Please note that Tapestry Health is back in South Berkshire County!
Mondays at VIM 4:15p-6:15p there is a counselor who can do testing, give out supplies (birth control, emergency contraception), and do intake counseling.  Katrina Mattson is also available for outreach once/month at alternative sites (like RSYP).

More Resources from CHP:
Linda Baxter (at the East Mountain Medical complex) and Lisa Sylvia (who is at the 4th floor) both want to make sure young people know that they are TEEN FRIENDLY!  If anyone wants to have a confidential conversation with either of these women, they should call and ask to speak directly with them or one of their nurses.  Youth could make appointments for “migraines” if they need to see one of them but don’t want to reveal the reason until they are in the room with one of the clinicians.  Linda Baxter is also open to changing her hours, thinking outside the box in order to help serve youth.

Title: Bringing sexuality education to the classroom
Location: Berkshire South Community Center, Jennifer House
Description: Nov. 24, 2pm-5pm, Berkshire South’s Jennifer House meeting room (next to Barrington Brewery building)
Follow-up training #2, this time the topic will be how to launch a peer education program. We had 6 youth and 17 adults trained in PP’s Sex Educator series this summer, and a teacher or guidance from all three schools–Mt. Everett, Monument and Lee. They are all eager to start incorporating the curriculum in the classroom, and invite our youth educators to begin by coming into the 8-10th grade classrooms. Planned Parenthood facilitator Lesley Kayan will help us get this off the ground.  THIS TRAINING IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
Start Time: 14:00
Date: 2009-11-24
End Time: 17:00

WWW.RSYP10.ORG

Title: Bringing sexual health services and education to South County
Location: Berkshire South Community Center, conference room
Description: Nov. 10, 2pm-5pm, Berkshire South Community Center conference room (in the main building)
Follow-up training–OPEN TO ALL, including but not limited to the 23 people who were certified w/ Planned Parenthood this summer to coordinate health clinic services in Great Barrington. We have a local gyno, VIM, and Tapestry all offering clinic time, so we’re going to pull these pieces together at this meeting and create an outreach strategy so that parents and teens KNOW about the clinic and which days/times they are open. As an addition to this piece of the workshop, Planned Parenthood facilitator Lesley Kayan will do a one-hour training on how to talk to parents about sex. We’re hoping this will help with outreach, and those who are specifically interested in just working with parents.
Start Time: 14:00
Date: 2009-11-10
End Time: 15:00

Join the Culinary Arts Program for their end-of-semester culimanting dinner. 6 students and 5 chefs will prepare a 5-course meal not to be forgotten at this one-time event on Nov. 16! From hors d’oeuvres to dessert and wine included, your $100 ticket supports the program and the students who take the course free of charge. Reserve your tickets now at The Red Lion Inn.
Reception
Local Artisan Cheeses & Breads

Dinner
Butternut Squash Bisque
Toasted Pepitas & Truffled High Lawn Cream
***
Farm Girl Baby Winter Green Risotto
Berkshire Pork Bratwurst
***
Equinox Farm Arugula Salad
Pears, Walnuts, Berkshire Blue & Fig Vinaigrette
***
Braised Pasture Raised Short Ribs
Hilltop Cider, Barrington Ale & Poached Turnips
***
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Gingerbread Crust & Ioka Maple Cream

On Thursday, April 22, RSYP took a voyage to the Hornet’s Nest Paintball field in Ancram, NY to battle it out for glory.   The weather was beautiful and we had a great day playing at the Hornet’s Nest’s prime facility.

First, we got warmed up by playing “storm the castle.”  One team defended a makeshift castle high on a hill while the other had to take it over by flanking it through the woods and ambushing the defenders.  Needless to say, it got intense- quickly.    Once the juices were flowing the team dynamic really took hold.  Strategies were developed, moves were made, and intense battling ensued.

After a few castle games we headed to the “ghost town,”  a shanty town spread out through the woods of the NY countryside.    We played some objective games like “secure the barrel”  and “capture the flag.”    The strategy associated with an objective, instead of strictly battling, was cause to develop an even tighter team mentality and some serious excitement.    After numerous strategy games,  we started feeling the burn…The burn of our legs.

Paintball takes some serious stamina, more than you may assume.  After about 8 games some of us started to feel the wear and tear.  We played one more game and had to call it a day,  just is time too, as soon as we called it a day some clouds rolled in and it started to drizzle.  However, the rain was a pleasant sensation considering how hot and sweaty we were after a day of intense battle.

We hope to return to the Hornets Nest soon for more fun!  But we warn you,  if you weren’t at this last one, we may have the upper hand…  Just kidding, it’s all fun and games.

As you know, RSYP has participated in the UN’s International Day of Peace youth conference since 2005.  This year’s IDP conference will be on Friday, September 18.  We have reserved 30 beds at the Vanderbilt YMCA youth hostel, only a few blocks walking distance from the UN at $30/pp for Thursday night.  RSYP will provide transportation and Thursday’s dinner for those who would like to attend with us; lodging and Friday’s breakfast and lunch will be up to the students.  Last year, we were only allotted 20 passes for the event, but we’re hoping to make our reservations early this year so that we can bring 30 Berkshire County delegates.

Please let me know if you are interested in joining us for the September conference, and how many people are in your party.  We are happy to open this opportunity to students and youth workers from all parts of Berkshire County!

We look forward to building an engaged, passionate, articulate group of delegates for our UN involvement this year!  Please feel free to spread the word!

For reservations, contact email hidden; JavaScript is required

Attention all Berkshire County friends, colleagues, community members and volunteers in the field of Youth Development:

The Berkshire Youth Development Project* cordially invites you to attend our one-of-a-kind, one-day Youth Worker Summit.

Date/Time: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 9am-2pm

Potential outcomes: Learn 2009 Berkshire County youth development statistics; Participate in discussions that you help facilitate; Network with other youth workers and agencies; Connect to your local substance abuse prevention coalition; Find out about groups that meet regularly in all parts of the county, and perhaps make a plan to join one

Who should attend: School faculty, non-profit youth workers, youth collaboratives, cultural and creative organizations with youth programs, town leaders, community volunteers, fun and innovative people

Cost: $10 per person (payable to Northern Berkshire Community Coalition), includes lunch (even for vegetarians)

Location: Camp Stevenson-Witawentin (click on hyperlink to find out how to get there)

How to register: Email Kate Merrigan, UNITY Program Coordinator at NBCC at email hidden; JavaScript is required or 413-663-7588

What to bring: your favorite co-workers and colleagues, an open mind, and the Prevention Needs Assessment Survey (see detailed itinerary below, your copy will be emailed to you upon registration)

What to expect:

9am  Coffee, welcome and introductions of Berkshire Youth Development Project and Berkshire County’s substance abuse prevention coalitions:

Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, Pittsfield Prevention Partnership and South Berkshire Youth Coalition

10:00a Berkshire County Data:  Results of the 2009 Prevention Needs Assessment Survey (administered in 8th, 10th and 12th grades across the county), presented by Lois Dannis, NBCC

11:15a Lunch:  Catered by Corinne’s Brown Bag (yes, veggie options are available)

11:45a Using the Open Space Technology discussion approach, participants will self-organize small group conversations.  Over the last 20+ years, opening space as an intentional leadership practice has created inspired organizations, where ordinary people work together to create extraordinary results

2pm Closing:  We all go home (or back to work as it may be)

*The Berkshire Youth Development Project is a collaboration of the three regional substance abuse prevention coalitions: Northern Berkshire Community Coalition, the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership, and the South Berkshire Youth Coalition and their direct service and supporting agencies:  Railroad Street Youth Project, Berkshire United Way , Berkshire Health Systems and District Attorney David Capeless .  BYDP was formed in 2006 and has since coordinated the biannual Prevention Needs Assessment Survey, the annual “411 in the 413 Youth Conference”, $1.626M in federal substance abuse prevention funding for Berkshire County, the Compassion Massachusetts capacity-building grant funding through UMASS Donahue Institute, a $75,000 grant through the Attorney General’s office, and other local projects.  BYDP encourages you to join your local coalition and find out more about how your organization can benefit from these opportunities.

Click here for photos of the cheeses from all over the United States just before they were devoured at our Sunday, August 2 fundraiser for RSYP at rubi’s cafe.  The event attracted over 170 people and raised $2,200 for RSYP.

alli411.blogspot.com/2009/08/emergency-cheese-party-rubiners-and.html

Title: Summer Solstice Celebration
Location: Memorial Baseball Field and the Skatepark
Description: Saturday, June 20 11am-4pm at Memorial Baseball Field; 4pm-10pm at the Skatepark

Saturday’s celebration has been postponed due to weather.  We will let you know as soon as an alternative date is set!

RSYP youth will be set up next to the Housatonic River, and invite you to stroll over to meet public art facilitators Will Machin and Howie Sneider who are leading RSYP youth through the creation of a site plan for the park\’s riverside.

Start Time: 11:00
Date: 2009-06-20
End Time: 21:00