Show w r Youth Development Project Beneficial to fro Many in County r I A new project was started in 1068 in Uintah County This was a group to work with youth from low income families It was at first thought that this Would be part of the H 4 club lh but when the County Commissioners were approached approach approach- ed to help finance this program they were in favor of taking it out of the H 4 program since here t ere would be a paid leader or this program was don don- donated ted by the Vernal Lions club 25 25 by a women's service club nd by the County FOUR FIFTY w. w m. m PARTICIPATE t There were four fifty childen child child- en n who participated ed in I this program They ranged from 6 tp to p 18 years of age Both Indians and nd whites were involved Of the f four fifty children five were from families who were not on Welfare at the beginning of the project but who were low low-in- tome rome families fa Nine children ere in foster homes seven of these were Indians two white hildren childen All of the children children in ro foster ter homes had come from broken homes Of this group 1 f four fifty-four young people some come were were mentally retarded host 1 of the children came from split families and the majority save have working mothers There here ere usually more than three children in the home and up ups fes s high as seven or eight child child- Ten Yen in the home All children from these homes fitting in the ge requirement were encouraged encouraged aged to participate in the group From this group two lif f the boys had been referred o p juvenile court previously previous previous- ly and many had been in inless inless inless less serious trouble However past fast last history of older children in ine e family would indicate that many of these children would tie e referred to juvenile court tome some time in the future The families of the majority of these children have a background inthe in inthe the courts and other areas of ocial Social maladjustment As one year old boy put it If my dad would treat me right I could be a man These child child- ren are looking for a boost to set them on the right track to help them find themselves and to help them be more socially accepted EXTENSION SERVICE COMPANY SPONSOR This youth development project pro was sponsored co-sponsored by the Extension Services and Uintah Uintah Uin Uin- tah County Welfare Department Depart ment Colleen Thomas the director of volunteers for the local welfare department was in charge Through her efforts the children were located and contacted to juin join the group Jeanie Smith was hired to work with the 1018 18 year olds Two other leaders were utilized for forthe forthe forthe the younger children These were Mary Ann Martin and Hariet Harlet Evans They worked with the children from 6 10 years of age The major em em- the program was contact contact con con- tact with these young people The groups met at or three times each week to participate par in some type of activity The youngsters were helped to work together in a group and to learn to share and help one an an- other Many activities were carried carried car car- ried on during the these groups They participated in various types of handicrafts such as painting rocks leather leatherwork leatherwork leatherwork work finger painting sewing and cooking They also participated participated in sports and games and had a weekly swimming pro gram Most of the children were were unable to go swimming because they had no money The manager manager man man- ager of the pool gave permission permission sion slon for the group to use the pool Saturday mornings under the direction of the Home Agent The children were allowed allowed al al- lowed to swim and some lessons lessons les les- sons given to teach them further furth furth- er skills The summers summer's activity activity ity was climaxed by a trip to Lagoon and Hogle Zoo The members of the group helped to raise money for this trip CHILDREN IMPROVE It Is felt that this effort in youth development was extremely extremely ex ex- worthwhile During the summer not one of these youngsters was brought to the attention of the community for any type of misdemeanor The youngsters were occupied during during dur duro ing the summer and were anxious anxious ious lous to to attend the next group meeting It was observed at the beginning of the group that very few of the young people were ready or willing to share Each was ready to fight for his own rights But as the summer summer sum sum- mer progressed it was noticed that they began to share and they began to be concerned about others UNSELFISHNESS It is felt that one of the greatest greatest great great- est reasons for this was because be cause they began to realize that others were really concerned about them The group developed developed de de- a group spirit and the members had the feeling of belonging belonging be be- longing to something The majority majority ma ma- of these young people did not belong to any type of or or- A few of the girls were involved in an MIA camp but most of them did not attend MIA regularly Much of the result result re reo sult suIt of the summers summer's work was summed up by Miss Thomas as as' as she commented after the trip to Lagoon I have never neverseen neverseen neverseen seen so much love manifested in hi a group of young people as asI asI asI I did in this one Each child was anxious to help one another another an an- other and to take his share of the responsibility Many of them did things without being asked It is felt that this project was very successful The Commissioners Commissioners Commis Commis- are pleased with the results that have been realized through this project Plans are being made for the coming year and it is expected that more than 80 youngsters will be involved next summer These young people are meeting about once a month during the winter for parties and activities activities act act- as well as to participate in fund raising activities for the coming summer |