New Report Highlights Need for Additional Youth Services in Alexandria's West End

More resources and services for youth are needed in Alexandria’s West End, according to a new report out Tuesday from the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria.

The report describes the findings of the 2010 Community Youth Mapping project, which was sponsored by a partnership including the coalition, city agencies, nonprofits and various city boards and commissions.

Last summer, 16 Alexandria T.C. Williams High School students who had been trained as “mappers” went door-to-door in the West End to survey and map programs available to youth in the area.

CYM project partners chose the West End because of the perception that it has fewer resources than other areas of Alexandria, according to coalition board member Mary-Jane Atwater.

The mappers surveyed 159 businesses, schools, faith-based and other organizations, interviewing managers, completing questionnaires and compiling a database of responses.

Because the project was launched recently, there is no data to compare the West End findings to another Alexandria neighborhood.

“We didn’t do this to compare,” Atwater said. “We chose it because of a perception, which was confirmed in many respects…There is a gap in resources.”

The mapping project plans to tackle a different area of Alexandria this summer. The next area to map is under discussion, but the group is considering Arlandria as one of its spots. This summer's project most likely will be on the city's East End, according to coalition Coordinator Noraine Buttar. 

The group plans to make a presentation to the City Council Tuesday night about the report’s findings. It also plans to present to the School Board and Chamber of Commerce.

Highlights of its findings:

• 44 percent of organizations offered part-time employment to youth, while 19 percent offered full-time and 18 percent offered seasonal employment.  Eight percent (12 organizations) offered after-school programs.
• Opportunities for internships, volunteering, scholarships or mentoring were minimal.
• Although survey respondents at businesses and organizations thought employing youth would help reduce substance abuse and gang activity, they were unable to provide employment because they said applicants lack the skills and experience to fulfill job requirements or no youth had applied. 
• Fifty-seven percent of respondent organizations employ no youth, while 13 percent employed three to five youths and 10 percent employed one to two youths within the past year.
• Respondents said they see often youth congregate in public places not equipped with youth programs, such as in parking lots of shopping malls, 7-Eleven stores, McDonalds and at bus stops.
• Forty-four percent of respondents said tobacco and drug use are major problems among Alexandria youth in their neighborhood, and close to one-third said teen pregnancy and gangs are a problem.
• When asked what would help reduce youth substance abuse, 57 percent said more parental involvement, 39 percent said more out of school activities, 36 percent identified youth-oriented programs, and 32 percent said jobs for youth.
• Respondents at 36 percent of organizations expressed an interest in providing job training for youth, 35 percent were interested in providing employment, 25 percent in exploring volunteer opportunities and 24 percent in offering internships and mentoring.