The Beginning
Youth Changing The Community Collaborative (YCTC) first convened as a community-based working group in 2016. Initially, partners discussed the most pressing issues facing local youth, developed a shared vision, and listed potential projects they wanted to see implemented throughout the community. Stakeholders began meeting on a regular basis to further flesh out what the initiative could look like and developed ideas for community projects based on the group’s goals and priorities.
One of the group's first decisions was that the youth themselves should inform and lead the initiative. By providing input on the best ways to enhance their lives, as well as participating in implementing projects, Harney County’s youth are taking an active role in shaping their own futures—as the name Youth Changing the Community conveys.
Community partners formed subcommittees within the working group to follow-through on opportunities identified in prior meetings. Each subcommittee is responsible for developing project plans and detailing activities that advance the broader goals of the collaborative. Once new projects are mapped out, YCTC works to find funding and partners to help make their ideas a reality.
High Desert Partnership's Role
Like all our collaborative working groups, HDP supports activities, promotes open communication, and keeps the wheels of progress moving forward so YCTC can do its work. To find out how to get involved with YCTC, contact High Desert Partnership at 541-573-7820 or info@highdesertpartnership.org.
