LEWISTON – Plans are under way for Youth + Adults + Dialogue = Action (YADA), a fall community dialogue series, to focus on how to make the community a more youth-friendly and youth-empowered place.

The decision to pursue such youth/adult dialogue results from the efforts of a local “Teen Stakeholders” group that has been meeting since the spring of 2006. As a result of lengthy discussions and interaction with local youth, continued communication between adults and youth is viewed as extremely beneficial.

Larry Marcoux, YADA Steering Committee chairman, said, “Young people are the future of Lewiston/Auburn, and as our future, we want to make sure there are opportunities for youth to believe this is a good place to live, be involved in and work after graduation.”

The fall community dialogue will consist of 10 groups, also known as study circles, each consisting of 10 to 12 people, who will meet for four two-hour sessions. Each group will be led by a pair of impartial trained facilitators, one youth and one adult.

Mayor Laurent F. Gilbert Sr. said, “This is a wonderful opportunity for folks of various ages to get together with a unified goal of enhancing our community for youth. I look forward to the many ideas that will be shared during this process, as well as plans of action that may develop as a result.”

Deacon Lasagna, a senior at Edward Little High School, added, “It will be empowering for local youth to actually feel listened to.”

Marcoux said study circles have been effective in other communities throughout Maine and stresses that study circle dialogues bring people of many viewpoints and backgrounds together for honest and helpful talks, give people a chance to reach out to one another to build trust, help people find common ground for solutions and actions, build on good work that is already happening, and help people lend their hearts, hands and minds to creative community change.

A kickoff, hosted by Gilbert, will be held in the Lewiston Council Chambers on Thursday, Oct. 25, followed by the first study circle community dialogue. The study circle groups will also meet on Nov. 1, 8 and 15. On Dec. 6, all participating groups will join in an action forum to review input and consider what plans of action would be a natural “next step.”

Members of the Steering Committee represent the United Way of Androscoggin County, Lewiston city administrator’s office, Lewiston Public Library, city of Auburn, YWCA, Bates College, TD Banknorth, New Beginnings, Lots to Gardens, THRIVE, ACE/Youthbuild, East Auburn Baptist Church, Lewiston Youth Advisory Council, public schools, businesses and youth community. Materials utilized to establish the group were compliments of the Study Circles Resource Center of Pomfret, Conn., www.studycircles.org.

Those interested in participating in the dialogue are encouraged to contact Marcoux at 795-4000 or via [email protected].