Youth Advocate presents future plans

Deloris Joseph has been the Youth Advocate for the town of Dartmouth for around six years. She presented what she's done this past year to the Select Board during their Monday, Sept. 14, and what she hopes to accomplish in the coming year. 

Joseph has been working with School on Wheels, handing out 38 backpacks to students in need this year. There were schools that had backpacks left over from last year and did not need as many backpacks. 

An anonymous donor gave Joseph money to help students attend camp. This year, 10 kids were able to attend the Quinn Playground Summer Program. As some of these kids had already attended the camp, she was able to provide them with a second week. 

She is starting the Parent Cafe on Thursday, Sept. 17, which will give caretakers of all forms a space to find community. If the fall session is successful with good feedback. Joseph will be looking into hosting a spring session. 

On the last day of the Parent Cafe, Nov. 12, the caretakers will explore “Hidden in Plain Sight.” This is a presentation funded by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, where Joseph will walk parents through a fake teenager’s bedroom to find warning signs and proof of drug use. 

“Hidden in Plain Sight” will also be presented to those working at Town Hall during the Department Head Meeting. While there are no set dates yet, Joseph plans to present this to the broader community. 

Joseph is also starting the Girl’s Empowerment Program: Becoming Her. This will be offered to middle school girls to teach them confidence and self worth, resilience and coping skills, healthy peer relationships, communication and self-advocacy, leadership and asking and help. 

This program has not been finalized yet, but Joseph is working with the middle school principal to explore bringing it to the middle school during lunch periods. If this does not work, she hopes to make this an after school program. 

Select Board member Nathan Silva was especially excited about this, as his daughters are nearing middle school and the lessons would be beneficial for middle school girls. 

Joseph mentioned that she hopes to create a program for middle school boys as well, but wanted to focus on empowering girls first. 

She will also be continuing on the success of last year's Holiday Assistance Program. Last year, she encouraged people not just buy presents for younger kids but also gift cards for older kids and families. Last year, so many people in town hall offered to sponsor families and get gifts, that there were more sponsors than families. 

Joseph will continue to partner with the Police Department for Fill-A-Bus. This year, she will also be partnering with the libraries to collect gift cards for families.

Her presentation ended with, “The Youth Advocate Office will continue building responsive, collaborative supports that connect youth and families to resources, prevention programs, and community partners.”

Her focuses will be on evaluating the Parent Cafe, finalizing the girls empowerment program, seek funding and partner support, launch holiday assistance planning and keep resources targeted to those who need it the most.