TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to work with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine and the Commission on Youth and Children to update their purpose and structure to better serve the youth of Long Beach, and report back to the City Council within 90 days.
DISCUSSION
The creation of the City's Commission on Youth and Children was approved by the Long Beach City Council on October 21, 2003. The purpose of the Commission was to:
1. Advise the Mayor and City Council of the needs, concerns, and problems of children and youth.
2. Make policy recommendations regarding the City's efforts to serve children and youth.
3. Promote coordination between the City of Long Beach, the Long Beach Unified School District, other county, state and national organizations, and community agencies.
4. Review annually the City's legislative agenda with regard to youth and children issues.
5. Review annually the City's Community Plan for Shaping the Early Care and Education System, or its replacement plan.
6. Review annually the City's Strategic Plan 2010 Education and Youth Component, or its replacement plan.
7. Recognize outstanding contributions or accomplishments on behalf of Long Beach children and youth.
The Commission is overseen by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine. It is a youth-adult board consisting of ten adults and nine youth. Currently, only 13 of the 19 maximum positions are filled.
According to city staff, it has been challenging to fill all of the positions on the Commission, especially the youth appointed seats, and it has been increasingly difficult to reach a quorum at their meetings. In addition, there seems to be a lack of clarity from the Commission's point of view on their present purpose and scope of work.
Presently, the city is actively engaged in many youth and young adult focused programming and initiatives including the Long Beach College Promise, My Brother's Keeper, My Sister's Keeper, and the Promising...
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