"I have loved kids since I was little," said Anderson. "Being 14 and working with younger kids was great. I felt comfortable because they were younger and listened to me! I got to swim and work at the same time. It was a great first job."
The Youth Employment Services program (YES) under the Ithaca Youth Bureau helps local teens find their first jobs that last from the beginning of July to the end of August annually, and the program covers everything from how to dress professionally to how to fill-out the proper tax forms for payroll.
Anderson went from being a quiet, shy 14-year-old to boldly talking about her new life as a junior at Ohio Wesleyan University and showing off her new industrial piercing she got last year in her left ear. Wearing an OWU T-shirt, Anderson fondly talked about filling out an application to be a part of the YES program and the "crazy" nerves she felt coursing through her body on her first day of work at her first job.
"I wanted to get my first job," said Anderson. "It's hard because there's not a lot to do around here if you're a teen during the summer. I was a little scared not knowing what to expect or what to say. They coached me through it and made me feel really comfortable. So, I decided to become a YES representative so that I can help someone else."
Since her freshman year at OWU, Anderson has worked as a YES rep every summer. When asked for pictures to celebrate the Ithaca Youth Bureau's 60th Anniversary, Anderson is the token "Where's Waldo?" of the bureau, as she's found in countless pictures taken over the last few years. From her stint as shortstop for the Kiwanis baseball team to canoeing for a summer to having a big sister as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, Anderson has grown up within the Ithaca Youth Bureau's walls.
"Now I'm on the Youth Advisory Board," said Anderson, beaming. "What drew me was the community here. The Ithaca Youth Bureau is an umbrella and we're all under it. You get to know a lot of people. Kids who don't have a lot of money or kids who do, there are still opportunities to bring everyone together, which is the one thing I like."
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A time to grow
In 1948, Ithaca chose to become one of the first six communities in New York State to establish a Youth Bureau. Governor Thomas E. Dewey recommended that NYS establish youth agencies in 1945, so many communities followed his lead and did just that. Dewey encouraged communities by providing a state monetary incentive from state legislation that matched every dollar the local community was willing to put up for youth service programs. The first programs offered included the Belle Sherman Playground Program, Southwest Playground Program, Kiwanis Baseball and Small Fry Football, and a golf program. The Big Red Wagon was a portable stage built for dances, amateur shows and civic events. Ithaca's Youth Bureau was growing, adding a variety of both artistic and athletic programs to the menu as well as music and local government activism.
"We had a lot of support from the community early on," said Allen Green, director of the Ithaca Youth Bureau. "I think that's been a constant really. I've only been here for half of the sixty years, but in the thirty that I've been here I would have to say that community involvement has been one of the constants. There's been strong, consistent support from the community for trying to do as much as we can for our young people whether it's in the form of funding, the city council approving funding for new exciting programs, or addressing some need that has emerged." Green added that being in a college town lends itself to more volunteers who are younger, have more time on their hands, and are essentially eager to give young, influential minds some support and perspective.
"The number of people willing to volunteer their time is mind boggling," said Green. "There are hundreds of volunteers every year. It's really wonderful and it's also unusual because there are a lot of young people interested in getting involved in the community. I feel like we're very fortunate."
Allen highlighted that in 1947 a group of Ithaca High School students started advocating for a teen center. Their voice evolved into a committee of high school students who helped to kick-start the youth bureau. Then in the 80s there was a youth council that made a documentary on racism that was shown throughout the community to professors and students at Ithaca College, Common Council, the police department, and other community organizations lending a visual voice to racial tensions spreading across the country and locally at that time.
"Some are the same issues that are going on now," said Karen Friedeborn, Youth Development Division coordinator. "One thing we try to do is give youth a voice. What our teens have to say is quite remarkable." The teens who originally started the youth center organized a rock concert at the Hangar Theatre, a similar tone as last weekend's Ithaca Festival. Friedeborn said that was one of the first community celebrations there was.
In 1972, the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) is founded in partnership with the Social Service League, the United Way, and the Ithaca City School District only to become affiliated with the City of Ithaca as well as a significant division of the Ithaca Youth Bureau two years later. One of the most popular programs used by kids of all ages is the Youth Employment Services program established in 1976. According to Allen, that program is the most popular among middle school and high school students. The Recreation Partnership was formed in the 90s compromising ten municipalities within the Tompkins County area that is used by both children and adults of all ages in the area. This becomes one of the largest organized recreational programs in the state providing organized athletic teams, expressive arts, lessons, summer camps, and community events and programs like the Junior Olympics.
Not all programs are directed at middle and high school teens. The One-to-One Program was developed for pre-schoolers based on work being done with youths in Harlem. Focused attention by caring adults at a critical developmental time is projected to have huge results, according to a letter written by One-to-One Program coordinator Alice Walsh Green. In 1980, the bureau got a grant that allowed Green to pull five different programs together that served kids using the One-to-One model to develop the One-to-One Family Support Program. The most important part of the program is that youth works spend time with the pre-schoolers' family to adjust to specific needs and encouragements that would otherwise go untapped.
"I think it is extraordinary to work in a place where you are constantly asked how you can do it better," said Green in her letter. "At the youth bureau a deep level of introspection by youth workers has always been encouraged; a great deal of support is provided for exploring new ways to reach out to kids and families, inspire volunteers and to get the whole community involved."
Aside from the Recreation Partnership, the divisions rounding out the youth bureau are Youth Development, Recreation Support Services, and Cass Park. Youth Development plays a key role in children's development from ages six and up. Big Brothers Big Sisters program creates and nurtures one to one mentoring friendships providing caring, responsible adults to children who need the extra love and support not found anywhere else. The YES program is included under this division. Recreation Support Services creates leisure opportunities where people can bond and foster their independence in various programs like the advisory board and nature programming. This service is for individuals of all ages and especially catered to those with disabilities.
"We're constantly trying new ways to get better at reaching youth and families," said Friedeborn. "That work is always on-going."
A time to change
According to Friedeborn, Allen, and Shea O'Neill, a Vista who works on fundraising for the youth bureau, the time has come to have a more formal youth council. Common Council member Svante Myrick has already discussed adding an Ithaca Youth Bureau teen representative to the city board. The new addition is on the agenda for July's Common Council meeting.
"We're looking to see if we can recreate the youth council," said Friedeborn. "It's a theme that's gone throughout (the bureau) since 1966 when Ithaca Youth Council on Civic Affairs was established. The kids were really empowered to make a difference in the community. One of our goals is not only to serve youth, but to have youth be involved in making policy decisions and being involved in the community." Friedeborn added that three incarnations of the youth council has been added over the years so the time for fresh faces implementing change in the community from a teen's perspective is eminent. She added that hopefully Common Council members and city officials agree.
Of course in celebrating 60 years of accomplishments and notable achievements comes time to look ahead into the future to change the already sturdy foundation of youth. The Ithaca Youth Bureau provides so many opportunities for family, communication, and independence for over 7,500 local youth and their families each year that change to existing programs and providing new alternatives seems only obvious.
Under the Youth Development umbrella is the new College Discovery program that works with kids in a long range setting starting in fifth grade and sticking with them right through high school. Acting as mentors, tutors, and friends by focusing on current and future education is the goal. Allen said that addressing the achievement gap and other cultural underlying issues early on should hopefully avoid or at least decrease the tensions that have and continue to erupt in schools over the last few years.
"The youth and their families have helped shape who we are over the last 60 years," said Friedeborn. "They started a youth center that was quite remarkable. Change is constant. We're always trying to restart."
If you're interested in becoming a part of the Ithaca Youth Bureau by either participating in its programs or becoming a volunteer, please visit www.ithacayouthbureau.org or call 273-8364.
