Listening to what youth and community want and need

The lower level of the CornerStone Community and Youth Center in Frazee, MN, is a hive of activity. A 40-foot chalk wall, a pool table, ping pong, foosball, TV, and gaming offer artistic creativity and fun. In the Maker’s Space, youth can cook and eat in a full kitchen, with a pantry and cupboards full of ingredients for budding young chefs and cooks. They can learn to make t-shirts, woodworking, painting, sketching, and pottery. Youth can operate equipment like 3-D printers, laser engravers, Cricut Maker 3, and screen printers. Offered to youth from 4th to 12th grade as a free drop-in center, community members and families can join the Center and, with a membership, can take advantage of these opportunities outside of regular operating hours.

“It's wonderful chaos. And when you walk in there, no one is on their phone." - Karen Pifher, Co-Owner of Creative Community Consulting.

CornerStone Community and Youth Center was founded and built on the voices of local youth with the goal of improving mental wellbeing in the community. In 2019, Essentia Health completed a community needs assessment, which showed that the top concern in the community was youth mental health. Youth focus groups identified root causes: youth didn't feel cared for, had no safe place to gather with friends, eat together, or be involved in meaningful activities outside of school sports. Teens were asked to describe "the best place to be a kid" and illustrate their ideas through brainstorming and creating a community map. The process was repeated with adults. A steering committee of stakeholders from churches, schools, and community groups worked to develop a vision ever since.

They began in small ways. Community members created a mural in town, they launched community events, and youth created window art. At the height of COVID, a church showed drive-in movies. Though these efforts were successful, it soon became evident that a nonprofit youth center was badly needed, and income to support the Center would be required. A local church offered to donate its building, and the site for the CornerStone Youth and Community Center was established. The building needed a complete renovation; volunteers did 90% of the work through a grassroots effort. Planning and design specifics were based on input from children and youth in the community. Despite unforeseen delays, repairs, and expenses, the doors to the lower level opened in the spring of 2023.

“You start getting momentum, and one success leads to another. Things just keep growing!” - Karen Pifher.

Noting that Native American youth and LGTBQIA2S+ youth experience greater health disparities, CornerStone received Health Equity grant funding to learn how to support the wellbeing of these youth culturally, environmentally, and in other ways. A Native American cultural committee identified specific goals, including language immersion, cultural training, and access to Indigenous art and ceremony. When asked, LGTBQIA2S+ youth said there was a clear need for staff training in the school - so an LGTBQIA2S+ mental health professional provided education to all high school employees. Additionally, policies were updated to support diverse youth and cultural beliefs.

To date, 300 school-age children have registered, and 200 volunteers have contributed to the Center's success. Each day, about 40 to 50 youth attend the Center. In June, the second-floor bistro opened for business. The facility will be sustainable by implementing a coffee and crepe bistro, retail and gift shop, maker's space, performing arts, and space rental.

“We have very important things in place: a governing board, a sustainable and investigated business plan, ongoing income sources, and qualified individuals to build the organization.” – Adapted from CornerStone Community and Youth Center website.

CornerStone staff hope to hire an on-site Indigenous cultural lead to continue building connections and engagement with youth and coordinating activities. There is also discussion about a possible Family Resource Center. Above all, they will work to reach those they haven’t reached by continuing to listen to what is wanted and needed in the community.

CornerStone Community & Youth Center is not just a building; it's a lifeline for our community. – Cornerstone Community and Youth Center Website