ttorney Andre Gammage, chairman of the board of the Urban League of South Bend & St. Joseph County, thanked those business leaders who attended the league's Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon on April 12.  In addition, he urged them to keep open minds about providing job opportunities down the road to today's youth, and he framed the statement this way:  each young person will become a productive member of the communtiy or a detriment. 

This issue of WorkOne Employer eNews takes an in-depth look at some of the circumstances confronting young people in northern Indiana who are at-risk of affecting the community in a detrimental way.  Most of the information here comes from the 2006 Youth Symposium on the Emerging Workforce, "Building Profitable Relationships with Disadvantaged Youth."  Sponsored by the Youth Council of the Northern Indiana Workforce Investment Board, Inc., the event occurred March 16 at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. 

Why are these issues important to both individual employers and overall economic development?  There are numerous reasons cited in the stories; for example, Bill Strickland, one of two keynote speakers, observed that taxpayers of western Pennsylvania spend $40,000 per year for each incarcerated person while a Pittsburgh medical student invests $31,000 annually in education.  In northern Indiana, likewise, the annual cost of incarcerating an individual likely exceeds the annual education cost necessary to pursue a profession such as medicine.  

Among other reasons that employers should care about these issues is an attribute most companies seek in their job candidates and then try to nuture in their employees:  brainpower.  There are some bright kids among the disadvantaged youth of northern Indiana.  The evidence comes from profiles of seven youth gang members from a symposium documentary entitled "Choices."  Here's the proof, and it's short:  regardless and plateau.  Two teenage boys, both of whom either dropped-out or were kicked-out of school, used these words perfectly in sentences according to grammatical rules as well as, in one case (plateau), a good metaphor to get his meaning across. 

Among the messages of the symposium's other keynote speaker, Dr. James Garbarino, was that a person seeking to positively influence the gang and youth violence problem must first acquire a deep understanding of the issues at hand.  The articles here offer information that some people may find helpful in seeking such an understanding of what's going on.

For Those Looking to Curtail Youth Violence, First Educate Yourself Deeply about the Issues:  Garbarino
The Road to Developing Solutions Travels through Understanding 'the Deep, Dark Areas' where Youth Violence Exists
Go to Story

Learning Centers Strive to Show At-Risk Youth their Value through Dignity and Arts
Manchester Bidwell Seeks 'To Look Like the Solution ... Because People are a Function of Environment': Strickland
Go to Story

Young People Need Skills in Understanding Processes and Teamwork To Thrive in Workplace, Employer Says
Area Employer Sees Fear of Workplaces, At-Risk Youth Need Boost in Confidence
Go to Story

WorkOne's Business Services Division Offers To Guide Employers Seeking Ties to At-Risk Youth and Ex-Offenders
Initiative Brings Together Business, Faith-Based, Community and Justice Groups To Help Ex-Inmates Get Jobs
Go to Article

Sitting in Prison Cell, Young Man Realizes 'I've Got To Change'; Now He Works for Elkhart Company
Moment of Truth Brought Personal Responsibilities into Clear Focus for Ex-Felon
Go to Article

From Hopes, Problems, Crimes, and Pain, Young Gang Members Describe Life—and Why
Situation is Complex, but 'Choices' Documentary Offers Insights into Causes and Possible Solutions
Go to Article