[Durham INC] [durhambikeandped] Fwd: [ABCDdurham] Mayor Bell Invites Feedback on IBM Report for Engaging Durham's Youth

Fri Jun 8 00:23:37 EDT 2012

Hi Frank,

I started reading the report and was immediately overwhelmed by the 
"technology as the solution" to inner city problems.  The Report read 
like a set up/commercial for IBM's corporate view of the world/approach.

"At the heart of this Governance Model is the Youth
Opportunity Corps (YOC), supported by the Executive
Council and the Youth Council. It consists of two units:
one full-time Operations Unit consisting of five roles,
and a part-time Enabling Infrastructure Task Force that
will bring the existing IT and information management
resources together to create the enabling IT infrastructure."

Aack! Focus is on "executive leaders" and healthcare and biotech??!!  
Are these guys really who we want engaging our youth, who have achieved 
excellence in a broken system that is both undermining our Democracy and 
destroying our health and planet simultaneously.

I have a half a dozen kids and under-employed coming by my office daily, 
and more if I didn't put a nix on it because we don't have the man-power 
or resources to engage them.  These kids are way over-loaded with 
technology, You-tubing gangster rape, texting, smart-phones, listening 
to brutal lyrics, Face-booking, They are headed for chemical dependency 
and ADD/ADHD candidates and certainly "nature deficit disordered."

Personally, taking these kids out into nature would be the best thing 
for them, getting them exercise, teaching them to fish, garden, make 
things with their hands and feeding them some healthy food reagularly. 
IBM's Report is heavy on the psychological leadership pedagogy.  
Mentoring is important, but this stuff seems way over the top 
complicated.  What are these guys selling?! There are snibits of good 
data and approach in this Report, but the thing should trashed.

Talk with Asheville Go! about engaging at risk youth, its about 
listening. hearing and being real.  We just spent a couple days looking 
into their model with NCCDI  Offering a hope of a job in a healthy, 
sustainable and conscientious community is the best way to engage this 
problem. I just wish we had a green economy that was robust enough to 
provide more entry level jobs (idiot leadership?).

Best thing Durham has going for it is the growing local foods movement, 
but I see no mention of greening or sustainability in the whole damn 
report!  Outrageous.  Green space reduces crime, greenways allow the 
community to exercise and get out of cars, planting trees affects a 
range of benefits, etc.  Talk about disconnect, wait until the real crap 
hits the fan: famine, drought, flood, fire, spiking energy prices and 
economic collapse.  Think we have a problem now?!  We need to give these 
kids a heads up and a leg up on the shit storm we have created.   I 
guess the IT community will have an ap. for that.

Lord help us,

Marc

On 6/5/2012 10:53 PM, Frank White wrote:
>
> Normally, I'd consider this FYI outside the scope of this listserv so 
> bear with me as I attempt to bridge a connection to the following 
> release and the pedestrian/cycling community.
>
> A few days ago, ATT trial users were attacked by teens, we believe to 
> be "at-risk" youth, while using the ATT. Marc, mentioned that 
> something should be done to reach those youths. Since this initiative 
> is aimed at "at-risk" populations that have made some uncomfortable I 
> wanted to make sure news of this program is on your radar.
>
> Durham is "where great things happen" and a desired result will surely 
> be something great.
>
> Frank
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: *Blalock, Amy* <Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov 
> <mailto:Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov>>
> Date: Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 3:07 PM
> Subject: [ABCDdurham] Mayor Bell Invites Feedback on IBM Report for 
> Engaging Durham's Youth
> To: "Blalock, Amy" <Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov 
> <mailto:Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov>>
>
>
> cid:image002.jpg at 01CBE556.A7538D50
>
> 	
>
> **
>
> *CITY OF DURHAM*
>
> /Office of Public Affairs/
>
> 101 City Hall Plaza
>
> Durham, NC 27701
>
> *News Release***
>
> 	
>
> **
>
> *News Media Contact:*
>
> Beverly B. Thompson
>
> Director
>
> (919) 560-4123 x 11229 <tel:%28919%29%20560-4123%20x%2011229>
>
> (919) 475-2362 <tel:%28919%29%20475-2362> (cell)
>
> Beverly.Thompson at DurhamNC.gov <mailto:Beverly.Thompson at DurhamNC.gov>
>
> Like: http://Facebook.com/CityofDurhamNC
>
> Follow: http://Twitter.com/CityofDurhamNC
>
> For Immediate Release: June 5, 2012
>
> *Mayor Bell Invites Feedback on IBM Report for Engaging Durham’s Youth*
>
> /Full Report and Video Now Online; Feedback Encouraged on New Facebook 
> Page/
>
> DURHAM, N.C. - The City of Durham is inviting public review and 
> comment on a plan submitted by IBM (NYSE: IBM) to improve the 
> education, well being, and job-readiness of Durham’s youth.
>
> IBM's plan details steps that the City can take in coordination with 
> schools, workforce-readiness programs, and other public, private and 
> nonprofit stakeholders to better coordinate and measure the success of 
> their efforts.
>
> The recommendations include the creation of a Youth Opportunity Corps 
> that would create a centralized mechanism for identifying youth at 
> risk, refer those youth to the right resources, and ensure their 
> long-term success.
>
> “As the first U.S. city selected by IBM for this study earlier this 
> year, I am pleased to share this important report,” Mayor William V. 
> “Bill” Bell said.  “It is clear that we as a community are going to 
> have to work together to help our youth succeed in education, 
> employment, and life.  This report outlines a coordinated strategy to 
> coalesce our public, private, and non-profit resources for the future 
> of our youth in Durham,” he said.
>
> Bell said that at this point, public input is critical for the next 
> steps to implement the plan. To encourage feedback and discussion on 
> various aspects of the report, a Facebook page 
> (http://www.Facebook.com/DurhamYouthSucceeding) has been established. 
> The page provides links to IBM's report and to a brief video 
> (http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=3F1bG9uQAz4) that chronicles the 
> challenges that local youth face.
>
> According to Bell, community leaders will meet in the coming weeks to 
> assess what the next steps should be to take advantage of key 
> recommendations, including how to involve various community 
> stakeholders and organizations, especially youth.
>
> The recommendations emerged from a study funded by an IBM Smarter 
> Cities Challenge grant, valued at $400,000, awarded to cities such as 
> Durham that have demonstrated progressive thinking and a commitment to 
> embrace change.
>
> For the study, six IBM staff members with expertise in finance, 
> technology, and management, spent most of February 2012 living in 
> Durham and interviewing approximately 80 residents, officials, and 
> community leaders.  The team presented its initial findings in March 
> and has submitted a more comprehensive report, now available on the 
> City’s website at 
> http://DurhamNC.gov/ich/cmo/Documents/ibm_scc_report.pdf.
>
> Durham was one of 33 cities named as recipients of IBM’s Smarter 
> Cities challenge grants in 2012. Launched in 2011, this three-year $50 
> million program for 100 U.S. cities is IBM’s single largest 
> philanthropic initiative. It funds in-person engagements staffed by 
> teams of top IBM experts who study and then make detailed 
> recommendations addressing locally important urban issues.
>
> "We thank the City of Durham for the hospitality shown to the IBM team 
> that visited earlier this year," said Steven Pearson, a North 
> Carolina-based manager for IBM's Corporate Citizenship & Corporate 
> Affairs group.  "We hope that the recommendations that our team 
> prepared will be useful in helping to making Durham as vibrant and 
> successful as it can be. We congratulate the city's leadership for its 
> forward thinking and commitment to innovation."
>
> ###
>
>
>
>
> -- 
>
> Frank White
>
> White Cap Solutions
> http://whitecapsolutions.com
>
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