Press Release - Biloxi, July 8, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mapping Assets for Biloxi’s Youth Provides Local Opportunities

Existing Youth Development Programs Make Strides This Summer

July 8, 2009--As financial woes force funding cuts among many of the country’s after-school programs, the Mapping Assets for Biloxi’s Youth (http://biloxiyouthassets.org/about) project seeks to identify existing opportunities in the local community to help young people thrive as our next generation of citizens.

This summer, students, parents and community leaders in Biloxi, Mississippi are volunteering as part of the Mapping Assets for Biloxi's Youth (http://biloxiyouthassets.org/about) project by building “asset maps” of Biloxi’s existing youth development programs. The project’s web site (http://biloxiyouthassets.org/) and Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/biloxiyouth) allow people to report and describe the assets they've found, as well provide commentary and discussion moving forward.

At workshops held last week with the assistance of Public Agenda's public engagement team (http://www.publicagenda.org/publicengagement#menu) , youths and adults met separately to start listing all of the programs and assets in the community--from parks and break dancing groups to youth ministries, scholarships and summer camps-- marking their positions on a map of our Gulf Coast city.

On July 24th , participants will reconvene to compare findings and brainstorm how to better coordinate Biloxi's strengths on behalf of children and teens.

The Mapping Assets for Biloxi’s Youth (http://biloxiyouthassets.org/about) project originated from a December 2008 Community Conversation (http://www.publicagenda.org/pages/biloxi-beyond-classroom) held with the help of Public Agenda's Center for the Advancement of Public Engagement (CAPE) (http://www.publicagenda.org/cape) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast. At that event, nearly one hundred Biloxi youth, parents, teachers and community members spoke openly about their hopes and needs for after and out of school opportunities for the youth of Biloxi. This year’s initiative directly addresses this need for a positive approach to community building.

We would be happy to provide you with more details on the Mapping Assets for Biloxi’s Youth project and facilitate interviews at your request. For more information, please visit http://biloxiyouthassets.org/about.

Media contact:

Chris Haller

Public Agenda

(303) 800-6368

challer@publicagenda.org

Public Agenda, http://www.publicagenda.org, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to nonpartisan public policy research. Founded in 1975 by former U.S. Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and Daniel Yankelovich, the social scientist and author, Public Agenda is well respected for its influential public opinion surveys and balanced citizen education materials. Its mission is to inject the public’s voice into crucial policy debates.

Headquarters

6 East 39th Street

New York, NY 10016

212-686-6610

Washington Office

601 13th Street, NW, Suite 710 South

Washington, DC 20005

202-719-9777