Township Alliance For Youth

TOWNSHIP ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH
1
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
Preliminary Findings
The Loevy Consulting Group

Chicago, Illinois
Research Support Services
Evanston, Illinois
CONTENTS
 TAFY Mission
 Research Methodology
 Preliminary Findings
 Response
TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 3

MISSION
To advocate for New Trier Township

youth as they grow toward healthy and
responsible adulthood by mobilizing
resources across township’s agencies,
schools, faith communities, governmental
bodies, youth and families.

TAFY GOAL #1
To serve as baseline for measurement

and assessment against which to
measure progress over the coming years.

TAFY GOAL #2
To focus on preteens and teens

in grades 6-12 in the township
communities of Wilmette, Winnetka,
Kenilworth, Glencoe, Northfield and
Glenview.

TAFY GOAL #3
To engage parents, faith communities,
volunteers, social service agencies,
schools, civic organizations, as well as
youth themselves, in meaningful
dialogue about the strengths,
challenges, and needs of youth in
New Trier Township.

TAFY GOAL #4
To address a wide-range of youth
issues, such as emotional/ behavioral
health, accessibility of recreational and
support services, benefits and
challenges of raising youth/being a
youth in the North Shore, and
opportunities for positive youth
development.

TAFY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (1)
Ginny Anderson Links-North Shore Youth Health

Service
Stephani Becker Wilmette Youth Commission
Erin Biernbaum TAFY Coordinator, New Trier
Township High School 2003
Tim Dohrer New Trier Township High School
Joe Feldman Former Chair, Wilmette Youth
Commission
Tom Golebiewski New Trier Township High School

TAFY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (2)
Kate Mahoney PEER Services, Inc.

Judy Meyer Erika’s Lighthouse
Diane Block/ Haven Youth and Family Services
Amy O’Leary
Chris Rector Family Service of Glencoe
Alec Ross Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Melissa Miller Student Advisor, New Trier High
School 2008

GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN
DATA COLLECTION
1. Work from a positive point of view.

2. Use the issues and insights from the
qualitative data collection to guide
the quantitative data collection.
3. Develop questions based on validated
surveys from respected organizations
& foundations

DATA COLLECTION METHODS (1)
 Seventeen Key Informant Interviews

with community leaders in Spring 2007
 Six Focus Groups with parents and
service providers in Summer 2007 (26
parents and 19 providers)
 Five Town Hall Meetings in Fall 2007
(40 people)

DATA COLLECTION METHODS (2)
 Seven Focus Groups with students and

teachers in Winter 2008 (36 students and
15 teachers & superintendents)
 Web-based surveys with community
members, 6th graders, 7th/8th graders, and
High School students in Spring/Summer
2008 (528 respondents)

WEB SURVEY:
CONTENT CONSIDERATIONS
Qualitative data suggested ten content areas:
1. Family Relations 1. Bullying

2. School 2. Emotional Well-being
3. Activities 3. Alcohol, Drugs
4. Friends 4. Sex
5. Relationships with 5. Community Engagement
other Adults

WEB SURVEY:
RESPONDENT CONSIDERATIONS
6th Grade Reframe questions about sex for 6th versus 7th/8th
grade
7th/8th Grade As with 6th Grade survey, questions about suicide
use the term “harm yourself “ rather than suicide
High School More questions on alcohol, drugs, sex; tried not to
repeat YRBS
Community Three tracks, for community members with
(1) children between 6th-12th grade
(2) children beyond 12th grade but younger than 40
(3) others

WEB SURVEY:
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS (1)
6th/7th/8th 4 Districts: Mailed letters to students

inviting them to participate in web survey
1 district: Sent home letters to all
students inviting them to participate in web
survey
1 district: Drew sample from school
directory & mailed letter inviting students to
participate in web survey

WEB SURVEY:
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS (2)
High School Drew 50% sample from school listing &

mailed letter inviting students to
participate in web survey
Community Drew 20% sample from purchased

mailing list & mailed letter inviting
community members to participate in
web survey

RESPONDENTS
CATEGORY Respondents Response Rate
Community 303 6.1%
High School 88 4.3%
Middle School 88 4.3%
6th Grade 49 4.8%
Total 528 5.2%

1A. RELATIONSHIPS
In my home, there is a parent or some other adult member

Pretty Much/
Not at All/ A Very Much
Little True True
who expects me to follow the rules
6th 2% 98%
7th/8th 4% 96%
HS 6% 94%
Community - Current Child 0% 100%
Community - Older Child 0% 100%
who enforces the rules that have been set
6th 2% 98%
7th/8th 8% 92%
HS 21% 79%

1B. RELATIONSHIPS
In my home, there is a parent or some other adult member

Pretty Much/
Not at All/ A Very Much
Little True True
who talks with me about my problems
6th 15% 85%
7th/8th 22% 78%
HS 32% 68%
who listens to me when I have something to say
6th 5% 95%
7th/8th 14% 86%
HS 17% 84%

1C. RELATIONSHIPS
Thinking about how much time About the

you spend together as a family, Not enough right Too much
would you say it's… time amount time
6th 5% 87% 8%
7th/8th 8% 81% 12%
HS 19% 68% 13%
Community - Current Child 47% 47% 7%
Community - Older Child NAP

2. FRIENDS
I have a friend about my own age…
Not at All/ Pretty Much/
A Little True Very Much True
who really cares about me
6th 3% 97%
7th/8th 6% 94%
HS 8% 93%
who talks with me about my problems
6th 21% 79%
7th/8th 15% 85%
HS 19% 81%
who will stand up for me.
6th 6% 94%
7th/8th 14% 86%
HS 10% 90%

3A. BULLYING
In the past year, have you been bullied or threatened either physically, verbally, or by some
remote means like instant messaging, e-mail, or cell phone?
More than
a couple Once or
A lot of times twice Never
6th 6% 21% 18% 55%
7th/8th 9% 11% 38% 42%
HS 6% 8% 34% 52%
Yes No
When you were bullied, did any of your friends ever stand up for you?
Yes No
6th 73% 27%
7th/8th 74% 26%
HS 71% 29%
3B. BULLYING
When you witnessed someone being bullied, did you…
stand up for that

person walk away not do anything
6th 84% 5% 11%
7th/8th 73% 5% 19%
HS 64% 5% 29%

4A. FEELINGS: STUDENTS
If you needed help with a personal problem, to whom or where would
you go first? Second?
First Second
Parent
6th 66% 28%
7th/8th 42% 39%
HS 19% 35%
Friend, including girlfriend or boyfriend
6th 34% 28%
7th/8th 51% 22%
HS 57% 17%
My brother/sister
6th 3% 31%
7th/8th 7% 26%
HS 14% 15%

4B. FEELINGS: STUDENTS
If you needed help with a personal problem, to whom or where would
you go first? Second?
First Second
Other family member
6th 3% 13%
7th/8th 1% 7%
HS 3% 13%
Counselor, social worker, teacher or other trusted adult at school
6th 0% 6%
7th/8th 3% 6%
HS 5% 18%
Other
6th 9% 12%
7th/8th 6% 29%
HS 12% 33%

4C. FEELINGS: COMMUNITY
How would you rate your child's level of High/ Very Very Low/
stress? Would you say it's… High Moderate Low
Community - Older Child 43% 52% 5%
Very/
Are you concerned about your child's Somewhat Not at all
level of stress? Concerned Concerned Concerned
Community - Older Child 55% 21% 23%

4D. FEELINGS: COMMUNITY
How much does each of the following contribute to Somewhat/ Not very much/
your child's level of stress? Very much Not at all
The amount of school work your child has. 78% 23%
Peer pressure or relationships with other children 59% 42%
Divorce or separation issues 13% 87%
Other difficulties with family members 28% 73%
Illness or death of friends or family 19% 81%
Family financial pressures 9% 92%
Activities like sports, music, arts, and the like 37% 64%
Pressure to compete and excel at school 68% 32%
* Asked only about child currently in Grades 6-12

5A. DEPRESSION: COMMUNITY
Are you concerned that your child might be

depressed?
Yes No
Community - Current 14% 86%

5B. DEPRESSION: TEENS
Below is a list of some of the ways you may have felt or behaved. Please indicate how often you
have felt this way DURING THE PAST WEEK by checking the appropriate space. (Responses are
for 3 or more days during the last week.)
You enjoyed life. 6th 97% You felt lonely. 6th 22%
7th/8th 92% 7th/8th 20%
HS 86% HS 25%
You were happy. 6th 94% You felt sad. 6th 13%
7th/8th 86% 7th/8th 16%
HS 84% HS 23%

5C. DEPRESSION: TEENS
During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously
consider harming yourself? (attempting suicide)
Yes No
6th 6% 94%
7th/8th 19% 81%
HS 18% 82%
During the past 12 months, how many times did you
actually attempt to harm yourself? (attempt suicide)
1 or more times 0 times
6th 6% 94%
7th/8th 8% 92%
HS 3% 97%
5D. DEPRESSION: TEENS
If you or a friend felt like you wanted to harm yourself, where could you go for
help? (Mark all that apply.)
A parent Wouldn't go to anyone

6th 88% 6th 0%
7th/8th 77% 7th/8th 6%
HS 49% HS 22%
A friend your own age, including your
boyfriend or girlfriend Don't know where I could go
6th 75% 6th 13%
7th/8th 81% 7th/8th 13%
HS 77% HS 14%

6A. ACTIVITIES
Thinking about the amount of time you have outside of school to be with friends
or play or just generally enjoy unscheduled time, would you say you have…
More than About the Not quite Not nearly
enough right amount enough enough
time of time time time
6th 3% 50% 35% 12%
7th/8th 11% 41% 40% 8%
HS 5% 30% 42% 23%
Community - Current Child 21% 41% 29% 10%
Community - Older Child 16% 68% 15% 2%

6B. ACTIVITIES
Students report spending at least 30 minutes
per day or several times per week on…
Homework or studying 93%
Read for pleasure 48%
Getting help with schoolwork 17%
Physical activity 74%
Sports 61%
Playing musical instruments 37%
Private classes or lessons 20%
Hanging out with friends 54%
Spending time with my boyfriend/girlfriend 9%

6C. ACTIVITIES
Students report spending at least 30 minutes
per day or several times per week on…
Surf or browse the web 75%
Talk on the phone or text message 70%
TV or play video games 61%
Social networking (Facebook, MySpace, etc.) 48%
On-line gaming 24%
Family or household responsibilities 61%
Working at a paid job 9%
Volunteer work 6%
Religious activities or instruction 4%

6D. ACTIVITIES
If your community were to provide new activities for people your
age/young people, what would you want? (Pick your top three choices
from the list.)
A place to hang out, with recreational activities like movies, bowling,
arcade games
6th 85%
7th/8th 65%
HS 59%
Community - All 43%
Organized sports
6th 52%
7th/8th 47%
HS 29%
Community - All 25%
Volunteer opportunities to help others, animals, or the environment
6th 30%
7th/8th 36%
HS 43%
Community - All 57%

6E. ACTIVITIES (continued)
If your community were to provide new activities for people your

age/young people, what would you want? (Pick your top three choices
from the list.)
Job Readiness and Work Internships

6th 21%
7th/8th 26%
HS 46%
Community - All 31%

7A. SEX
In the past 6 months, have you talked with your parents
or other adults in your family about…
Yes No
Your questions about sex?
6th 26% 74%
7th/8th 28% 73%
HS 19% 81%
Birth control?
6th 7% 94%
7th/8th 35% 65%
HS 32% 69%
HIV/AIDS & other sexually transmitted infections (STI)?
6th 19% 81%
7th/8th 40% 60%
HS 26% 74%

7B. SEX
Where do you get your most useful information about sex?

Parents/ Other
Adult Family
Members School Friends Other
6th 48% 23% 13% 17%
7th/8th 25% 34% 21% 20%

7C. SEX
Have you ever felt pressure to participate in any kind of

sexual activity when you didn't want to?
Yes No
7th/8th 4% 96%
HS 18% 82%

8A. ALCOHOL & DRUGS
In the past 6 months, have you talked with your parents
or other adults in your family about…
Yes No
Alcohol use?
6th 52% 48%
7th/8th 66% 34%
HS 52% 48%
Drug use?
6th 55% 45%
7th/8th 62% 38%
HS 50% 50%

8B. ALCOHOL & DRUGS
There are clear rules in your family about your alcohol and drug
use.
True Not True
6th 91% 9%
7th/8th 91% 9%
HS 82% 18%
Strongly
Agree/ Disagree/
Strongly Agree Disagree

8C. ALCOHOL & DRUGS
How difficult is it for students in your grade to get any of the
following substances if they really want them?
Fairly Easy Easy
Alcohol
6th 0% 13%
7th/8th 45% 27%
HS 33% 60%
Marijuana
6th 0% 3%
7th/8th 21% 9%
HS 45% 37%
Cocaine and other illegal drugs
6th 0% 3%
7th/8th 12% 5%
HS 31% 13%

8D. ALCOHOL & DRUGS
During your life, how many times have you used or tried….
4 or more
Never Once 2 - 3 times times
one full drink of alcohol, such as a can of beer, glass of wine, or shot of liquor
(do not include drinking a few sips of wine for religious purposes)?
6th 100% 0% 0% 0%
7th/8th 83% 4% 8% 4%
HS 55% 7% 9% 29%
marijuana (pot, grass, weed)?
6th 100% 0% 0% 0%
7th/8th 97% 1% 0% 1%
HS 83% 3% 10% 5%
misused prescription drugs or over the counter drugs?
6th 100% 0% 0% 0%
7th/8th 96% 4% 0% 0%
HS 89% 5% 0% 6%

9. DIFFICULTIES
In this community, what do you think are the three hardest things for teens to deal with?
6TH 7TH/8TH HIGH

COMM.
GRADE GRADE SCHOOL
Second
% % % %
Peer pressure 58%(39)
24.4% 47% 37% 63%
Competition (academics, sports, drama, etc.) 34.1%
29%(43) 29% 46% 50%
Parents’ expectations for success 39.1%
26%(34) 13% 27% 34%
Drugs/Alcohol 48.8%
6%(42) 10% 24% 34%
Being accepted for who they are 22.4%
19%(19) 26% 23% 33%
Stress/Depression 39.7%
16%(27) 37% 49% 27%
Getting along with students/making friends 39%(12)
34.3% 33% 20% 14%
School's expectation of academic success 32%(17)
51.5% 30% 30% 13%
Bullying/Violence 35.7%
10%(10) 21% 3% 11%
Pressure to have sex 9.1%3%
(1) 3% 6% 4%
Boredom 36.4%
13%(4) 10% 9% 4%
Dating/Relationships 32%(2)
22.2% 29% 19% 4%
Family financial issues 33.3%
0%(2) 3% 3% 2%
Other problems 16.7%
13%(1) 9% 6% 2%

10. SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS/
COMMUNITY EFFICACY
Community residents who agree or strongly agree that…
People in this neighborhood can be trusted. 86%
People around here are willing to help their neighbors. 80%
When I'm away from home, I know that my neighbors will keep their eyes open
for possible trouble to my place.
80%
The park or playground closest to where I live is safe at night. 62%
There are adults in this neighborhood that children can look up to. 75%
Parents in this neighborhood generally know each other. 74%
Adults in this neighborhood know who the local children are. 66%
Parents in this neighborhood know their children's friends. 63%
If a group of teenagers were drinking in the park, the neighbors would do
something about it.
57%
You can count on adults in this neighborhood to watch out that children are
51%
safe and don't get in trouble.

Township Alliance For Youth

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Township Alliance For Youth

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

TOWNSHIP ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH

The Loevy Consulting Group

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 3

To advocate for New Trier Township

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 4

To serve as baseline for measurement

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 5

To focus on preteens and teens

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 6

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 7

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 8

Ginny Anderson Links-North Shore Youth Health

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 9

Kate Mahoney PEER Services, Inc.

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 10

1. Work from a positive point of view.

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 11

 Seventeen Key Informant Interviews

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 12

 Seven Focus Groups with students and

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 13

1. Family Relations 1. Bullying

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 14

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 15

6th/7th/8th 4 Districts: Mailed letters to students

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 16

High School Drew 50% sample from school listing &

Community Drew 20% sample from purchased

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 17

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 18

In my home, there is a parent or some other adult member

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 19

In my home, there is a parent or some other adult member

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 20

Thinking about how much time About the

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 21

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 22

When you witnessed someone being bullied, did you…

stand up for that

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 24

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 25

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 26

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 27

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 28

Are you concerned that your child might be

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 29

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 30

A parent Wouldn't go to anyone

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 32

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 33

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 34

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 35

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 36

If your community were to provide new activities for people your

Job Readiness and Work Internships

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 37

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 38

Where do you get your most useful information about sex?

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 39

Have you ever felt pressure to participate in any kind of

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 40

TAFY Presentation. 11/5/08 41