Initially the Youth ImPact collaborative responded to three pieces of research to develop a list of project possibilities: the needs assessment it conducted at the beginning of the project that revealed local priorities ("Lots More Positive Attitude"); research about the causes and cures of youth violence; and research related to the developmental assets that contribute to health for young people.

Highlights from the violence data
(Sources: Windham County 2007 YRBS, VAHS 2007 Community Profile, National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, Youth Violence Research, 2001. Read more.)

• In 2007, 38% of Windham County 8th-grade males and 21% of females had been in a physical fight.
• Windham County has a higher-than-state-average rate of violent injuries, "unmanageable" children, and dispositions for delinquency.
• Individual factors linked to violence: school success or failure, emotional problems, and substance abuse.
• Family factors linked to violence: discipline practices, communication style, and lack of involvement.
• Children who witness violence or who face physical, sexual, mental, or emotional abuse at home are more likely to become violent.
• Community factors linked to violence: low neighborhood cohesiveness and community disorganization.
• Environmental factors linked to violence: poverty and media exposure.
• Violence in television, movies, and video games is a contributor to youth violence.
• Drugs and alcohol and easy access to weapons are contributors as well.
• No single factor or single defining situation causes an individual to engage in violent behavior.
• Effective strategies to reduce youth violence include mentoring programs such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
• Children with adult mentors are much less likely to engage in drug or alcohol use or to commit violent acts.
• Bullying is a major cause of youth violence.
• The most violent harassment is directed at minorities, and based on disability, race, sexual orientation, nationality, and religion.
• The best time to prevent violent behavior is from Pre-K to 3rd grade.

Highlights from developmental asset data
(Source: The Search Institute)

Search Institute's 40 Developmental Assets are common-sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults. Our thoughts about how the local data interfaced with this research fell into nine categories: support, empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity.

This is what we heard the community, including young, youth-service providers and faith-based groups, saying to us:

• A lot of people are complaining about kids but no one is helping
• There aren't enough safe places for youth
• Youth are feeling watched and judged, and feel a lack of trust
• School can be both a source of stress and a source of positive challenge
• There is clearly not enough for young people to do in the county
• We need to create more activities
• We need to create transportation
• There are many supportive peers, family, and other adults
• Youth need dignity and should be trusted
• Sports is a huge draw for youth
• Maybe sports is so successful because it is a well-coordinated local offering; perhaps youth would come to any such offering
• Areas of support can also be areas of concern
• The prevalance of drugs was a major source of worry for many young people
• The library is an asset
• The Boys and Girls Club is a big asset in our community, mentioned in many of the surveys

We then brainstormed all the projects we thought would utilize the resources of those in the collaborative and respond to the above. Here is the list of our initial project possibilities:

• Recruit volunteers from faith-based organizations
• Develop mentoring programs for parents
• Help create an Al Anon for teens and parents
• Create an educational group for youth with substance abuse issues
• Help publicize current substance abuse groups
• Help support a thriving Boys and Girls Club
• Improve communication channels with other YSA's
• Youth asset development training for all Youth Service staff
• Increase visibility of Boys and Girls Club
• Get healthy kids to come to the B & G Club as mentors
• Increase parent involvement, at B & G Club
• TRANSPORTATION …an afterschool bus or a pass on bus for members
• Create kid-friendly conflict management groups
• Train staff at Youth Services to become advocates for community-wide youth voice
• Develop a powerful Youth Council
• Create a business venture that funds youth-serving agencies
• Provide fuel support for both cars and houses
• Create a food pantry/weekend-summer hunger project
• Create a position for an Interfaith youth advocate
• Find ways for faith-based organizations to recruit high school volunteers
• Supply Guilford pre-made lunches, knap sack program
• Create cheap, free activities in Guilford
• Create an Interfaith Youth Corps
• Create a sexuality education program in an FBO
• Build mentoring connections between elders/youth
• Urge schools to involve a spiritual leader on committees
• Create a crisis assistance program for families
• Sponsor youth weekend activities
• Provide space for youth clubs to meet
• Provide after-school activities
• Advocate for youth to be appointed to boards and committees
• Be open to shift in attitude toward young people
• Encourage congregations to engage in youth development
• Seek out "hidden youth"
• Create local brainstorming groups
• Create and maintain calendar with all events
• Organize international youth trips with a spiritual angle