With firm support and through some re-allocation of resources, two young people were hired in the Planning department as the first Youth Planners. From their work these Youth Planners determined the need to employ to two essential methods: the development of a Youth Component to the City’s 2010 Comprehensive Plan (1989), and the creation of a Youth Commission with the authority to represent youth issues and the power to appropriate funds.

Goals & Objectives

Goal 1: Caring Relationships within the Community

• Every young person grows up with positive examples from their family and community
• Youth perceive the need for strong, positive youth/adult relationships and the community at large.
• Neighborhoods and public places in which youth meet and recreate-are safe, and perceived as such.

Goal 2: Youth Share Leadership

• Youth have opportunities on both the local and regional levels to share leadership and participate fully in decisions that affect them.
• Youth engagement in civic activities, such as service learning, input and consultation, and shared leadership, while prevalent in Hampton, continues to increase.
• Hampton youth are in contact with young people from other communities in the region and work together to address regional youth issues.

Goal 3: Youth Acquire Essential Life Skills

• Youth have plenty of educational, social, civic, and recreational opportunities that provide essential life skills.
• Youth have sufficient resources to learn and apply essential life skills

Goal 4: Every Young Person Is Prepared for a Career

• Teens are knowledgeable about job opportunities in their community.
• Teens feel they are equipped with the proper skills to succeed in a job.
• Youth have access to employment opportunities that provide training and work-related skills.

Goal 5: Places to Go & Things to Do for Youth

• Youth have a place specifically set aside for them.
• There are plenty of places and activities to entice teens and young adults to choose Hampton as a place to live.
• There is a variety of age appropriate activities in neighborhoods.

Goal 6: Getting Around

• Youth are knowledgeable about transportation accessibility and options available both locally and regionally
• Youth know how to get around using public transportation.
• Youth are informed about car safety.

Goal 7: Bring Them Back

• Youth are knowledgeable of the benefits of returning to Hampton as young adults.
• Adult city leaders and individuals actively support and recognize that Hampton needs to improve its efforts to retain its young population.
• There are amply and diverse job and employment opportunities that appeal to young people.
• There are ample and diverse places and activities that entice teens and young adults to choose Hampton as a place to live.

Goal 8: Going Green

• Young people are aware of their environmental impact.
• Young people incorporate environmentally friendly practices in their everyday lives that showcase their knowledge of their impact on their environment.
• Young people actively support the maintenance and improvement of Hampton’s natural resources.
• Young people incorporate green practices in the places that they frequent.

View the full Youth Component of the Community Plan
View additional information about the Youth Component of the Community Plan Insert link: