Al Deitch, Director
Notes from the Director
Strategic Planning process creates
new opportunities
By Al Deitch
Fall 2009
Youth Advocacy &
Involvement Offi ce
The Youth Advocacy & Involvement Offi ce, along
with the other Divisions in the N.C. Department of
Administration, is participating in a comprehensive
Strategic Planning process, as directed by Governor
Perdue in Executive Order No. 3.
In the past several months, YAIO has gained useful
feedback regarding our services and programs
through an email survey of about 100 consumers,
partners, and stakeholders. We also heard directly
from a focus group whose members shared their thoughts on what we do well, how
we communicate, and how we can improve.
Through this process, YAIO is developing a revised Mission Statement, along with
initiatives and measures to more effectively serve children and youth in our state. We
expect to fi nalize and announce these items in January 2010, and we will welcome
continued input on our efforts.
Today, however, I’m happy to share that feedback used to shape these plans was
positive. Folks told us that our staff was very capable and that we communicated well
to our stakeholders. We will take steps to deliver our message in more youth-friendly
ways by updating our website and using social networking for increased outreach.
We also will work to increase the number of child advocacy cases we handle, as
well as the satisfactory closure of more information-and-referral requests. We recently
began that process by meeting with partner agencies to ensure that they are familiar
with our resources, and we are seeking to establish new collaborations that will yield
positive outcomes for our state’s youth.
We also will focus on ways to restore funding to the State Government Internship
Program, which has been trimmed due to ongoing budget concerns. Through
effective communications with legislators and key partners – and projected
economic recovery – we hope to provide more North Carolina students the real-world
job skills necessary to succeed in the global marketplace and encourage them
to consider a career in public service.
The YAIO News is an online publication of the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Offi ce, N.C. Department of Administration.
Governor Bev Perdue
State of North Carolina
Britt Cobb
Secretary,
N.C. Department
of Administration
Al Deitch
Director, Youth Advocacy
&
Involvement Offi ce
Stephanie Nantz
Assistant Director
Jeffery Walston
Editor, Advocacy
Specialist
Cynthia Giles
State Youth Council
Coordinator
Harriett Sutherland
SADD State Coordinator
Lisa Flint-Morris
Internship Program
Coordinator
Trishana Jones
Advocacy Specialist
Martha Lowrance
Advocacy Specialist
Youth Advocacy and
Involvement Offii ce
1319 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1319
Phone: 919-807-4400
Fax: 919-807-4415
www.ncyaio.com
Fall 2009
Wake Community Collaborative
Interagency Collaboration: An avenue toward class advocacy
Class Advocacy is one of the key services the Advocacy Specialists of YAIO provide. The purpose of class
advocacy is to inform and infl uence other stakeholders in the hopes of revising or creating policies and
programs that will prove to be benefi cial to children and youth.
One of our means of class advocacy is interagency collaboration. Interagency collaboration allows for
numerous agencies and organizations to unify under a common cause, such as decreasing high school
dropout rates or increasing public access to affordable health care services.
Among the interagency collaborations our Advocacy Specialists are actively engaged in are the following:
By Martha Lowrance
System of Care is a practical way of partnering with
children/youth and families to meet the needs that they
identify as important. One way YAIO accomplished this
is participation in local collaboratives, such as the Wake
County Community Collaborative.
The purpose of the Wake County Community
Collaborative is to provide a forum for the oversight
and advancement of strengths-based, family-centered,
community-based services designed to strengthen and
preserve children and families within a fully integrated
system of care.
The work of this collaborative is done through its
committees. The Training and Technical Assistance
Committee provides training for families, professionals
and providers in Wake County. The Collaborative
sponsors a System of Care Conference each year to
update families and professionals on issues of concern
at the state and local levels. The issues of gangs and
school suspensions were topics at the 2008 daylong
conference, which was attended by approximately 90
parents, professionals and providers of services.
For additional information, contact Martha Lowrance at
919-807-4400 or martha.lowrance@doa.nc.gov.
Fall 2009
By Jeffery Walston
YAIO is a member of the Wake County Gang
Prevention Partnership, a collaborative effort of local
organizations, Wake County Public Schools, city and
county law enforcement offi cers and community
programs. The goal of this collaboration is to develop
a comprehensive plan to eliminate gang activity and
violence in Wake County.
The Partnership plan outlines priorities, strategies and
action steps to achieve the Partnership’s vision of
a community where youth and their families reject
gangs and where gangs can no longer exist. To
achieve this vision, the Partnership implemented a
fi ve-part strategic approach consisting of community
mobilization, opportunities provision, social intervention,
gang suppression, and organizational change and
development.
Early accomplishments include the creation of the
Wake County Gang Information Line (919-256-0919)
which allows parents and concerned residents to ask
for resources, report gang activity and make requests
for presentations and statistical information. The
Intervention Team, another creation of the partnership,
works directly with the targeted population in
connecting them with appropriate resources and other
services.
For additional information, contact Jeffery Walston at
919-807-4400 or jeffery.walston@doa.nc.gov.
Wake County Gang
Prevention Partnership
By Trishana Jones
YAIO is dedicated to helping today’s youth become
tomorrow’s leaders by partnering with equally
committed agencies to share the knowledge and
skills necessary for a productive future. One such
organization is the N.C. Collaborative for Youth in
Transition (NCCYT).
NCCYT is a network of representatives from public and
private agencies that focus on identifying programs
and confronting service gaps and barriers in effort to
support successful transitions into adulthood for our
communities’ youth. Its goal is to address various life
domains like education, independence and social/civic
engagement with a current emphasis on employment
and adolescent health.
A key discovery has been the number of
complementary resources available among partner
agencies, and how these services can be synchronized
to enrich the lives of adolescents and young adults.
NCCYT materialized this collective “Aha” moment into a
workshop called “Kids Don’t Succeed by Themselves.”
The workshop has been presented to approximately 100
professionals statewide.
For information, contact Trishana Jones at
919-807-4400 or trishana.jones@doa.nc.gov.
N.C. Collaborative for
Youth in Transition
Left to right: Tri-speaker David Freifeld, Clerks Sidney Brunson,
Sarah Rawls and Diondra Cooper, and Tri-speaker Elgin Giles
2009 YLA Leadership Team
By Cynthia Giles
Two hundred and sixty-fi ve high
school and middle school students
from across North Carolina
participated in the 39th annual
Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA),
which was held March 13-15 at
the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel and
the Legislative Offi ce Building in
Raleigh. It is a program of the
State Youth Council of the Youth
Advocacy and Involvement
Offi ce.
Patterned after the N.C. General
Assembly, YLA is a three-day,
mock legislative session where
high school students voice their
opinions and vote on issues
concerning local, state and
national government.
Each delegate participated in
one of 10 committees, during
which consultants spoke to
YLA marks 39th mock legislative session
Fall 2009
the members on
their respective
issues. As a group,
the committee
members were
responsible for
amending the
bills and reporting
them favorably or
unfavorably to the
full assembly.
Some of the topics
discussed were
an act to instate
syringe exchange
programs in the
state of North
Carolina, an
act to legalize the institution of
civil unions in the state of North
Carolina, and an act to require
a minimum refundable deposit
on recyclable, individually sealed
beverage containers.
Tri-Speakers included Seth Morris, a
senior at Salisbury High School; David
Freifeld, a senior at Enloe High School;
and Elgin Giles, a junior at West
Johnston High School, presided over
the general sessions.
At the conclusion, a fi nal
report was drafted and
distributed to the governor
and legislators. This unique
educational experience is
open to all North Carolina
students, grades 9-12, who
are interested in learning
more about government
and the legislative process.
The next Youth Legislative
Assembly will be held in
Raleigh on March 19-21,
2010. For information,
contact State Youth Council
Coordinator Cynthia Giles at
919-807-4400 or
cynthia.giles@doa.nc.gov.
Cary Youth Council members gather at the 2009 SYC Awards Banquet.
By Cynthia Giles
Increased attendance led
to a change of venue for
the annual State Youth
Council (SYC) Leadership
Conference, which moved
from Atlantic Beach
to Wilmington this past
May. One hundred and
fi fty students from across
the state attended the
event, which focused on
developing leadership skills
through participation in local
government matters.
SYC is comprised of youth
from 25 local youth councils
across the state. For more
than 30 years, the State
Youth Council has provided
opportunities for youth to
develop and conduct projects
that benefi t other youth and
allowed young people to learn.
Such activities are carried out at
the four Leadership Conferences
held each year, which are funded
in part through a grant from the
Youth Endowment Fund of the
N.C. General Assembly.
This year’s State Convention was
hosted by the Clayton Youth
Council and was held on May
15-17. Members of the Clayton,
Raleigh, Durham, Cary, High Point,
Rocky Mount, Goldsboro, Wilson,
Concord, Davidson, Winterville,
Chapel Hill and Mooresville
councils attended. Members
made plans for next year’s
conferences, elected offi cers and
delivered an overview of each
council’s individual programs
through Powerpoint presentations
or scrapbooks.
The Governor’s Youth Advisory
Council selects outstanding youth
and councils each year. The 2009
Scrapbook Award went to High
Point Youth Council and Cary
Youth Council was awarded Most
Diverse. All awards are based on
the criteria established by the
Youth Councils.
Another SYC initiative is the Mini-
Grant Program, which awards
small grants to youth driven
Fall 2009
State Youth Council promotes leadership skills
initiatives. Applications for this
year’s program were due in
October, and nearly $6,000 in
grants will be awarded. This
program provides opportunities
for youth to engage in the grant
writing and review process.
For information, contact State
Youth Council Coordinator
Cynthia Giles, State Youth Council
Coordinator at 919-807-4400 or
cynthia.giles@doa.nc.gov.
Gov. Bev Perdue (center) joins the 2009
State Government Interns at the Executive Mansion
Fall 2009
By Lisa Flint-Morris
This summer, 100 of North
Carolina’s best and brightest
college, graduate and law
students joined state government
for paid 10-week professional
summer internships. The program,
in its 39th year, is coordinated
by the Youth Advocacy and
Involvement Offi ce and the North
Carolina Internship Council.
At the start of the program in May,
Gov. Bev Perdue said, “There is no
better way to learn a job than by
doing it, and these outstanding
students will be provided a wide
range of challenging jobs across
state government this summer.
They will gain real-world job skills
that will give them an edge in
the competitive job market and,
I hope, a strong desire to seek a
public service career.”
The internships kicked off on May
26 with an orientation program
held at the Museum of Natural
Sciences in Raleigh. Keynote
Speaker Lt. Governor Walter
Dalton and Distinguished Alumni
Speaker Insurance Commissioner
Wayne Goodwin both provided
motivating and inspiring
comments for the interns and their
supervisors.
This year, 714 students from
82 counties and 120 post-secondary
institutions applied
for internships, a signifi cant
jump from 586 applications in
2008. Through a competitive
selection process overseen by the
Internship Council, 100 students
were selected to work in 21
departments and 45 divisions of
state government. The statewide
internship projects ranged
from assisting small towns with
downtown architecture projects
to protecting sea turtle nests to
clerking with a Supreme Court
Justice.
The Annual Intern Reception was
held on July 14 at the Executive
Mansion in Raleigh. Hundreds
of guests, including interns,
supervisors and state offi cials,
gathered at the beautiful and
historic mansion for the reception.
In addition to honoring the
Youth Advocacy & Involvement
Offi ce interns, interns were
welcomed from other areas of
state government, including the
General Assembly, State Auditor,
and Offi ce of the Governor.
Governor Perdue welcomed
interns, state employees and
elected offi cials to “the people’s
house.” Recognizing their
accomplishments, she thanked
the students for choosing to
spend their summer with “the
fi nest State in the nation.” Perdue
acknowledged that in diffi cult
times, we must focus on the future,
which is in our young people.
She stated that North Carolina
especially needs the commitment
of these future leaders to continue
as an innovative and effi cient
government. The Governor
encouraged everyone in
attendance to continue in public
service in all capacities, in one’s
career or involvement in schools,
churches or the community.
Summer internships will again
be offered for 2010. Eligible
applicants must be completing
at least their second year of
college (or fi rst year of community
college), enrolled through at
least fall 2010, a permanent
resident of North Carolina and
carrying at least a 2.5 overall GPA.
Applications will be due January
20, 2010. For more information,
contact Lisa Flint-Morris at
(919) 807-4400 or
lisa.flfl int@doa.nc.gov.
100 of the ‘best and brightest’ participate in Summer Internships
Administration Secretary Britt Cobb (left) and keynote speaker
Dr. Derek Greenfi eld (right) listen as Mark McKay, the 2008-09
N.C. SADD Advisor of the Year, speaks to students.
Students from Southern Alamance Middle School,
Graham participate in the candlelight ceremony.
SADD attendees from West Johnston High School.
SADD 27th annual conference
By Harriett Southerland
Students Against Destructive Decisions
(SADD) held its 27th annual statewide
conference on Nov. 20-22. This
year, the conference convened in
downtown Durham at the Durham
Marriott Convention Center.
About 250 students and advisors
who participate in SADD chapters
across the state united to engage in
three days of prevention workshops
and activities. Workshops focused
on teen alcohol, tobacco and other
drug prevention, highway safety and
the prevention of teen pregnancy,
HIV/AIDS and violence. The weekend
provided the training students need
to go back to their schools and
communities and attempt to infl uence
the behavior of their peers. The Theme
was, “The Tribe has spoken… It’s Time
For A Change, will you keep the FLAME
ALIVE?”
For information, contact SADD
Coordinator Harriett Southerland at
919-807-4400 or
harriett.southerland@doa.nc.gov.