CTCNet Announces "Youth Visions for Stronger Neighborhoods"

[Stephen Quinn]

Grantees
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CTCNet is pleased to announce the first class of grantees for the Youth 
Visions for Stronger Neighborhoods (YVSN) Grants program 
(www.ctcnet.org/youthvisions/), sponsored by the Corporation for National 
Service's Learn and Serve America division (www.learnandserve.org).  YVSN 
Grants are designed to give youth and CTCs the opportunity to use 
multimedia tools and training to engage in community decision-making to 
strengthen their neighborhoods.

Through CTCNet's Youth Visions grants, organizations with substantial 
experience training youth in low-income communities to use multimedia 
tools will be funded to implement new or expanded community technology 
programs that focus on engaging youth in civic participation. Through the 
program, CTCNet hopes to promote a change in the attitudes of 
participating youth as they realize their role in community problem 
solving. CTCNet also hopes to increase community members' perception of 
youth as vital assets to their neighborhoods' long-term health and 
success.

CTCNet would like to thank all applicants to this new and exciting grant 
program, and urge qualified applicants to apply for the 2004-2005 grant 
cycle in Fall 2004. All applicants to this year's grant are on the mailing 
list to receive the RFP for the 2004-2005 grant; we will also keep the 
www.ctcnet.org/youthvisions/ site posted with updates.

Below are the names and descriptions of the eight 2003-2004 Youth Visions 
grantees -- all outstanding organizations with a commitment to engaging 
youth in community problem-solving.

<p>Community TV Network
Chicago, IL

A 30-year leader in community media access, Community TV Network (CTVN) 
empowers multicultural urban youth to pursue self-representation through 
the use of alternative media, while nurturing the self-awareness and 
self-motivation youth need to create positive futures for themselves and 
their neighborhoods. CTVN's mission is to assist youth from low income 
neighborhoods to identify, address and resolve issues through the use and 
understanding of media arts. CTVN's "Hard Cover" is the longest running 
youth-produced TV series in the nation. Since 1986, "Hard Cover" has been 
the voice of more than 5000 Chicago youth -- especially African American 
and Latin American teens. In 2003, "Hard Cover" was named one of 18 
programs in the U.S. and Mexico to receive a "Coming Up Taller" award from 
the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities honoring outstanding 
youth arts organizations.

<p>Lowell Telecommunications Corporation
Youth Channel:  Lowell
Lowell, MA
http://www.ltc.org

LTC has formed a recent affiliation with the Youth Channel (http://www.youthchannel.org) as a means to focus and build upon the various youth media work 
currently being produced by young people in Lowell. Ultimately, Youth 
Channel: Lowell seeks to build youth leadership around media production 
and distribution activities in order to create greater awareness of youth 
and their concerns. The key to the success of Youth Channel: Lowell is the 
formation of a teen advisory board that will direct and lead production 
and distribution activities. Teens on the YC: Lowell advisory board will 
be provided training in leadership skills such as needs assessment, 
goal-setting, decision-making, consensus-building and outreach. They will 
also gain hands-on training in a range of media production skills -- video 
production, editing, graphics, web design and studio production. 
Additionally, they will learn the mechanics of distribution and promotion. 
The ideal outcome will be to have a strong core group that will eventually 
be able to share these skills with their peers with minimal staff 
intervention. LTC will be working closely with its local partner the 
United Teen Equality Center (http://www.utec-lowell.org) in the realization of this project and its goals.

<p>Media Bridges
Cincinnati, OH
www.mediabridges.org

As demonstrated by its video on the Media Bridges website (http://www.mediabridges.org/ctcnet.html), Media Bridges has the outreach experience and rapport with the 
neighborhood Cincinnati youth, and the high tech and soft touch skills to 
lead the Over the Rhine youth to think a community issue through, decide 
which aspects to turn into broadcast media, and work project ideas to 
completion. Media Bridges' educational staff is dedicated to fostering 
youth expression; helping Cincinnati youth understand the media (its 
strengths and flaws); and using TV and video to "get the word out" on 
issues.

<p>River City Youth Foundation
Stronger Youth = Stronger Neighborhoods
Austin, TX
www.rivercityouth.org

This award-winning youth agency will celebrate 20 years of youth 
empowerment programs in 2004. RCYF provides a CTC located inside donated 
revitalized parkland. It's a fun and trusted safe place within walking 
distance of the students it targets in Dove Springs, a high-crime 
neighborhood. Its professional staff members dedicated to 
teaching/counseling at-risk youth, tech savvy university/corporate 
volunteers, and fully operational computer lab and multimedia center 
supported by Dell and Microsoft all provide a great infrastructure for 
this project to flourish in 2004. Geographically in the heart of the 
neighborhood, open 7 days a week year-round -- this project will benefit 
from visibility/accessibility with local teens, families and 
collaborators.

<p>Spy Hop Productions
Youth Documentary Arts Program
Salt Lake City, UT
www.spyhop.org

Spy Hop Productions is dedicated to providing underserved youth with 
hands-on and real-world career application in the field of multimedia. 
Within a dynamic and creative learning environment (which includes a 
MAC-G4 lab, full-service recording studio, and theater-style screening 
room), young people work with mentors, receive career training in media 
and technology, and develop critical learning and leadership skills. 
Participants distribute their works through television, local screenings, 
national film festivals, community radio, and online forums. Spy Hop 
programs make a long-term difference in the lives of youth and provide 
them with the tools necessary to become self-sustaining members of their 
community.

<p>Street-Level Youth Media
Innovation Studio
Chicago, IL
www.street-level.org

Street-Level has been an active participant in the West Town community 
since 1993, providing youth access and instruction to new technologies and 
the Internet, for self-expression, communication and social change. The 
agency has a wide network of collaborations and partnerships in the 
neighborhood, which will allow the agency to undertake a community-based 
project of this scope. Also, as a youth media organization, Street-Level 
has the necessary equipment and technical expertise (in terms of staff) to 
provide the required training for the YVSN Program. Finally, Street-Level 
has a long and successful track record of community and media-based 
projects, tackling various important community issues such as gun 
violence, immigration and gentrification.

<p>The Urban Alternatives Foundation
Columbia Pike Multimedia Youth Project
Arlington, VA

The Columbia Pike Multimedia Youth Project will provide youth with tools 
to express themselves and communicate to the greater community a positive 
image of youth.  The youth will learn web design and development, desktop 
publishing, photography and video production skills. With these skills the 
youth will be able to reach out to an audience outside of their immediate 
neighborhood and counteract the fear of youth that exists today due to the 
increased gang activity in the area. The CPMYP will also unite the youth 
in a common creative project and provide a stronger voice for them in the 
county.

<p>South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation
Bronx, NY
www.sobro.org

SoBRO is a community-based organization serving residents and businesses 
of the South Bronx in New York City. SoBRO will infuse its strategies for 
success into the YVSN program, including project-based work, community 
engagement, multimedia technologies, engaging activities, and building a 
youth voice. YVSN participants will benefit from SoBRO's resources: its 
exceptional staff, the SoBRO Center, the CTC, and our access to multimedia 
technologies. Its comprehensive services, such as education and training 
for adults, and its connection to service providers, businesses, and 
schools throughout the Bronx, will enhance the potential impact of their 
YVSN.

<p>Congratulations to the 2003-2004 Grantees!
___________________
Stephen Quinn
Member Services Coordinator
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet)
1436 U St. NW STE 104, Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 462-1200
Fax: (202) 462-3892
Email: squinn at ctcnet.org <mailto:squinn at ctcnet.org>

********************************************
Join us for CTCNet's 13th Annual Conference:
"Building Connected Communities: The Power of People & Technology"
Seattle, WA ~ June 11-13, 2004
********************************************

<p>___________________
Stephen Quinn
Member Services Coordinator
Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet)
1436 U St. NW STE 104, Washington, DC 20009
Tel: (202) 462-1200
Fax: (202) 462-3892
Email: squinn at ctcnet.org <mailto:squinn at ctcnet.org>

********************************************
Join us for CTCNet's 13th Annual Conference:
"Building Connected Communities: The Power of People & Technology"
Seattle, WA ~ June 11-13, 2004
********************************************

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