Linn board expands youth work program

By Les Gehrett
Albany Democrat-Herald
April 28, 2004

After several months of discussion on a potential forest work camp for Linn County youth, the Board of Commissioners decided Tuesday that expanding an existing program is the best approach at this time.

The commissioners voted unanimously to provide an additional $33,507 in funding for the Northwest Youth Corps. The added funding will allow 40 more Linn County youth to take part in the Eugene-based organization's summer work program.

'It meets the spirit of what our intent was: To offer some help to kids who are showing signs of going down a fork in the road that isn't good for their future,' said Commissioner Roger Nyquist.

The county already had granted the Northwest Youth Corps a $73,000 grant this summer to serve 20 young people. Under that agreement, the youth served work solely in Linn County.

County Administrator Ralph Wyatt said the additional 40 slots were cheaper to acquire because the young people will be placed in the Northwest Youth Corps' regular program and will work at forest locations throughout the Pacific Northwest.

As a condition of the grant, Linn County required additional drug and alcohol awareness training. In the end, the Northwest Youth Corps agreed to boost the emphasis on drug/alcohol prevention, not only for Linn youth, but for everyone who takes part in the program.

'I'm happy that they saw the value in our goals, to the extent where they are adding to their curriculum for all their kids,' Nyquist said.

With a total of 60 slots now available, the county will work with Northwest Youth Corps to recruit young people to take part in the program.

Ethan Nelson, the program director for the Northwest Youth Corps, said staff members will visit Linn County high schools to discuss the program and answer questions.

'We're excited, obviously,' Nelson said. 'It's an opportunity for us to expand our services to Linn County youth.'

The grant is being paid for by a portion of Linn County's federal forest payments. Part of this money each year is set aside for forest education programs, such as these summer work programs and outdoor schools.

The young people who take part will spend five weeks working on conversation projects.

'It's a very challenging program. It's very labor intensive,' Nelson said. 'It's a new experience for kids to jump in to and they grow a lot from that.'

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