By Youth For Youth Initiative To Receive Madison Civic Club Honors

January 27, 2006
David W Carlson, Public Relations Manager, Dane County Human Services, (608) 242-6424.
Badger Prairie

A collaborative initiative in Dane County that involves youth in setting priorities and making decisions on funding of programs to support youth will be recognized tomorrow for their outstanding work by the Madison Civics Club, according to Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. “I couldn’t be more proud of the teens involved with the By Youth For Youth initiative,” said Falk. “Not only are they doing great work, they’re ensuring that their peers in communities across Dane County will have access to positive and helpful services.” This year, the By Youth For Youth (BYFY) program will distribute more than $26,000 in grants to help fund youth programs. Maximum grants are $3,000. Teens on the BYFY committee will evaluate the proposals to see how they address the following priorities they have established: · Positive Youth Involvement · Violence Prevention · Diversity · Community Engagement · Health · Academic Support and Services Funding to support the BYFY initiative is provided by Dane County, the City of Madison, Oscar Mayer/Kraft Foods, United Way of Dane County and the Tobacco Free Dane County Coalition. Applications for the current round of BYFY grants were due this week and recipients will receive their awards at a ceremony April 10th. “This initiative provides such a wonderful opportunity for our youth to decide what’s helpful and important to them and have a real impact in making Dane County a better place for youth,” said County Executive Falk. In 2005, eighteen projects were funded. The BYFY committee is also seeking new members. Teens who are interested should contact Erika Braunginn at 246-5488. The committee is especially interested in recruiting youth from urban, suburban, and rural communities and having a diverse mix of racial and cultural backgrounds. ###