TITLE
Recommendation to receive a report and confirm the proposed citywide Strategic Plan for Youth and Emerging Adults. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
As part of the Fiscal Year 2019 (FY 19) Adopted Budget, the Long Beach City Council allocated $200,000 for the development of a Strategic Plan for Youth and Emerging Adults (YSP) - a five-year blueprint focused on the development of young people ages 10 to 24, residing in Long Beach. The YSP is housed within the Parks, Recreation and Marine Department and developed jointly with the Health and Human Services Department. Funds were used to contract services for community engagement, strategic plan
development and provide stipends to 18 Youth Ambassadors, representing all Council districts. The Youth Ambassadors developed all strategic plan data collection instruments alongside the strategic plan consultant, facilitated five community forums, and assisted with data analysis. The Youth Ambassadors also co-designed and participated in three My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) townhalls that explored the intersection of COVID-19 and the country’s social uprising and racial reckoning, given the YSP was developed during a critical moment in our nation’s history.
The data collection period for the YSP occurred from January through July 2020. During this time period, the Youth Ambassadors along with city staff facilitated five community forums engaging over 200 community residents, conducted key informant interviews with 35 youth-serving organizational leaders and with all councilmembers and/or their staff, and obtained survey responses from 757 Long Beach residents. Additionally, staff facilitated three MBK townhalls and two Youth Ambassador focus groups that explored the intersection of COVID-19, social uprising, and youth development in Long Beach. Project consultants and staff also reviewed secondary data and explored best practices for youth development frameworks leading to the selection of the Positive Youth Development framewor...
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