February 14, 2023 will always be remembered as a beautiful day here at the YCB. On that day, we gathered elected officials, UNICEF USA staff from around the country, community partners, youth workers, and the general public for a day full of child rights education, information about the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), and the launch our Local Action Plan. The main event was at 11:00 a.m where Mayor Frey and UNICEF USA President, Michael Nyenhuis, signed a document officially recognizing Minneapolis as a Child Friendly Cities Initiative candidate which launched the implementation phase of our Local Action Plan. A lot happened on that day and we've done our best to capture parts of it, so that people that couldn't be there can see bits of the day and so we can always come back here to relive it. Thanks to everyone involved for making that day so special! 

We are keeping our eyes and ears open as legislators work in St. Paul. There is excitement in the youth and early childhood fields this year as it appears that we will get substantial investments. While we don't have specific staff tracking the work in St. Paul, we will do our best to follow the news and keep everyone updated. Especially on the topics that link to our community and our work. The best way to stay updated and connected will be to follow us on social media (Facebook page + Twitter page) or by signing up for our Minneapolis Afterschool Network Newsletter. Click HERE to sign up for our newsletter.

The PDF below contains information on some topics we are tracking. 

Do you have an open job that you want to fill with the best possible candidate? One of the roles of the Minneapolis Afterschool Network is to ensure the youth work field of Minneapolis remains healthy by promoting professional development opportunities and by making sure we're all aware of important open youth work positions. We're here to help spread news about your open positions! We've now made it easier than ever with a short form that will guide you through the essential information we need. Now there is no need to contact us to have a back-and-forth! Find our new form HERE and we'll have your information in our next newsletter and social media soon. Thank you!  

On February 14, 2023, we collaborated with UNICEF USA and the Minneapolis Health Department for our big Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) Local Action Plan Launch Event. It was a great day that brought elected officials, community members, youth workers, and people from around the country together. Our Minneapolis Youth Congress were in school that day, but we wanted to make sure youth voice was present in our celebration, so they recorded a video for us. Here is that video! 

The Teen Job Fair is an annual event bringing together hundreds of youth and youth-serving programs from around the city to learn about opportunities with many local employers. Every year the planning committee works diligently to make the event accessible and useful for all youth in Minneapolis. This is the perfect place to power up your summer job search! This year's event is on Saturday, April 15 at the Minneapolis Park & Recreation headquarters (2117 West River Road N. Minneapolis, 55442), but there is plenty of stuff to do before that date to prepare. Learn more and prepare at our official Teen Job Fair page HERE. 

The Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board (YCB) seeks to award $50,000 from the City of Minneapolis to qualified organizations to support quality youth development approaches during the summer of 2023.  The Youth in Minneapolis Afterschool Programs (YMAP) Summer Fund intends to invest in organizations who aim to address educational disparities exacerbated by COVID-19 in disproportionately affected communities. This RFA is a one-time summer contract starting May 15, 2023 through December 31, 2023. Applicants may request funding amounts between $10,000-$20,000. Please visit our RFA page to learn more. 

On December 9, 2022, the youth work field of Minneapolis gathered at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities to network, share tips, and build each other up at the annual PARTNERS with Youth Conference. It was a day full of excitement, exploration, and professional development. We thank all of our planning partners that worked tirelessly to put on the event and to everyone that attended. We hope that you got something out of the PARTNERS Conference and that we'll see you next year! 

World Children's Day was November 20, 2022. We thought it was a good time to reflect on what "World Children's Day" could mean, especially as Minneapolis works with UNICEF USA on their Child Friendly Cities Initiative. With all that in mind, our Executive Director (Ann DeGroot) wrote down her thoughts and encourages us all to make Minneapolis a city in which our children can thrive. Please read our full letter to the Minneapolis community and share your thoughts with us. We cannot accomplish the dreams of our children without everyone involved. Thank you for all that you do!