2012 Learning Network

Baraga County Vulnerable Youth Learning Network

The Baraga County Vulnerable Youth Learning Network is a series of meetings, workshops and facility tours in which participants collaborate to increase support of youth, particularly those youth that are most vulnerable and least prepared to transition into adulthood successfully. Five to seven teams from local organizations study and explore issues related to youth in the community. Learning Network sessions will take place over the next year with the goal of improving the community for Baraga County youth. 

To help provide data to guide the Learning Network’s progress, the Great Lakes Center for Youth Development has partnered with Portage Health to administer a survey to all 8th, 10th and 12th grade students in the Baraga and L’Anse schools. The Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes & Behaviors survey is a survey created by the Search Institute out of Minneapolis and measures the 40 Developmental Assets. The Vulnerable Youth Learning Network will use this data in their community work with the schools. The data will help us learn more about how to improve the outcomes for those youth with the least number of Developmental Assets. This data will be released to the public after the members of the Learning Network have an opportunity to analyze the data. 

If you are interested in joining the Baraga County Vulnerable Youth Learning Network, please contact Paul Olson.

Tentative Meeting Dates:

• January 17, 2012

• March 13, 2012

• May 8, 2012

• August 21, 2012

• October 30, 2012

Orientation – November 16, 2011

Nineteen professionals who work with youth in Baraga County convened on November 16th to learn about the Learning Network format and to brainstorm topics that the group will examine in the coming year. Topics that the group expressed interest in learning more about included substance abuse, the Michigan Merit Curriculum, parental engagement and young people who are struggling but don’t qualify for needed services. Organizations that have signed letters of commitment to support the Learning Network are Baraga Area Schools, Baraga County Community Foundation, Michigan Rehabilitation Services, Michigan Works and MSU Extension.

First Session – January 17, 2012

Nineteen professionals who serve vulnerable youth across Baraga County convened for the first full-day session of the Baraga County Vulnerable Youth Learning Network.  Paul Olson presented on The Baraga County 2011 Youth Asset Report to the attendees and a group of students from Baraga and L’Anse High Schools.  He then facilitated a focus group of the students to discuss their response. Following the focus group, it was the consensus of the group to have youth participate in each Learning Network session.  The group reviewed goals and topics, broke into “host teams” and planned session topics.

*** Agendas and Information packets from past sessions: November 16, 2011 and January 17, 2012

Press Release: November 17, 2011 - Learning Network Convenes in Baraga County (Photos: Convening and Brainstorming)