19 Jul Youth Development Summit
Miami County Community Foundation decided to take a step back and determine where the needs truly lie within Miami County with the help of the Lilly Endowment Planning Grant. MCCF teamed up with Miami County’s YMCA Director Mark Demchak and Consultant Kevin C. Bush to host a community-wide summit focused on discovering needs within youth development. The Miami County Youth Development Summit was held on June 27th at the Riverview Event Center.
The Youth Summit was comprised of close to 60 community members including organization directors, school administrators, law enforcement, and parents. The attendees participated in group discussions to identify the existing services in youth development, the gaps in these services, and how collaborations and partnerships with these services can help. The greatest needs in youth development were found to be mentorships, building social and emotional skills, afterschool programs, and more resources to help troubled youth.
The Youth Summit was a successful beginning to a big change in Miami County. Bringing people together to make a positive impact for Miami County is what Miami County Community Foundation strives to do. The information gained from such a significant and passionate group of people will determine where funds are most needed for future grant-making.