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Can Youth-Initiated Mentoring be a game changer for disconnected youth in Nebraska?
By Deborah Neary, Executive Director, Midlands Mentoring Partnership
Some of our readers may have seen the Omaha World Herald front page story last month called Nebraska’s Juvenile Lockup Rate 3rd highest in the US. This story, documenting a statistic released in April 2013 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation based its research on figures obtained from a count of juveniles in residential placement by the U.S. Census Bureau. The foundation report recommends that policymakers should only use confinement with youths who pose the greatest risk to public safety. It also recommends that states like Nebraska should be investing in alternatives that provide supervised supports for juveniles in their homes and communities. Although this is a negative trend, many judges in Nebraska complain that they lack access to less-restrictive options to change this statistic.
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Join us in supporting quality child care!
Today the Nebraska Legislature will begin debate on LB 507; one of the most critical investments we can make in kids this year. LB 507, the Step Up to Quality Act, creates a statewide Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) and will ensure Nebraska’s children are receiving the quality care that will help them become successful adults. Quality Rating Improvement Systems provide a method to assess, improve and convey the quality of early learning programs. The first five years of a child’s life set the foundation for the rest of their lives. Access to high-quality learning environments is important because it provides infants, toddlers and young children what they need to succeed in school and life and it helps their parents work. Please join us in a statewide Virtual Advocacy Day by contacting your State Senator and asking them to support LB 507.
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BBF Four Focus Areas
BBF is creating educational excellence and equity by gaining insight and building partnerships to ensure that every student has a bright future. Click here to see an infographic highlighting our four focus areas.
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Moving Forward
Building Bright Futures (BBF) was founded in 2006, when a group of business, political and philanthropic leaders came together to assess the status of our youth in Douglas and Sarpy County. This wondrous group of donors dared to question whether young people were receiving the support and services they needed in the Omaha metro area. The need was clear. The answer spawned Building Bright Futures and later Avenue Scholars Foundation, a separate 501 © 3 with a like-minded mission.
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