NE is considering opening a Boys and Girls Club. I
am a single mother of two, ages 12 and 9. I
currently live in Lincoln County but not in the city of North Platte. I am living in Wellfleet, which is 28 miles south
of North Platte. I have wanted to move to
North Platte since I work here and spend a lot of time traveling back and forth. The cost of childcare has made that impossible. Even though I am spending more money on fuel, the
cost of that is less then it would cost for childcare before school, after school and
during the summer. I am fortunate to have
parents who live close to Wellfleet that help with childcare at no cost during the summer
and after school. I am excited to hear that a
Boys and Girls Club will be coming to North Platte, this will make it affordable for me to
move back to North Platte and have an affordable and safe learning environment for my
children to be in when I am at work. --
Rebecca Gray, single parent of two children ages 9 and 12
What does the community want?
In an effort to determine the
specific needs of our community and to gauge the potential support the community might
offer, over 1,300 surveys were distributed to local businesses, organizations, and
schools.
We
received back an impressive number of responses and as mentioned previously, nearly 700 of the responses were from our
local youth. The committee electronically tallied each response received and determined
that the concerns and needs of our youth matched closely those of their parents - both
sets of results were in strong favor of developing a local Boys & Girls Club to fill a
gap in services for middle school and high school children.
94% of
parents would encourage their children to join a fully equipped facility with diverse
activities if opened in the community with an annual membership fee of $20. (100%
of Community Leaders surveyed agreed.)
81% of
parents were dissatisfied with the current level of opportunities for children and youth
to participate in in our community. It is important to note that this does not mean our
current programs are not respected or utilized, only that "gaps in services"
exist.
70% of
parents believe the community would financially support a Boys & Girls Club.
80% of our
7th graders wrote that they may be interested in joining a Boys & Girls Club (75%
of 9th graders and 73% of the community youth agreed.)
61% of our
9th graders expressed dissatisfaction with the current level of youth activities in our
community (compared to 45% of 7th graders and 38% of the
community youth.)
What our youth are saying about
the community's need for a Boys & Girls Club...
"We need MORE
activities that are cheaper, we have places but they're expensive" --
survey comment, 7th grader
"Need to
build a building were we can all go and hangout with are friends" --
survey comment, 7th grader
"All that
teens have to do here is go bowling & go cruising. But, bowling is expensive & the
most kids either can't drive or don't want to risk getting pulled over. So, kids end up
going to parties, drinking, and doing drugs & getting in trouble." --
survey comment, 9th grader
"Kids need to
be pushed in a "fun" way to stay in school & go to college, other than
"Drugs are a dead end & stay in school, it's cool" --- Age 13-16,
Wilcox House
"(I would
like...) A place to hang out with friends kind of like a club for teens with loud
music." -- survey comment, 9th grader
"We need a
place to hang out that wont get us in trouble." --- Female age 13-16, Group
Home
"I hope this
program gets going, we have nothing to do here that doesn't cost a fortune." --
survey comment, 9th grader
"It will be
awesome to build it!" -- survey comment, 7th grader
Other thoughts on the
need for a
Boys & Girls Club in North Platte...
"During my tenure as mayor of North Platte, one of the most
common requests from the public was to provide more things in which our youth could
participate. The proposed Boys and Girls Club would be a most welcome addition to
our present services to fill some needs that are not being served now." --
James D. Whitaker, Mayor 1996-2004
Children are our
future! The need is definitely here in our community for safe after school program for our
children. There are places in our community that children can go after school, but they
are unsupervised. In today's world, our children are subjected to elements that can
quickly lead them down the wrong path. Drug and alcohol abuse is mentioned daily in the
paper and the names of these offenders have now become the youth. It is most definitely a
daily concern of what happens to our children between the time school ends and parents
arrive at home. I feel the Boys and Girls Club would be a huge asset to our community. It
is low in cost but the peace of mind is priceless. -- Teresa Welch,
Wal-Mart
"I see a
need for a positive mentor like program for high school teens. A neutral place for all
ages to meet that is supervised while the parents work." -- Health and Human
Services Protection and Safety Supervisor
Common themes with what our
youth feel are important aspects to consider in joining a club...
| Our survey
results showed: |
5th |
7th |
9th |
Youth |
| Outdoor space and play
area |
N/A |
58% |
69% |
79% |
| Inside play equipment |
N/A |
71% |
78% |
69% |
| Gym |
68% |
77% |
86% |
69% |
| Game Center (pool
tables, ping pong, board games, etc.) |
75% |
75% |
81% |
69% |
| A variety of
activities to choose from |
82% |
69% |
68% |
67% |
| A place where I
"fit in" and belong |
N/A |
58% |
55% |
64% |
| Open when school is
closed for holiday, snow, planning days, or summer vacation |
67% |
55% |
46% |
50% |
| A place to have snacks
after school - and meals |
73% |
59% |
65% |
64% |
Common
themes with what our parents feel are important aspects in a club...
| Our survey
results showed: |
Parents |
Community
Members |
Community
Leaders |
| Well-screened staff |
95% |
100% |
100% |
| Overall program
quality |
90% |
83% |
100% |
| Well-trained staff,
para-educators, and volunteers |
83% |
83% |
100% |
| Education & Career
Development Training |
82% |
67% |
50% |
| Character &
Leadership Development Training |
80% |
67% |
100% |
| Child supervision when
school is closed for holiday, snow, planning days, etc. |
73% |
83% |
100% |
Overwhelmingly,
the community has demonstrated a need to stand behind the Boys & Girls Club project
through their concerns, their desire to fill the present gap in services for our older
youth, and their support for the project in general. |
