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New
Civic Engagement Series Launched October 21, 2002-- The University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, the Charlottesville-Albemarle Commission on Children and Families and numerous other local organizations will convene a community forum to address the issue of troubled children in central Virginia on Saturday, Nov. 2. The forum, the first in a planned series to promote increased civic engagement in key local issues, will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Albemarle County Office Building auditorium, 400 McIntire Road. All members of the public are invited to participate in the forum and small-group discussions, on the theme “Our Nation’s Kids: Is Something Wrong?” The program will conclude with a summary, refreshments and a community resources fair on children’s programs from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Child care will be provided. “There isn’t a day that goes by when there isn’t a headline in our marvelous community about troubled youth,” said Nancy Gansneder, assistant professor at the Cooper Center and event co-organizer. “Despite our strong community and many successful youth programs, we still have a lot of problems and needs related to our children.” Addressing ways to improve meeting the needs of children and youth in the Charlottesville-Albemarle community, the forum also will aim to foster citizen participation in solving issues, she said. The event is affiliated with the National Issues Forums Network, a nationwide nonpartisan group that promotes civic engagement on issues of importance for local communities. Its local sponsor is the Civic Engagement Initiative, a partnership of organizations hosted by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. The children’s forum is the first in a series that will be held from time to time on local issues. In addition to the Cooper Center and the Commission on Children and Families, a city-county advisory group, co-sponsoring organizations of this first forum include U.Va.’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies, School of Law Public Service Center, Madison House, Jefferson-Madison Regional Library, Albemarle County Social Services, Monticello Area Community Action Agency, Virginia Institute of Government and other groups. To reserve a space for child care at the event please call (434) 997-3550. For additional information about the forum or the series, contact Nancy Gansneder at (434) 982-4770 or Saphira Baker at 970-3550. Media contact: Bob Brickhouse, (434) 924-6856 |
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FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Contact the Office
of University Relations at (434) 924-7116. Television reporters
should contact the TV News Office at (434) 924-7550. |
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