09-24-1997 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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H E A L T H Y Y O U T H / H E A L T H Y C I T I E S Connecting With Kids Communicating with youth and helping them with their problems has become a high priority for cities across the nation. Most evidence, nevertheless, suggests that city government has a hard time connecting with young people and their families. By Frank Benest and Debbie Thornton New city services go for naught without creative marketing. Take for example these typical challenges...A city parks and recreation department schedules a teen dance at the youth center. Few kids show up. In a survey distributed at ajun- ior high school, the mayor's office asks young people to identify the major prob- lems facing youth in their community. Even af- er teachers urge students to return the survey, only a small percentage respond. To actively in- volve young people in civic affairs, a city coun- cil tries to form a youth commission with kids from different backgrounds and with varied in- terests. However, only a handful of highly mo- tivated, college -bound kids apply. A police de- partment and school district recruit volunteer counselors to assist at -risk youth. Few troubled youth take advantage of the service. The marketing challenge These failures suggest that city governments need to market their services to young people and their families more effectively. Addressing this marketing challenge is critical if local gov- ernment is to help with problems that confound and hurt youth, actively engage kids in commu- nity life, and generally support them in becom- ing productive and contributing members of so- ciety. Marketing is defined as finding a need and filling it. Marketing to youth involves listening to kids and evaluating their needs, then re- sponding with opportunities, experiences, and services that are appropriately priced, promoted, and distributed. It requires modifying these ser- vices (or "products ") as youth give city hall "customer feedback." This notion of marketing, therefore, goes well beyond merely advertising. predetermined youth programs. Marketing is fundamentally an exchange re- lationship: Value is exchanged for value. If AUGUST 1997 "Marketing to youth involves listening to kids and evaluating their needs, then responding with opportunities, experiences, and services that are appropriately priced, promoted, and distributed." Page 77 youth, in this case, do not perceive value (in the teen dance, the youth -needs survey, youth commission or service opportunity), they will not provide value (their attention, discretionary income or participation). Youth must perceive value in what cities offer or they will tune out. Barriers to overcome The barriers that prevent city governments from marketing effectively to kids are varied. For in- stance: City departments do not assign staff to develop relationships and rapport with kids be- fore city agencies offer opportunities, experi- ences, and service. Youth are busy and over - whelmed. It is difficult to grab their attention when they are bombarded with stimuli and in- formation from many sources. Often, appropri- ate language or positive imagery are not used to connect with young people. City government does not often invest in fostering diversity among youth leaders who can help cities reach kids from a variety of backgrounds. Well thought -out and creative communications and marketing plans for connecting with kids are not included as standard operating procedure when designing new youth programs. As op- posed to corporations with great expertise in reaching the youth market, city government of- ten does not pay for marketing expertise to link up with adults, much less kids. Cities fail to rec- ognize that there are many kinds of kids. The youth market is highly segmented with niches relating to age, gender, ethnicity, interests, in- come, educational or occupational goals, aspira- tions and outlook. Local government agencies often focus on dealing with youth as problems and "deficits" to fixed up with services. Even though adults often talk about youth being the leaders of tomorrow, city govern - ment, schools, and youth - serving organizations do not provide enough opportunities for youth co practice leadership skills and behaviors. 7