Use schools for outreach and connections

• Connecting with youth at schools to facilitate connection to services
• Improved communication between schools and families
• Bring schools to the table - help school personnel and administration to understand and capitalize on their key role with a captive audience
• Use schools to offer skills training and volunteer opportunities

Increase after school activities

• After school recreational and educational activities
• After school art programs within schools or which have a way for youth to attend without lots of barriers

Increase access to recreational opportunities

• More intramural opportunities
• Sports programs which also address leadership activities and connect with some other type of leadership group together
• State of the art, maintained free recreation facilities across the county, open after school, evenings and weekends
• Accessible physical fitness in communities (dance classes, sports…)

Increase the number of safe places

• Develop a meeting/gathering space (libraries, community centers, gyms) for young teens that are not populated by college or older high school students with targeted programming
• More youth driven centers in every community, maybe several
• Physical civic space for youth to congregate and organize at key locations throughout the county (ie. Neutral Zone)
• Use schools on the east side for after school and at night activities
• Teen Center in Ypsilanti is essential
• Include strong arts components in teen centers

Prevent and respond to child abuse, youth at risk

• Youth & family outreach team to help de-escalate potentially unsafe home situations and connect with community services
• Support for a strong child advocacy center and follow-up services for at-risk youth/children who are victims of sexual abuse/trauma
• Resources for victims of child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and non-offending family members

Secure better transportation options for youth

• Transportation to organized events and places
• We have a number of opportunities and recreation facilities for kids but need better transportation
• Provide resources so that all kids (esp. those without) can participate (transportation, stipends, etc.)

Ensure access for all kids/Reach out to those not involved

• Easier access to becoming involved in community events (ie. Scouting, rec. sports, 4-H groups, etc.)
• We need to have better outreach to involve handicapped kids - mentally, physically, and emotionally
• Need to have funds so all kids can participate. Fees exclude kids.
• Find ways to reach out to youth that are not connected/participating; Broaden the involvement of youth

Through the Safe Places Committee the Teen Center Without Walls was created to promote the issues above.  For more information about this organization click TCW2.