Challenges of Youth Inland Agency

"Youth Connection"

by Tamiko Perry, Program Coordinator

Inland Agency’s Youth Connection has overall been very successful. Each month Youth Connections provides the Corona Public Library Teen Zone youth an opportunity to view different topics such as Health Nutrition, My Space Internet Safety, Art, Dance, and Family Life Education. The teens are able to choose what topics they may be interested by looking at a monthly calendar that is provided by Inland Agency’s Program Coordinator Tamiko Perry. So far the teens have enjoyed coming to the workshops and learning and getting new ideas. One workshop that they seem to be enjoying the most would be our portrait workshop given by Inland Agency’s Challenges of Youth Program Coordinator Nataly McBride. In this workshop, youth will complete a series of exercises that build basic observational drawing skills to work towards the final project: a black and white self-portrait.  This is a six week long workshop.  In order to get the full benefit, youth will need to attend all six sessions.  They work with compressed charcoal, that has been said to be very messy. Nataly telIs me that in her experience charcoal will wash out of clothes and skin relatively easy.

As coordinator for Youth connection I have enjoyed finding new and exciting workshops for theses youth. Since Youth Connection is being provided after school it gives the teens an opportunity to stay away from violence and negative influences they encounter in their daily lives, and gives them a chance to learn and grow while also developing their talents and creativity.

Click here to read about our youth art program "A Sense of Peace"

Information and Education

Inland Agency's newest youth program is "Information and Education". The Information and Education (I&E) program has been a major component of Office of Family Planning for the past 30 years. The I&E program provides services to youth and adults focusing on enhancing knowledge, attitudes and prevention methods relevant to sexual and reproductive behavior.  Recently Inland Agency has accepted the opportunity to begin this program in our local areas.

Our I&E Program Director, Tanya Hernandez, attends scheduled school sites for multi and/or single session prevention education intervention. Topics she will be discussing include: Anatomy and Physiology, Abstinence & Birth Control methods, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Body Image, Healthy Relationships, and Goal Setting. The objective of this intervention is to reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infection transmission, as well as give accurate information and resources to young woman and young men that may help encourage healthy behaviors they can use in life. Click here to read about Tanya's experiences teaching this program.