GiveEm40 Coalition: Youth Partnership of Northwest Michigan

Location: Antrim, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, and Benzie Counties
MSU Campus Partners: Joanne Keith and Francisco Villarruel, Family and Child Ecology; Celeste Sturdevant Reed, Institute for Children, Youth and Families (ICYF); Robert Brown, University Outreach
Community Partners: Becky Beauchamp, United Way of Northwest Michigan

Several violent incidents among youth and children have grabbed headlines recently and focused national attention on preventing such tragedies in the future. The big question seems to be, "how do we raise confident, healthy children who are prepared for life's challenges and know how to resolve conflict through nonviolent means?"

As part of a $100,000 FACT grant awarded last spring, MSU researchers and Extension staff are partnering with five Northwest Michigan counties to build positive youth assets in the region.

This multi-regional initiative is called the GivEm40 Coalition, and is currently developing community-based action plans that create healthy, supportive environments for young people. The group is raising awareness about positive youth development, and initiating activities that change the way individuals, organizations and whole communities interact with youth.

The GivEm40 name stems from the Search Institute survey of 4,500 junior and high school students in the five county region that measured whether they have the 40 building blocks, or developmental assets, to choose positive lifestyles and succeed in life. The survey found that the more assets young people have-- such as positive relationships with adults, family support, strong self-identity, and school success--the less likely they are to engage in risky behaviors like crime and substance abuse.

"Instead of being reactive to high-risk behaviors like alcohol use or violence, we have a whole new approach that enables us to be supportive of all kids," says Tom Emling, associate regional director of Michigan State University North. "This should not be the business of school districts and human service agencies alone, but every one of us can be engaged at some level in being an asset builder. We can all take individual action."

GivEm40 launched its work in May with a Youth Rally in Traverse City. The event brought together more than 900 people to celebrate the strengths of youth in the area and to commit to building on these strengths in the future. At the rally, MSU announced its partnership in the initiative and the group unveiled its new name and logo.

The FACT grant serves as a critical bridge between the survey results and developing effective community initiatives that build on existing youth assets. MSU researchers are providing technical assistance, such as training local leaders in the concepts of positive youth development, and will conduct capacity building evaluations.

Researchers include Joanne Keith and Francisco Villarruel, professors in the Department of Family and Child Ecology, Celeste Sturdevant Reed, evaluator in the Institute for Children, Youth and Families (ICYF), and Robert Brown, training coordinator in University Outreach.

"GiveEm40 is really about changing practice," says Joanne Keith, "It is a process of schools, youth agencies, businesses, and individuals all taking leadership so that young people get a more coherent set of positive messages."

"It's exciting to be working as a university partner, both from the teaching and learning point of view," she explains, "we are all learning so much about how communities bring about change and support youth."

Extension staff from Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau Counties are also playing important roles in the initiative. They are working with local partners, led by the United Way of Northwest Michigan, Rotary Charities of Traverse City, and the Grand Traverse Community Foundation, to spread the asset message to local government, school groups, and community organizations. They have been successful in engaging key leaders, such as school superintendents who are adopting the asset model.

"Thanks to the coalition, we have this unique opportunity to link campus faculty, Extension county staff and community partners around the developmental approach," says Emling. "It's a wonderful role for MSU to be playing--not only is it true to our land grant roots, but it's also a marvelous community development effort that brings together many different groups.

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