Youth Friendly Business Award Program
At the March 20, 2007 General Membership Luncheon, GFCC's Education Committee rolled out to chamber members the Youth Friendly Business Award program. A difficult issue facing the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is the high school drop out rate. A contributor to that drop out rate is teen employment. Many teens work part time while attending high school. Most of those teens are able to find a good balance between school and work and are able to enjoy the advantages of acquiring valuable work place skills while furthering their high school education. Unfortunately, some of those teens that work, lured by financial independence or just a more exciting way to spend their time, choose work over school and do poorly in school or, worse yet, drop out entirely. Last year the Education Committee began to strategize on ways to reduce the incidences of employment caused poor performance or dropout and decided that the best way was to educate the business community about the problem and reward those employers, through public recognition, that support their teen employees in this regard and emphasize the importance of staying in school and the importance of academic success. Fortunately the Education Committee found that the Spirit of Youth Foundation already had such a program in place, the Youth Friendly Business Award program, and were excited to partner with us to achieve our goals. This program promotes three “youth friendly” business practices:
· Treating youth customers with respect.
· Hiring youth, promoting school success, and preparing youth for future careers.
· Supporting community activities for youth.
Note that you can be nominated for the award by one of your customers, one of your employees, or even by yourself. You don't have to score high in all categories to be eligible for the award. Don't be shy, if you think you are youth friendly, nominate yourself.
Once nominated a youth validater from the FNSB Youth Commission will visit your place of business and validate the application. They will not be intrusive; they will merely come in as customers and will want to talk with one or two of your youth employees. If your application is validated you will receive a certificate, be entitled to display the Youth Friendly Business decal in your window, and receive public recognition of your achievement at one of the Chamber General Membership Luncheons.
So don't be shy, send in an application, be the first one on the block to be designated “youth friendly”, we know there are lots of you our there.
Jack Wilbur
Chairman
GFCC Education Committee