TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Norman Wright, Community Development Director
SUBJECT:
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Youth Development Services
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Welcoming and Livable Community
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ISSUE:
Youth Development Services Report
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only.
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SUMMARY:
The City of Salem’s Youth Development Services (YD) has developed, coordinated, and funded quality out-of-school time programming for local adolescent youth.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Among the programs developed by YD was P.O.W.E.R. (Promoting Outstanding Work, Education, and Recreation in Youth), a middle-school based afterschool program, developed in partnership with Salem-Keizer Public Schools. This award winning program later transitioned to the Salem-Keizer Education Foundation (SKEF) which secured 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal grants for school-based, out-of-school time programs, including summer learning opportunities. The P.O.W.E.R. program was renamed “Enrichment Academies” and operates in many local elementary, middle and high schools. The City provides $24,085 annually to continue support of Salem-Keizer Public Schools middle school-aged programming.
Another Youth Development program is the Teen Action Team (TAT) Initiative. The TAT Initiative was designed to honor the City’s Youth Advisory Commission and is based on the 2010 National League of Cities’ “Framework for Authentic Youth Civic Engagement.” The TAT Initiative empowers and equips high school leaders to engage civically through volunteerism and leadership, to role model healthy decision making and service, and to advocate to peers and adults on issues that matter to them in their schools and neighborhoods. The TAT Initiative seeks to inspire and promote a Salem teen service leadership movement by developing a networking web of evidence-based programs, projects, and resources for high school aged youth living within the Salem-Keizer School District boundaries. The TAT Initiative provides financial and in-kind support to like-minded efforts in the area.
Currently, the TAT Initiative provides community programs at area high schools, social media communication, and support to local youth organizations and youth efforts that align with the Initiative’s mission and best practices. TAT Initiative programs include: 1) CAREcorps summer service leadership program, a middle-to-high school bridge program; 2) ILEAD Youth Leadership Summit, an annual one-day high school event open to teens in both Marion and Polk Counties; 3) TAT service leadership afterschool clubs, which operate throughout the school year at McKay and West Salem High School; and, 4) One Thousand Soles, a teen-championed community shoe drive for youth facing homelessness, children in-need, and young athletes. This year-round collection and distribution program includes the springtime “Shoe Battle of the Schools,” a 2-week friendly-competition among schools since 2013. The Youth Development Coordinator oversees all YD efforts.
Past recipients of TAT Initiative financial support include the Salem Chamber of Commerce’s Inspire Foundation and their in-school service projects, Marion County Health and Human Services’ QPR trainings for teens, Marion County’s Mental Health First Aid certification trainings for teens, Willamette Academy’s SnoBall Youth Committee, HOME Youth and Resource Center’s CREW teen service team, Salem-Keizer Schools’ prom for students with special needs, Isaac’s Room, Inc.’s IKE Quest Heroes in Training program, Japan Tsunami Relief Youth Fundraiser and Paper Crane Chain, Hands On Mid-Willamette Valley’s Youth Service-To-Go program, Middle School Family Activity Nights (FAN), Marion County Youth Advisory Council, MLK, Jr. National Day of Service, and SKEF Learning Gardens.
Youth Development continues to coordinate and support local prevention and early-intervention efforts focusing on youth substance use, school dropout rates, youth crime, youth homelessness, and poverty, through direct and indirect programming support. Past and current recipients of City through Youth Development include Bridgeway Recovery Services Adolescent Addiction Outpatient Treatment Program’s “Journaling Through Treatment” youth arts pilot project, Salem-Keizer Public Schools “Every Day 24J” campaign, Strengthening Families Program for parents and teens aged 10-14 years old, the Children in Crisis Action Team Network hosted by Salem Leadership Foundation serving homeless children and teen emergency needs, 100 Day End-Youth-Homelessness Challenge, and Taylor’s House Youth.
During the 2017-2018 fiscal year, YD provided a mini grant of $5,000 (which was coupled with a $9,000 grant from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management) to Bridgeway Recovery Services adolescent addiction treatment program for the “Journaling Through Treatment” youth arts pilot project. The City mini grant purchased music and video production equipment youth could use to work through struggles and trauma by telling their stories via songwriting and music or video production. Youth in treatment who participated in at least eight journaling sessions had a 71% treatment completion graduation rate as compared to 45% graduation rate otherwise.
During the “Journaling Through Treatment” program’s second year, three teens in the treatment program submitted musical tracks to a national competition organized by the Recording Academy’s MusiCares Foundation in partnership with the National Department of Addictions and Substance Misuse. The contest challenged young people to create an original song and/or music video that celebrates life without alcohol or drugs, bringing attention to the real-life consequences of substance misuse. One song from Bridgeway’s “Journaling Through Treatment” program won third place, and another song co-written by two teens in the program won first place. For this recognition, the teens attended the 61st Annual GRAMMY Awards.
In 2016-2017, approximately 470 teens were directly impacted by one or more of the TAT Initiative’s programs and additional outreach. Recognizing the growing number of young leaders serving the Salem community through the TAT Initiative, YD rolled out the inaugural City of Salem Service Honors graduation sash pins to Class of 2018 teen service leaders. The Service Honors pins were awarded to thirty-one high school seniors who contributed a minimum of forty hours of service during their high school careers in direct partnership with the City’s Youth Development programs. Schools represented include Blanchet Catholic, Early College, McKay, McNary, North Salem, South Salem, Sprague, and West Salem High Schools. This first Service Honors recognition received positive feedback from administrators, teachers, parents and students alike. As a result, Youth Development seeks to develop and expand the Service Honors awards and extend the recognition program to all City departments and their teen service volunteers during the 2018-2019 academic year.
Laurie Shaw Casarez
Youth Development Coordinator
Attachments:
None.