Online Resource Guide

Thurston County, one of the fastest growing counties in Washington State, has a growing number of factors that adversely affect the county’s youth: gang activity has increased in the past two years and indicators of substance abuse, family and youth violence, and child neglect are rising. Several faith- and community-based organizations in Thurston County are committed to countering these issues. Yet, to most effectively serve Thurston youth, these organizations need opportunities to build and/or increase their organizational capacity.

Program Overview

• The TOGETHER! CAPACITY (Community Action Partners Acquiring Capacity to Invest in Thurston Youth) Program helps build the capacity of TOGETHER! and its partnering faith- and community-based organizations that are working with youth ages 12-21 to further foster positive youth development and provide alternatives to gang involvement and violence.
• Build the capacity of the partnering organizations to coordinate with other state and local youth-serving agencies, with local law enforcement, and other groups working to prevent or prosecute crime.
• Mobilize community volunteers, particularly from faith-based communities, to support the delivery of services designed to avert youth violence, gang activity and child abuse and neglect.

Goals

• Increased overall organizational sustainability and effectiveness of lead and partnering organizations.
• Enhanced ability of lead and partnering organizations to provide social services.
• Diversified funding sources for lead and partnering organizations.
• Effective broad-based community coalitions to specifically address gang activity, youth violence, and child abuse and neglect.

• Conduct individual organizational assessments with project partners to determine needs for technical assistance.

• Provide one-on-one to partnering agencies in at least two of the following areas:

  a) leadership development,

  b) organizational development,

  c) program development

  d) community engagement.

   

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• Provide 15-20 community organizations with some level of training and technical assistance.

• Outreach to groups and organizations serving youth of color and youth who live in rural communities throughout Thurston County.