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Boys & Girls Club of Indian River County, Inc. — Youth Volunteer Corps Grant Application to the Children Services Advisory Committee B. PROGRAM NEED STATEMENT (Entire Section B not to exceed one page) L . a) What is the unacceptable condition requiring change? b) Who has the need ? c) Where do they live? d) Provide local, state or national trend data, with reference source, that corroborates that this is an area of need. a. ) Limited access to affordable after school and week-end programs for children 11 — 18 years of age, low economics, juvenile crime and below average academic achievement is the condition requiring change . b . & c . ) We define those who have a need as children between the ages of 11 to 18 years of age, with a special interest in working with disadvantaged youth. We define disadvantaged youth as children from low economic status, one-parent families and latch key kids . The Youth Volunteer Corp is a community wide outreach program that provides daily opportunities for kids to participate in community service projects through out Indian River County. d . ) Area of need : • Based on the 2000 Census, 19 . 2% of the total population or 21 , 685 youth are under 18 in Indian River County. • Bases on the 2001 Kids Count Data Book, funded by the Annie E . Casey Foundation, 30% or 6, 505 of those youth are living in a single parent home 82% of a student ' s time is spent outside of school • All Indian River students are dismissed on Wednesday afternoons which had added on additional time onto student' s out of school hours • Based on the 1998 report from Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, that youth ages 12- 17 are unsupervised for 12 or more hours a week. 65% of youth involved in criminal activities, sexual activity and substance abuse and alcohol use participated during the hours of 3 : 00 pin to 6 : 00 prn during the weekdays . 2. a) Identify similar programs that are currently serving the needs of your targeted population ; b) Explain how these existing programs are under-serving the targeted population of your program. No other program in Indian River County offers a dedicated youth facility, like the Boys & Girls Club , for children 6- 18 years of age with year round drop in services Monday —Friday . For every child the Boys & Girls Clubs serves, our youth development activities are designed to build the following traits : • Positive self- identity. A healthy self-concept, a strong belief in one ' s self-worth, and a sense of hope about one ' s future . • Educational, employment, social , emotional and cultural competencies. The knowledge, skills, strategies and attitudes necessary to have a positive foundation for success . • Community and civic involvement . A sense of belonging to community, family and/or group ; willingness to take civic responsibility . • Health and well-being. Living a healthy lifestyle, taking part in regular fitness activities, able to access health care resources and engage in positive behaviors . • Moral compass . Youth have values enabling them to develop positive relationships with others . Our target population is underserved by other programs for the following reasons : affordability, accessibility and scope of services . 5