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CATS: Serving teens in poverty
This document discusses ways libraries can better serve teens experiencing poverty. It recommends that libraries ensure teens feel safe, build relationships through trust and respect, include teens in leadership roles, and train staff on issues related to poverty. Libraries should acquire materials portraying teens in poverty and provide information on services for low-income families. The document also suggests partnering with schools, social services, and other community organizations to offer programs, tutoring, job assistance, and outreach through bookmobiles and other locations teens frequent.
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CATS: Serving teens in poverty
- 1. EMPATHY IS YOUR SUPERPOWER!: SERVINGTEENS IN POVERTY Beth Crist Colorado State Library
- 6. Small group discussion •What resonated with you? • What challenges/barriers do these teens face in using libraries? • What opportunities are there for libraries to meet their needs?
- 7. In your library:customer service • Ensure teens feel safe & welcome • Build relationships & trust • Respect & dignify teens; recognize their assets • Include teens in poverty in leadership roles • Use people-first language • Be flexible to reduce barriers to library use • Train staff on issues of poverty
- 8. In your library:collections • Acquire YA lit & films that portray teens in poverty; actively feature them • Have referral info at YA desk for services for low-income families • Display materials on college scholarships & about your community college
- 9. In your library:programs • Teen job fairs • Tutoring • Computer classes • Tech petting zoos • Summer food programs • Resume & job search help • College scholarship workshops • Book discussions with books featuring teens in poverty
- 10. Outside the library:partners • Schools • Afterschool programs • Social service agencies • Houses of worship • Local government • Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, other nonprofits • Homeless shelters, housing developments • Planned Parenthood • Juvenile detention centers • Suicide prevention services • Universities (can provide students to volunteer that also serve as role models)
- 11. Outside the library:outreach Where: • All partner locations • Via bookmobiles • Community centers • Goodwill, etc. What: • All in-library programs • Little Free Libraries • Summer reading
- 12. Promotion Where: • All outreachlocations • Radio • Big box stores • Public transit • Laundromats
- 14.
Editor's Notes
- #3 367,000 kids in CO on free and reduced lunch
- #5 Points out there are youth living in poverty in some unexpected areas in CO; may not realize/recognize it when they’re in your library, or that this underserved audience in your community that needs library outreach services. 1:03-1:27, 1:48-1:58, 2:11-2:30, 2:30-3:20
- #6 Minute 21.47, 29.30, 32.25, 38.44, 46.29
- #8 Bullet 1-in both the space and staff attitude 2-may take time; be patient 3-instead of stereotyping, being condescending, offering charity 4-volunteering, TAGs, reading with younger children 5-teens in poverty or in low-income families, not poor, hungry, or at-risk teens 6-let teens read off overdue fines, or read with younger children; Allow teens without an address to use address of school, shelter, motel or relative to get library card 7-including issues specific to teens in poverty
- #9 1-in a purposeful way. Include these in other languages in your community as possible. Feature them in book club selections, book talks, displays Flyer-Montana
- #10 Photo of job fair in library in Omaha
- #12 Flyer from CA
- #14 Questions and ideas