Up2Us Public Policy Priorities
The Up2Us Public Policy Priorities are designed to provide clear, consistent strategic guidance and direction on those public education issues and opportunities at the federal, state, and community level. These priorities help align with the strategic priorities of Up2Us.
Health, Wealth and Nutrition
Childhood obesity is at epidemic levels in our nation. Sports-based youth development programs incorporate exercise into their programs as a teaching tool thereby improving physical fitness levels, health and nutrition. These programs also help kids avoid alcohol, drugs, and gangs by giving them focus and activities.
Obesity Prevention
Approximately one in five children in the US between the ages of 6 and 17 are overweight. About 25 percent of all white children are overweight, while 33 percent of African-American and Hispanic children are overweight.
According to surveys of overweight/obese children and teens:
• 60 percent of overweight children already have one risk factor for heart disease
• 85 percent of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are obese
• 25 percent of overweight children are already showing early signs of type 2 diabetes
• Approx 20 percent of newly diagnosed cases of childhood diabetes are type 2, associated with obesity. This figure is up from 4 percent in 1990.
Drug and Alcohol Prevention
Half of teens (50%) have tried an illicit drug by the time they finish high school. Two fifths of 8th graders (41%) and almost three fourths of all 10th graders (73%) consider marijuana easily accessible. In 2005, 15.5% of youths ages 12-17 indicated that they had been approached by someone selling drugs in the past month. Youth who reported being approached by someone selling drugs were more likely to have used an illicit drug in their lifetime (61.3% vs. 21.5%), in the past year (51.2% vs. 14.1%) and in the past month (32.6% vs. 5.8%). These are alarming statistics that lead to other larger problems like depression and violence. The occurrence of major depressive episode in the past year among youths ages 12-17 was associated with a higher prevalence of illicit drug or alcohol dependence or abuse (19.8%).
Eating Disorders
Nationwide, 12.3% of high school students had gone without eating for 24 hours or more to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight during the last 30 days. The prevalence of appearance in society has caused anorexia, bulimia and usage of weight loss aids to become widespread among youth of all ages. Creating self esteem and building self worth through youth development programs helps kids create a positive self image, thereby reducing the temptation to engage in these destructive behaviors.
Drunk Driving
Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death among youth ages 15-20. There were 7,460 youth motor vehicle deaths in 2005. (This includes both drivers and passengers.) Alcohol is still the number one “drug” among teens because it is still easy for youth to obtain. Teen alcohol use exacerbates the problem because of the effect it has on the developing brain. While alcohol acts as a sedative to adults, teens show more sensitivity to the stimulating effects of alcohol. Therefore, teens are more likely to drink past the points where adults would end up passing out and end up engaging in activities such as driving even though they are too impaired to do so. Educating youth about the dangers of alcohol is imperative.
Anti-Violence
In 2005, 23.4% of youth ages 12-17 reported that, in the past year, they had gotten into a serious fight at school or work. Nationwide, 18.5% of high school students had carried a weapon (gun, knife, or club) one or more days in the last 30 days. More than 1 in 3 high school students, both male and female, have been involved in a physical fight. 1 in 9 of those students have been injured badly enough to need medical treatment. Giving youth positive and creative outlets helps calm aggression and channels their emotions.
Academic Success
Many urban youth have a fear of success and do not have the tools necessary to take the steps toward bettering themselves. Youth development programs use sports and recreation as the hook to teach life skills such as perseverance, fair play, teamwork loyalty, leadership, respect for rules, and managing resources.
Reducing Drop-out Rates
Currently, the drop-out rate of youth in the US is approximately 50%. This staggering statistic has many more ramifications than students not being properly educated. Students who fail to graduate high school are also significantly more likely to become single parents and have children at young ages. Students who do not graduate high school are significantly more likely to rely upon public assistance or be in prison. In short, high school graduation is a very important predictor of young people’s life prospects. In 2000, young adults living in families with incomes in the lowest 20 percent of all family incomes were six times as likely as their peers from families in the top 20 percent of the income distribution to drop out of high school.
Youth Development and Leadership
Leadership encompasses a vast array of skills and abilities. These skills and abilities come into play as leaders interact with their peers, subordinates, and supervisors. There is a demonstrated need for leadership and positive leadership skills in all organizations not limited to the corporate world. Increasingly, individuals in all fields need greater levels of positive leadership skills to be successful. In today's society, people in positions of leadership are required to not only become skillful in shaping their own preferred futures and fulfilling their own goals but also the futures and goals of their followers as well. Leadership philosophies taught in the programs of the past no longer address the complex problems found in the communities and organizations of today. Youth development programs assist in providing a solid foundation of skills that will help students become a catalyst of change in their communities.
Citizenship
Citizenship-specific factors from the perspective of forming social capital fall into three categories, trust & sharing values, rights & responsibility, and active in public affairs. The National Curriculum recently stated that “education must enable us to respond positively to the opportunities and challenges of the rapidly changing world in which we live and work…" In order for urban communities to change we must equip out youth to deal with each of these three categories. Youth leadership and development programs address each of these categories to turn out students who will become leaders in their community and have the tools to effectuate change.
Urban Revitalization
Inner city and urban neighborhoods have become havens for drug dealers, crime and violence. Many inner city kids are less likely to have hazard-free places to play and proper supervision. Sports-based youth development programs provide a safe haven for kids to develop social skills, get invested in their communities and take ownership of issues that need addressed where they live.
Gang Prevention
More than 840,500 gang members were estimated to be active in the United States in 1999. This number represents an 8 percent increase from 1998. The 2002 National Gang Trends Survey (NGTS) stated that there are more than 24,500 different street gangs in the United States alone. More than 772,500 of the members of these gangs are teens and young adults. Sports-based youth development programs give kids a positive alternative to joining a gang. Everyone wants to feel like they belong. For many inner city youth, they have fragmented family lives and join gangs as a substitute for family. Sports give them a team, somewhere to belong with a positive base to build upon.
Rebuilding the Inner City
Sprawl has concentrated those living in poverty and has increased racial segregation. Deteriorating neighborhoods, lower quality schools and a general impairment of quality of living has affected our youth in negative ways. In order to assist these children in becoming productive members of society and giving them a chance at success, we now need to make it a priority to create good school environments, create safe neighborhoods and quality recreation and give this demographic a reason to become invested in their community.