Positive activities key to safe environments

Providing safe places for children and youth is crucial to their development.

According to America’s Promise, between one-third and one-fourth of youth have said that they have “never” or “sometimes” felt safe at school, and only 37 percent of children and youth experience the “safe places and constructive use of time” promise.

Children exposed to dangerous environments may never develop the skills needed to be successful in life. It is important that safe places are provided for children to get a healthy start towards adulthood. Safe places can prevent unhealthy behaviors such as drug use and gang membership.

Schools have made great strides in providing a safer environment for their students. Guns and drugs are prohibited on all school campuses and many schools provide before- and after-school care. Schools also collaborate with organizations such as The Boys & Girls Club, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and Camp Fire to provide activities during out-of-school time, which help youth develop a positive outlook on life.

Crosswalk, a drop-in center for teens, is another safe place in Spokane that welcomes youth with open arms. Crosswalk provides shelter, meals and education for teens. Other organizations working to provide safe places for youth include Habitat for Humanity, an organization that provides families a secure place to call home, and COPS, a community oriented policing program staffed by volunteers who work to keep neighborhoods safe.

For more information on these organizations or to volunteer your time, please visit their Web sites:

•Crosswalk: www.voaspokane.org

•Habitat for Humanity: www.habitat-spokane.org

•Boys & Girls Club Spokane: www.bgcspokanecounty.org

•Girl Scouts: www.gsiec.org

•Boy Scouts: www.inwc-bsa.org

•Camp Fire: www.campfireinc.org

•COPS: www.spokanecops.org