Durham Strategic Plan Dashboard
Prosperity
Status Indicator: 
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Complete/Ongoing
Initiative: 2.12 Partner with educational institutions for outreach to vulnerable youth
Creating a Safer Community Together
Description
This initiative aims to partner with educational institutions to provide support to vulnerable youth. Vulnerable youth, such as those from low-income families, marginalized communities, or facing challenging circumstances, often lack access to quality education and support systems. By collaborating with educational institutions, we can use their expertise, resources, and infrastructure to reach a wider audience of vulnerable youth and offer them opportunities for personal growth, skill development, and academic advancement. This initiative is important as it addresses educational disparities and helps break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion, empowering these young individuals to lead more fulfilling lives and contribute positively to their communities. Additionally, the partnership model ensures a sustainable approach by fostering long-term collaborations between our organization and educational institutions committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of vulnerable youth.
Key Measures & Data Analysis
- School-related stress is a major factor in young people's mental health.
- Schools, and the adults within them, are perfectly positioned to prioritize mental well-being in supportive environments.
- Focusing on connection, expectations, and purpose can set a foundation for youth mental wellness that helps prevent problems.
Youth Diagnosed with Anxiety or Depression (National Average)
Why is it important?
This initiative's collaboration with educational institutions will be a transformative force in advancing the objective of reaching and supporting vulnerable youth. The combined effort and expertise will amplify the impact of outreach programs, provide valuable resources, and create a sustainable framework for empowering vulnerable youth to lead more fulfilling and successful lives.
What have we been doing?
Over the past six months, our team has worked on the following:
- Subcommittee Formation (June): Created a subcommittee with members from Community Safety and Police departments to drive the initiative.
- Partnership Development (July): Engaged with two local agencies, RNS and Poof, securing a commitment from RNS to collaborate and provide sports, mentoring, and enrichment opportunities for youth.
- Survey and Scale Development (June-August): Collaborated with HEART graduate interns to design and finalize surveys and scales for monitoring youth progress.
- Building NCCU Connections (July-August): Strengthened relationships with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) to leverage their volunteer program for ongoing support and mentorship.
- Preparation for Youth Engagement (September-October): Finalizing plans and preparations to commence interactions with youth, setting the stage for consistent engagement and support.
What's next?
Moving forward, our team will be working on the following over the next six months:
- Program Launch and Implementation (September-October): Regularly engage youth through the newly established mentoring program in partnership with local agencies.
- Monitoring and Evaluation (Ongoing): Implement and utilize finalized surveys and scales to assess youth progress, gather feedback, and make necessary program adjustments.
- Expansion of Partnerships (Next Year): We will continue to explore and establish new partnerships with additional educational institutions and community organizations.
- Volunteer Training (Ongoing): Conduct regular training sessions for volunteers from NCCU and other partners to ensure effective support for participating youth.
City Website Home Page: Durham, NC | Official Website (durhamnc.gov)
Budget Website Page: Budget & Management Services Department | Durham, NC (durhamnc.gov)
Budget and Management Services Department
Office of Performance and Innovation
Strategy and Performance Division