WHO ARE WE WHAT DO WE DO? Contents Who are we? What do we do? Contact Information Current Projects Community LINK Other Sites of Interest Who are we? We are your friends, neighbors, co-workers, church members, and agency people from the public and private service agencies serving and comitted to the youth of Atascadero. Back to top What do we do? We serve as advocates for youth. We are particularly interested in finding ways to pro-actively address issues which affect youth and to encourage youth themselves to help resolve these issues. Substance abuse, truancy, lack of positive role models, teen pregnancy, and teen crime are just a few of the problems which can keep our youth from reaching their full potential. When potential is wasted we are all much poorer and the community suffers the loss of a valuable resource. Back to top Contact Information Regular Meetings: 1^st Tuesday of each month at 7:00 am in the Old Printery Building at the corner of Olmeada and West Mall next to the Armory. Mailing Address: 5901 East Mall, Atascadero, Ca 93422 E-mail address Want to send an email click address - glink@calinet.com Contact us for help: Click HERE Fax (805) 466-5343 Office phone (805) 466-5465 Back to top Current Projects Community LINK Video Project (40 Developmental Assets) Partnership for Public Health (for more information “CLICK” here.) Back to top COMMUNITY LINK The LINK is a project of the Youth Task Force. It is committed to delivering, locating, and connecting health and social services, identifying gaps in needed services and advocating for or developing new services for the community. For more information “CLICK” here Back to top Other sites of interest: (Click for access) City of Atascadero San Luis Obispo County SLO County Office of Education Atascadero Education Foundation Atascadero Unified School District Atascadero Chamber of Commerce Back to top Last revised: Date March 8, 2001

HOT TOPICS & CURRENT EVENTS February Star – Megan Whitten Atascadero High School Student Try This It Works Asset Development Video Project Partnership for Public Health Community Service Megan Whitten, Senior at Atascadero High School Megan received the AYTF award for outstanding service by youth for youth and the community. Megan is a member of the High School Leadership class and in that capacity has been active in planning dances and in working on the Career Pathways Presentations. She has performed community service through convalescent home visits and working at the Chamber of Commerce Dinner. She serves as the student representative to the Atascadero High School Board of Trustees aticulating the opinions of youth on issues before the board. Her leisure activities include drawing, sewing, and participating in Mock Rock events. With all of these activities she also works part-time at “Big Dog”. Her efforts reflect the useful roles of youth in the community and their willingness to serve others. Megan bring credit to herself and her age group by showing us all that youth are a valuable resource and have constructive ideas to contribute to society. Back to the top Asset Type #1 – Support- The more love, support, and adult contacts a child has the more likely he or she is to grow up healthy. Only 41% of the youth surveyed nationally experience at least three of the six support assets. Six Key Areas of Support: Family Support Positive Family Communication Other adult relationships Caring Neighborhood Caring School climate Parent involvement in schooling Helpful Hints: Adjust the way you support your child as he or she grows Indentify your own sources of support and what you can learn from them Ask your child what kind of support he or she likes best Watch for non-verbal clues from your child saying he or she neds your support. FINALLY -------- “Children need to know that, whatever else may happen, their parents love them” (Michael Popkin, Ph.D., Director of the Active Parenting Program.) Learn more about Asset Development “CLICK” here. Back to the top Asset Development Video Project The Atascadero Youth Task Force has received a grant to develop a community awareness of the Asset Development Philosophy. Every one can build assets. This grant will be used to develop a video based on local youth and adults and their perspective of the concepts and what each can do to help develop assets in the communities young people. Volunteers are needed to help with the project. Tasks would include serving on the panels Participating as the audience and eventually to assist in using the video to take The philosophy to the community through presentations at community groups Churches, service clubs and other public forums. Rick Mathews is chairing this exciting and important project and CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS is going to provide the expertise to develop the video. WE NEED YOUR HELP Call the Community LINK, 466-5465 and join us in this exciting adventure. Back to the top Partnership for Public Health Back to the top Community Service Back to the top atascadero cityhall