"Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved". - Mattie Stepanek.
Youth programs are vital to the development of our youth; they create positive impacts in the lives of young people, encouraging them to build connections to the community, develop meaningful relationships with caring. adults, supports academic achievement, and helps prevent juvenile delinquency. We are able to provide a range of services to Manchester youth and their families by working closely with a variety of town departments, community and state agencies, and other organizations, which includes various programs and grants.
The Council was established in 1997 in response to a statewide initiative that increased the number of preschool and child care spaces available to Connecticut residents. The primary goal of the Council is to support the positive development, education, and well-being of young children -- ensuring that every child in Manchester starts school "ready to learn." Their mission is to advocate for the advancement of young children’s learning by promoting policies, programs, and partnerships among Manchester families, schools and the community.
The School Readiness Program was established in 1997 under P.A. 97-259, An Act Concerning School Readiness and Child Day Care and codified in the CT General Statutes (CGS) 10-16p–10-16u. This legislation established a state grant program to provide spaces for eligible children in priority school districts and competitive grant municipalities in high-quality programs either accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), or Head Start approved. School Readiness is a state funded grant through the Office of Early Childhood, and Manchester is a priority school district.
Local Interagency Service Team (LIST)
The Connecticut LIST raises community awareness about the needs of children and youth who are involved in the Juvenile Justice System, or who are at risk of involvement in the Juvenile Justice System. The Rockville LIST is funded by a grant from the CT Department of Children and Families and Court Support Services Division of the CT Judicial Branch. Manchester is one of several local communities served by LIST. The goals of LIST are to:
- Support families and community members with resources regarding juvenile justice
- Create partnerships between youth, families, local organizations and state agencies
- Increase access to services for youth and families
- Increase the sharing of information and knowledge among youth, families, community members, local organizations and state agencies
If you have questions about LIST, or are interested in attending meetings or becoming a member, please contact Terri Olson, LIST Coordinator at tolson@manchesterct.gov. Meetings are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Manchester Vernon Prevention Partnership (MVPP) is a partnership between The Change Collaborative of Manchester and the Vernon ROCKS Coalition, through a five-year federally funded grant from the Substance and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). MVPP was created to reduce underage drinking and increase prevention program work in the towns of Vernon and Manchester.
This expansion will help bring Vernon ROCKS and the Change Collaborative's prevention efforts into schools, where MVPP will implement a life-skills curriculum for middle and high schoolers (Botvin Lifeskills Training), to combat social and underage drinking issues that can occur during adolescence. MVPP will also create media campaigns targeting teens and parents to help educate them about underage drinking.
An MVPP Advisory Board was formed to focus on increasing program capacity and substance abuse prevention efforts, which will expand to include new member sectors that tackle housing, employment and financial stability. A Youth Advisory Board will also be developed and modeled after the Vernon ROCKS Real Talk youth initiative and the Change Coalition's FACTS group to engage local youth leaders.