[Adopted 9-9-2014 by Ord. No. 4073-14]
The Franklin youth Initiative, heretofore created by ordinance pursuant to general law, is continued with the functions, powers and duties prescribed by general law and ordinance. The Township Council shall appoint the subcommittee chairs of the Franklin Youth Initiative, who shall serve without compensation.
The Franklin Youth Initiative is a partnership between Franklin Township teens and adults. Its mission is to make the Township better for teens by developing and organizing safety, social services, and prevention programs, teen trips and events, creating recreational and educational programs, and creating employment opportunities.
A. 
The Franklin Youth Initiative consists of seven subcommittees as follows:
(1) 
Education.
(2) 
Business.
(3) 
Outreach.
(4) 
Safety.
(5) 
Social Services.
(6) 
Youth and Recreation.
(7) 
Faith-Based.
B. 
The goals and objectives for each subcommittee are as follows:
(1) 
Education.
(a) 
Provide a greater presence of the GREAT program at the middle schools.
(b) 
Increase business interaction with the schools and facilitate business working with the school systems to result in better job-preparedness skills and career education for Franklin High School graduates.
(2) 
Business.
(a) 
Provide readiness programs, employment, and internship programs for teenagers.
(b) 
Provide employment training and employment opportunities for the Township's young adults.
(c) 
Provide funding sponsorships for the Franklin Youth Initiative programs.
(3) 
Outreach.
(a) 
Ensure communications are available to the community to inform about services and programs that are available.
(b) 
Ensure all connections are made through networking to prevent duplication of services and programs and to capitalize on synergies.
(4) 
Safety.
(a) 
Expand community policing.
(b) 
Implement neighborhood watch programs.
(c) 
Implement a police mentoring program.
(5) 
Social Services.
(a) 
Provide mental health counseling.
(b) 
Provide probation services.
(c) 
Provide a full-time counselor to support the teen recreation program and families in need.
(d) 
Provide parental mentoring programs.
(6) 
Youth and Recreation. The Youth and Recreation Subcommittee encourages partnerships with families, schools, local business, local government agencies, the interfaith community, civic organizations and the entire community to help provide a bright future for young people. The subcommittee will promote the development of relevant, diversified, educational, recreational and other services within a safe and positive learning environment. This committee will support and promote programs that:
(a) 
Encourage cultural diversity awareness.
(b) 
Increase participants' ability to make positive choices about different issues.
(c) 
Increase trust and respect for other teens, adult mentors, and other authority figures.
(d) 
Motivate youth to stay in school and maintain passing grades.
(e) 
Provide opportunities for teens to get help with difficult personal and family issues.
(f) 
Provide a setting where youth can feel a sense of belonging and be off the streets in a positive, supportive environment.
(g) 
Teach youth positive means for resolving conflicts.
(h) 
Provide opportunities for new experiences in order to increase participants' recreation and job repertoires.
(i) 
Contribute to participants' personal growth and job readiness.
(7) 
Faith-Based. Rooted in the values of our faith communities, and working collaboratively, we create opportunities that support, nurture, and guide the youth of Franklin Township to lead healthy and productive lives, supporting and promoting activities sponsored, toward this goal, by our individual houses of worship.
There is hereby created a Franklin Township Initiative consisting of seven subcommittee chairs to be appointed by the Township Council for a term of three years and until their successors have been duly appointed and have qualified. In the event of a vacancy during an unexpired term of office, a person shall be appointed as a member of said body to serve for such unexpired term.