Happy Holidays from the UCCP!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from the UCCP Leaders Corps! We present our first... holiday video:

VOICES Project Proposal Showcase, December 13, 2008

Keeping in line with the VOICES mission to “build relationships with community partners, non-profit organizations and government agencies” to promote positive social change, the Fall 2008 VOICES participants held their first Project Proposal Showcase.

Here participants were able to state their issues, share their standpoints, present group arguments and discuss the changes they would like to see. They also presented the strategies they developed to address the issues, posed possible collaborations and solicited help from attendees to aid in the launching of their campaigns. After their presentations, the participants engaged the audience in a question and answer session and the audience provided written feedback for each group. Following the presentations there was a networking lunch for all to enjoy.

The projects highlighted this semester were: Youth Action 4 Peace and Youth and Media (2.0 projects which are initiatives being worked on by second and third year VOICES participants) and Sexual Health/Teen Pregnancy, Youth Violence, and Promotion of Positive Youth in the City (VOICES 1.0--first year project participants).

The audience was composed of family, friends, and specially invited guests, including Temple University Faculty/Staff, University of Pennsylvania Administrators, Directors of a Graphics Design Company, Philadelphia Public and Charter School Teachers and City Employees.

The Bridge to the Future: UCCP at the Youth Development Conference!

On December 11, 2008 the UCCP once again had a strong showing at the United Way Youth Development Conference. Members of the Leaders Corps facilitated two widely attended workshops, one on Youth, Media and Identity and the other on Spoken Word as a powerful tool for youth voice. In addition, the UCCP staff was in constant conversation with youth and adults who stopped by The Temple Youth VOCIES Information Table and members of V-Media rounded out the day's activities by interviewing youth for 'Feelin' the Cuts' and capturing the Mayor's address to Philadlephia youth on film.

Feelin' The Cuts!

V-Media (UCCP's media production and training crew) presents our new blog: Feelin' the Cuts.

The purpose of the blog is to:

1. Inform Philadelphians about the city's budget cuts and the impacts those cuts will have on everyday citizens.

2. Document, through video, the VOICES of Philadelphians as they react to the impact of the cuts on their communities and their lives.

V-Media, along with members of the Leaders Corps, will be attending many of the Mayor's upcoming Town Hall meetings. At those meetings, we hope to interview people who attend, to find out how the budget cuts are affecting them. We will post their interviews on the blog in hopes that this information will impact future decisions by the Mayor, as well as members of the city, state and federal government. We hope you will check our blog on a regular basis, and share it with your friends and colleagues.

After viewing the blog, please send us your feedback by making a comment directly on the blog, or sending an email to feelingthecuts@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,
V-Media (working in partnership with the UCCP's Leaders Corps)

VOICES 2.0

UCCP and the Temple Youth VOICES Project often has had many young people stay involved in our programming over several years. Some have joined the Leaders Corps and are now instructors to new youth. For those, however, who are too young to become Leaders Corps members but want to continue developing their personal, professional and social change skills, this year we launched VOICES 2.0... The NEXT Level. At VOICES 2.0, youth have have gone through a year of VOICES 1.0 programs can take a project they began and turn it into a real CAMPAIGN, with measurable objectives, a strategic plan and grant applications!

So what are those youth up to?
Currently, we have two VOICES 2.0 Campaigns, both stemming from projects that have had re-occuring themes with VOICES participants:

1. How young people are portrayed in the media and what effects that has (Youth & Media)
   
2. Violence - it's causes, effects, and ways to prevent it. (Youth Action 4 Peace)
   

How are they taking it to the next level?

Youth & Media is currently visiting local media power players to learn more about decision making in the industry. On November 25, 2008, a group of Y&M youth and some representatives of V-Media (our own media production crew) visited the Daily News headquarters to sit in on the front page meeting and learn how editors choose the most important headline of the day.

Youth Action 4 Peace is building up from their successful carwash fundraiser in the summer to develop a traveling workshop encouraging young people to get involved in the programs available to them instead of turning to violence. In case you haven't seen it, check out this inspiring PSA created by POWER interns last spring, which started the conversation:

Stay tuned for more 2.0 Updates!