Community YouthMapping Project Begins

(Tuesday) July 6, 2010

Beatrice Thomson speaks on behalf of the students involved in the Community YouthMapping project. (Photo: Alex Hampl)

By Carla Branch and Rebecca Newsham
alexandrianews.org

For the next six weeks, teams of teens will interview business, community, church and nonprofit leaders in Alexandria’s West End to learn what services are and are not available for youth.

The Community YouthMapping project is sponsored by the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria, the Alexandria Office On Women, the Alexandria Sheriff’s Department, the Alexandria Community Services Board and the Alexandria Library system. “When we are finished we will have street by street information about what services are available for teens in Alexandria and will present that information to the mayor and City Council,” said Beatrice Thomson, a YouthMapper and rising senior at T.C. Williams High School.

The students involved in the Community YouthMapping project. (Photo: Alex Hampl)

Four teams of four Mappers and one adult team leader will visit organizations and administer a survey. The survey includes questions about types of services offered for youth, ages served, eligibility criteria, bilingual capability and accessibility. Data obtained will be entered into a computerized system at the Burke Branch of the Alexandria Library. At the end of the project, Mappers will develop a presentation for City officials, which showcases their findings and provides recommendations.

“This will help to begin data-driven discussions about service needs throughout our City,” said Allen Lomax, chairman of the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria.

Mayor Bill Euille speaks at the start for the Community YouthMapping project. (Photo: Alex Hampl)

Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille wished the Mappers well. “To have the best future, we need to provide more resources for Alexandria’s children. This project will help us determine where gaps in services exist.

“The West End was chosen because it is the fastest growing area in Alexandria. This project will provide information about the needs and challenges specific to the West End,” Euille said.