Our current Action Teams & Planning Committees include Teen Closet, Kids Care Coat & Book Drive, Youth Involvement Conference and Community Leadership Awards Planning Committee, Youth Link Marketing and Bellevue Youth Court.
Teen Closet is a clothing bank program operated by Bellevue Youth Link,
in partnership with Bellevue Plato's Closet, World Impact Network, Bel-Red
Self Storage, and other community organizations.
Teen Closet is a youth driven initiative that started with the intent to
fill in the age and style gap that current clothing banks have. The
Bellevue Youth Council made the project into an action
team, and had its first event in 2001 in partnership with World Impact
Network and Bellevue Plato's Closet, Teen Closet's main clothing donor.
Kids Care Coat & Book Drives
BELLEVUE –Bellevue Youth Link needs your help in collecting new and gently used coats—as well as books for youth, teens and adults in our community.
Last year, the Kids Care Coat Drive collected and distributed over 3,500 coats for Bellevue families in need, and the need may be even greater this year. In addition to new and gently used coats, books are also being collected this year to help local residents have more access to books.
Coat and book donations can be dropped off through Monday, Jan. 6, at Bellevue City Hall, all community centers and select businesses and schools.
For a
list of drop-off locations, visit
www.youthlink.com
Donated coats and books will be distributed to Bellevue families in need on
Jan. 7, 4 to 8 p.m. at Crossroads Community Center, 16000 NE 10th St., while
supplies last.
Volunteers are also needed to help sort and distribute the donations. For
information about donating or volunteering, contact Patrick Alina, Youth
Link Program Coordinator at
palina@bellevuewa.gov or 425-452-5254, or visit
http://www.youthlink.com
For information about the coat and book distribution event, contact Vicki
Drake, Community Services Supervisor at
vdrake@bellevuewa.gov or 425-452-4874.
The coat drive is supported by Bellevue Plato’s Closet, Bel-Red Self Storage, and the Bellevue Home Depot. The book drive is part of a student project at International School in partnership with Eastside Pathways and “Be the Bridge”, a project that connects students with books.
Bellevue Youth Link is a partnership of the City of Bellevue and Bellevue Public Schools that provides teens with opportunities to have an active voice and make a positive difference in the community
Marketing
Students
interested in marketing will learn and work in team settings by helping
develop marketing tools and products for the Youth Link Program. Team
members will help develop print media materials (i.e. brochures, posters),
maintain our social media presence, and help develop our monthly online
newsletter publication called “Youth Connect” at Bellevue Patch, an online
grassroots news and community info resource
How to Join
If you are interested in joining this Action Team, please contact Patrick Alina
at 425.452.5254,
or via e-mail at
palina@bellevuewa.gov
Background
Bellevue
Youth Court is a partnership between the City of Bellevue and King County to
reduce the recidivism rates among juvenile committing divertible crimes in
the Bellevue area. Based on Whatcom County’s Bellevue Youth Court Program,
the Bellevue Youth Court is a three-year pilot project funded by the City of
Bellevue/Youth Link Program and authorized by King County Superior Court.
Bellevue Youth Court will be evaluated by an independent agency on the
impact on youth respondents and youth volunteers participating in the youth
court program.
Bellevue Youth Court was launched January 29, 2008 and court is held monthly
hearing two court cases per court session. 30-50 youth are trained as youth
judges, jurors, bailiffs, clerks, and prosecuting and defense advocates
(attorneys). Attorneys serve as mentors and guide the Defense and
Prosecution Teams for each case.
King County Superior Court judges—Carol Schapira and Harry McCarthy oversee
the Bellevue Youth Court project and court sessions.
Objectives
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Introduce civic responsibility to Bellevue youth and teens regarding the King County Juvenile Court system.
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Provide opportunities for Bellevue youth to participate in the Youth Court.
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Motivate youth to take responsibility for reducing the number of teens engaged in the juvenile justice system.
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Reduce Bellevue youth recidivism rates by supporting judicial education and civic accountability
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Recognize and celebrate the impact of Bellevue’s youth community on civic engagement and social responsibility.
Management Team
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Hon. Carol Schapira, King County Superior Court
-
Hon. Harry McCarthy, King County Superior Court
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Lt. David Sellers, Bellevue Police Department & Youth Link Board
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Osbaldo Hernandez, Youth Link Board
-
Tandra Schwamberg, Bellevue Probation Services
-
Bonnie Glenn, King County Prosecutor’s Office
-
Darcie Chinn, Bellevue City Attorney’s Office
-
Helena Stephens, City of Bellevue, Parks & Community Services
-
Melissa Galvez, Youth Eastside Services
For more information, please contact:
Helena Stephens
Family, Youth/Teen Services Manager
Office: 425-452-2846
Email: hstephens@bellevuewa.gov