CYB delegates express concerns at leadership forum.

The recession’s threat to youth programming was met head-on last month by four kids from the Cortland Youth Bureau’s Teen Center. Bill Cozort, Regina DiOrio, Andrew Peacock, and Alex Schmidt traveled to Albany on February 9th and 10th to meet with Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and take part in the annual Youth Leadership Forum (YLF), hosted by the Association of New York State Youth Bureaus (ANYSYB).

“Assemblywoman Lifton seemed to be really concerned about the funding of Cortland’s youth programs,” Cozort, 18, said after the meeting. “She’s a nice, friendly person.”

Cozort focused on the center’s music programs during the talk in the Assemblywoman’s office. He described to Lifton how different his teenage years would have been without a place to listen to live music and learn to play the guitar himself. “I’d have ended up doing things I shouldn’t have been doing,” Cozort said. “Now, music is pretty much my life.”

Schmidt, 17, shared his concerns about the center’s field trip programs. “Some families can’t afford to take trips on their own,” Schmidt said. “They need some way to get out once in a while. Cortland’s a nice place to live, but it’s good to see more of the world.” Schmidt also pointed out that field trips are one way that kids learn how to work together and be more social.

In addition to listening to the kids’ concerns, Assemblywoman Lifton also took time to help them understand the budgetary process and the current financial crisis.

“She was very informative,” Schmidt said. “I learned a lot about the economy and how youth bureaus are funded.”

On the day before their meeting with Lifton, the four youths presented a workshop at the YLF on the center’s new youth employment program. About 35 kids from other youth bureaus attended. The Cortland kids also attended workshops given by other youth bureaus on civic engagement, grant-writing, and overcoming discrimination. A highlight was a Project Adventure workshop given by members of the National Guard which included an indoor ropes-and-obstacle course.

“That was a really good experience,” said DiOrio, 16. “I like working with other people. It was also cool meeting kids from other youth centers and finding out what they had going on.”

The YLF in Albany was first held by ANYSYB in 2003. Its main purpose is to keep the lines of communication open between legislators and youth bureaus across the state. The CYB has participated each year since the event began.

“It was gratifying to ally with kids from other areas for the common cause,” Schmidt said. “I’d love to go again.”

Like Cortland Area Communities That Care, the ANYSYB endorses the concept that all youth deserve to live in a healthy and supportive environment; to have a sense of neighborhood attachment; to have the means to avoid risk-taking behaviors; and to be ready by age 21 to become active and productive members of society. The YLF is one venue through which the ANYSYB preserves these ideals.

Matt Marcey is Youth Bureau Specialist with the City of Cortland Youth Bureau