Communities for Youth is excited to shine a spotlight on our City of Boise partner, Marie Hattaway!
What are your main goals in your work with the City of Boise around youth?
One of my responsibilities at Boise Parks and Recreation is overseeing our teen programs and outreach (ages 12–18). The City currently offers a free afterschool program at South Junior High (Teen City), an afterschool drop-in center and open gym at Fort Boise Community Center (T.A.C.), summer camps (Out and About), and various one-time social events like Teen Night and pool parties.
My goals are to:
Provide teens with safe places in the community (physically, socially, and emotionally).
Connect teens with their peers and activities they enjoy.
Introduce them to new activities, friends, mentors, and adult allies.
When they are ready and willing to work, equip them with foundational skills and knowledge to navigate their first jobs and early careers.
What are your plans for collaboration with Communities for Youth moving forward?
I plan to work with C4Y to connect with community partners offering teen-based services. The City of Boise has space, transportation, staff, and plenty of ideas and activities to engage teens. We also welcome teen voices and action to help shape our services and programs!
What are one or two things you are most excited or hopeful about with this collaboration?
I value the data-driven approach C4Y is taking to better understand the mental health of teens in our community. I admire their holistic, solution-based approach to supporting teens proactively by creating and connecting them to “protective” services before they face a mental health crisis.
In what ways have you been involved with your local Communities for Youth Initiative, or how have you worked with the Communities for Youth team so far?
I have participated in C4Y’s community meetings, where survey findings are presented and discussions on solutions are encouraged. I plan to continue attending these meetings and offering City teen resources to help connect teens with their community.
Describe your role at the City of Boise:
I work for the Boise City Parks and Recreation Department, specifically in the Recreational Division. My official title is Community Partnerships and Recreation Manager. In this role, I oversee teen programs, manage our group transportation fleet (buses and vans), and supervise the teams at Fort Boise Community Center, the Performing Arts Center, the Art Center, the Senior Center, and the Adult Sports program.
Tell us a little about why you care about your connection to your community and why building youth-friendly communities is important to you.
I’ve always felt a pull to make a difference. My career has predominantly been in roles aligned with this goal. For over a decade, I worked at the policy level, but I realized that so many issues and inequities begin in childhood. I decided my time was better spent with kids and the community rather than with legal codes and policymakers (though I still respect the impact of that arena). As Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than repair broken [adults].”
The small wins I see in my role fuel me: connecting a kid with a new friend, watching them excel in an activity or sport they love, empowering a teen to take on something new, offering a listening ear on a tough day, or even just handing out free lunches in the park during summer. These moments are deeply fulfilling.
Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Marie Hattaway (mhattaway@cityofboise.org)
For more information on the C4Y Boise Initiative please visit our main page or sign up for our newsletter.
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