North Clackamas County Chamber of Commerce

For the past 9 years, the Chamber has offered the Clackamas County Young Leader’s Project for high school youth to engage with their community and county, develop awareness and ability to engage with the private and public sector to problem solve for the greater good while  enhancing  their leadership skills that benefits our area for years to come.  The program runs concurrently with the Adult Leadership program. Clackamas County has funded the Young Leader’s Project (YLP) that serves 25 YLP students annually.

Last week Your Chamber got word the funding is scheduled to be cut for this next year.  We recognize every business and public organization is to re-evaluating and prioritizing their budgets and programs.  However, this positive youth program has accomplished getting younger generations to join the conversations that address the challenges of today and their future.  On such short notice we are not able to find alternative funding to retain the program for fall 2012.  We need your assistance on this urgent matter!

JOIN US – Wednesday, May 23 at 5:30 PM at the County Commissioner’s Budget Meeting at 150 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City, 1^st Floor Auditorium.  We are recruiting YLP students and graduates, Parents, Leadership Clackamas County Graduates and Business Leaders to help show their support for this program. The more in attendance the stronger the message we send. SAVE YLP!  Whether you wish to testify or have your presence show the importance of this program, we need you!  Those attending will meet between 5-5:15 to sign in.  OR

Please send letters, emails, and initiate outreach addressed to the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners that requests the reinstatement of funding for the Young Leaders Project delivered by the North Clackamas County Chamber of Commerce.   Please include in your outreach the Commissioner Candidates, some of whom are Leadership Graduates or have had their own children attend YLP.  We also ask that  you copy your outreach to Steve Wheeler, Clackamas County Administrator and the Budget Committee who will review the budget and appeals later this month.

Program background:

1. Students from any Clackamas Co. High School, public, private, charter, or home-schooled are eligible. Residents of Clackamas Co. attending school out of county also eligible. Hundreds of youth have graduated from this program.
2. The Chamber develops and delivers the program with the assistance of a dynamic steering team made up of private business leaders and public partners that dedicate their time.
3. YLP Program consists of 8 class sessions (4 full day/4 half day) that develop important leadership skills, community awareness and relationships, awareness of public service, youth-adult relations, exposure to career options, and more.
4. The County funds the core program allowing youth to attend at no cost.  The selection process includes and application and interview.   The adult program is tuition based at no cost to the county.
5. In addition to the class sessions, youth participate in a 20-hour internship with a business in their career or personal interest.  These experiences have contributed to opportunities that may not have otherwise been possible for the youth.  It has been instrumental in their future choices.
6. Schools value and support the teens’ participation.
7. The reputation and success of this program draws high caliber speakers with in-kind support; no cost to the County.
8. The grant funding covers for fees, supplies, meals, and transportation for youth to participate in the program as well as provides for the hiring of a professional YLP Coach that manages the youth throughout the year.

Bullet points for your outreach might include:

1. Without the County’s funding the Young Leader’s Project ceases to exist.
2. The interest and success of the program has more teens applying than the number we can serve.
3. The importance of the County’s investment in a youth program that develops our future business and community leaders at a time when schools are severely cutting back. With each cut, the development of our future leaders regresses.
4. Both the YLP and LCC participants emphasize the benefit of the program’s intergenerational  approach bringing adults and youth together at an equal level to work together.
5. Youth have repeatedly commented on how this program helped them build confidence and the ability to see beyond what they thought their capabilities were.  Outcomes such as the development of problem solving skills, relationship building to accomplish goals, real world experience outside of the classroom are vital tools to their success.
6. The partnership with the County and businesses developing our young future leaders is key to our community’s strength.
7. 7.    Personalize with any antidotal knowledge or quote you have heard about the value of this program to the youth and our community. 

Additional Actions:

1. Share this email with anyone you know who has graduated from the YLP or LCC asking them to participate.
2. Share this email with any business you know who has hosted a youth intern or benefitted from the adult LCC class project.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SAVE THIS PROGRAM.  Let us know what action you take. If you have any questions about the Young Leader’s Project or possible action steps that can be taken to advocate for sustaining the YLP, please contact Susan Lehr, CEO 503-654-7777; susan@yourchamber.com.

We need your help and we need it now!