YCB Launches You^th Are Here Bus on June 18th, 2007

From December 2006 through January 2007, the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board (YCB) held structured meetings with youth providers in every City Ward toward the goal of increasing the participation of young people in positive activities during the summer and after school. One of the top barriers to participation identified by both program providers and young people was transportation –that is, getting safely to programs and opportunities.

Recognizing transportation as a major priority for increasing access to opportunities, the YCB determined to launch a transportation initiative despite a tight timeframe. Thanks to quick fund-raising efforts of Board members, the YCB will launch two bus routes this summer. The new initiative is called the You^th Are Here Bus.

The first two You^th Are Here Bus routes are Near North/Camden and Phillips/ Powderhorn. These areas were selected based on the following criteria:

• Significant population of children and youth living in that area
• Very high concerns for safety
• Need identified by youth and providers living in that community
• Summer programs exist in that area, including summer school sites
• Route reaches into communities where few opportunities exist
• Community organizations willing to actively participate in planning.

Each bus will run a 50 minute loop, making stops at nonprofit organizations, parks, libraries, and housing complexes. The bus will run continuously from noon to 8 PM from June 18-August 24th. On July 4th, the buses will run from noon to 3:15 PM.

The bus is free; but registration is required. Registration forms can be obtained at the stops on the route or downloaded from the YCB website, www.ycb.org. Additional registration sites will be added over the next few weeks. Specific schedules and route information can also be found on the YCB website.

For more information about the bus routes, please call the YCB at 612 673-2060 or email YCB@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.

Minneapolis Youth Congress Planning Continues

A great deal of progress has been made on the plans for the Minneapolis Youth Congress (MYC) since the last YCB Update.

• The Congress will include 55 members, 5 youth from each of Minneapolis’ 11 Communities.
  
• Six Committees have been identified: Transportation, Health, Education, Employment, Safety, and Housing.
• To become a member of Congress, youth will be asked to complete a written application. They will also be asked to secure two references from either an adult/ mentor or from a fellow youth.
• The MYC planning team of youth and adults will review applications and select prospective applicants for interviews. The MYC planning team will then interview the candidates, including a “topic” discussion about an issue the youth feels strongly about.

Additional plans call for shared training session with St. Paul’s Second Shift Initiative on civic leadership/ engagement/training by Wellstone Action.

For additional information, contact Pam McBride, YCB Project Director for Youth Development at 612 673-2708 or Pam.McBride@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.

Early Childhood Boost for North Minneapolis Families

During the legislative session, there was a lot of discussion about providing financial help for families who can not afford quality early childhood experiences for their children. Thanks to the YCB’s involvement with the Minnesota Early Learning Foundation (MELF) through a planning grant focused on improving school readiness in north Minneapolis, we were able to help bring additional state resources to this target area.

Recognizing the importance of a solid start for our youngest citizens but bowing to budget pressures that required the legislature to target funding, the Legislature approved “early childhood allowances” that will allow low-income families in north Minneapolis to receive up to $4,000 per year to help pay for a high-quality early childhood experience. Options will include child care centers, school-based programs, community programs, Head Start and licensed family child care homes that have received a stamp of quality from the state. The funding will also be available to families in St. Paul and Blue Earth County. These three communities were chosen because they are primary MELF pilot sites and the state wanted to leverage the private funding being dedicated to these three areas.

Total funding will be $6 million over two years. Funds will begin flowing in 2008, after the state has had time to provide quality ratings on options available to families. While the $4,000 will not be enough by itself to pay for a full-time spot for a child, it can be “layered” with other funding (public and private) to get children into high-quality early childhood experiences. The ultimate goal is to improve children’s school readiness, thus greatly increasing their chances for success in school.

For additional information, contact Carol Miller at carol.miller@co.hennepin.mn.us or 612.348-8983.