11-12-1997 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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H E A L T H Y YOUTH/HEALTHY 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 &nest and Debbie Thornton N. ew 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 a jun- ior high school. che mayor's office asks young people to identify che major prob- lems faang youth in their community. Even al- ter 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 hies co 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 dismct recruit volunteer counselors to assist at -nsk youth. Few troubled youth cake advantage of the service. The marketing challenge These failures suggest chat city governments need to market their services to young people and their families more effecnvely. 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- rucv life. and generally support them in becom- ing producnve and conmbunng members of so- ciety. Marketing is defined as finding a need and rifling it. Vlarkenng to youth involves listening co kids and evaluating their needs. then re- sponding with opportunities. expenences. and services that are appropriately priced. promoted. and dismbuted. It requires modifying these ser- vices (or products ") as youth give city hail "customer feedback." This notion of marketing, therefore. goes well beyond merely advertising predetermined youth programs. Marketing is fundamentally an exchange re- lationship: Value :s exchanged for value. If .\ u c:; s r "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 60 youth, in chic case, do not perceive value (in the teen dance, the vouch -needs survey, youth commission or service opportunity), they will not provide value (their attention. discretionary income or parncipanon). Youth must perceive value in what cities orfer or they will tune out. Barriers to overcome The barriers chat prevent city governments from marketing effectively to kids are varied. For in- stance: City departments do not assign star` 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- . tormation from many sources. Often. appropri- ate language or positive imagery are not used to connect with young peooie. City government does not often invest :n fostenng diversity among youth leaders who can help canes reach kids from a vanety 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 vouch programs. As op- posed to corporations with great expertise in reaching the youth market. cuy government of- ten does not pay for marketing expertise to link up with adults. much less kids. Cities fail co rec- ognize chat there are manv kinds of kids. The youth market is highly seernented with niches reianng to age. gender. ethnicity, interests. in- come, educational or occupational goals. aspsa- dons 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 organizanons do not provide enough opportunities for vouch to practice ieadersnip skills and behaviors.