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Youth and Education
Summit
PROGRESS UPDATE
December
2003
This
is the second update on the Youth and Education Summit activities.
The first update, June 24, 2003, identified what was started and
accomplished by summer. This
update describes the work that continued over the summer and into the
early fall.
On
March 29, 2003 the Berkeley Youth and Education Summit Kick-off identified
goals and actions plans for five areas that have the greatest opportunity
to forge partnerships between the city, the school district and the
community to benefit our children. Those
areas are: Youth Safety, Coordinated Family Support Services, Linking the
Public Library with schools, After School and Summer Programs, and
Mentoring and Tutoring.
Since
that sunny day in March, the community has mobilized, identified new
opportunities to work together and has engaged our youth in identifying
their needs. This update will
provide you with a picture of how the Berkeley community is working
together toward concrete solutions. In
the charts below you will see the goals and actions defined by the Teams
during the Summit Kick-off and the progress each team has made to date. In
addition, the Steering Committee has expanded and remains committed to
keeping this train moving down the right track.
Steering
Committee: Provide
institutional and community support, and to advise in the development of
the Youth and Education Summit.
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Actions
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Accomplished-Spring
2003
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Accomplished-Fall 2003
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In Progress
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Develop
a single point of contact for community members interested in
volunteering as mentors and tutors. Berkeley School Volunteers is
the clearinghouse for tutors and other short-term volunteers in the
schools.
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Mayor is proposing
allocating $70,000 of City funds for a campaign - Berkeley Champions
for Kids. The campaign will provide a community outreach and
volunteer coordinator who will work hand in hand with Berkeley
School Volunteers to provide opportunities for mentoring and
tutoring in the schools, community organizations, city agencies,
etc. In addition to the
coordination, a city wide public relations and recruitment campaign
will be launched to encourage Berkeley-based institutions,
businesses, agencies and individuals to volunteer to mentor or tutor
a Berkeley youth.
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Mayor’s proposal
to allocate $70,000 for Berkeley
Champions for Kids Volunteer Coordination was approved by City Council – June
2003.
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The Berkeley
Alliance Board of Directors is considering becoming the Fiscal
Sponsor for the project and an advisory Committee is developing an
implementation plan.
Advisory committee
includes:
Stiles Hall
Berkeley School Volunteers
UCB Cal Corps
YMCA
The Berkeley Alliance
Mayor’s Office
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New
and emerging partnerships.
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Presented
proposal to develop a City Employee release time for
mentoring/tutoring to Berkeley Personnel Board. Decision was made to
explore a policy that could go to Council by the end of the calendar
year.
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Mayor’s proposal to
establish a City of Berkeley Employee Release Policy for
volunteering with Berkeley’s youth was approved, in principle, by
City Council on November 4, 2003.
Earlier in September, the Personnel Board unanimously
supported the proposal. The City Manager has established a staff
leadership committee to assess financial implications and to develop
a timeline for implementation.
A
new initiative of Berkeley Champions for Kids – Workplace Giving Program
– is developing. A
subcommittee of the steering committee is exploring the possibility
of creating a Berkeley-based work-place giving program that focuses
on youth-serving programs.
Secured
$20,000 grant from SBC
to fund coordinated family support services at school sites.
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Work
with the Berkeley Citywide Collaborative for Youth to become more
substantive in the area of coordination and collaboration, using it
as a place where real work happens.
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In June the,
Citywide Collaborative adopted a new operating structure including a
rotation of meetings beginning with a general meeting, followed the
next month by Action Team Meetings, followed by the next month a
discussion of initiative or proposals generated from the Action
Teams. Other city initiatives such as the Health Disparities Forum,
the Integrated Services Work Group, BUSD/BPD Safety Group, will
participate in the Citywide Collaborative for Youth. A
representative from each Action Team will participate in a
Coordinating Team for the Collaborative. The Coordinating Team will
provide support to the Chairperson (Carol Brown) in setting the
agendas and having an overview of the teams. This new structure will
begin September 2003.
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Reframed
how the City-wide Collaborative for Youth engages in substantive
collaboration. To
respond to the consensus of the Summit Kick-off to improve
collaboration, coordination and cohesion, the Citywide Collaborative
will hold 4 meetings a year dedicated to discussing joint
initiatives around the following efforts:
Birth-Five;
Before & After School Programming; Mentoring/Tutoring; Youth
Safety; 18-24 year olds services; and, Coordinated Integrated Family
Support Services.
November 2003 meeting
focused on substantive collaboration on integrated services, youth
engagement, and Birth-5.
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Work
with Berkeley Community Fund to establish on-line forums for the
Action Teams, starting with the After School Team.
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Will be piloted
with Berkeley Community Fund and the After School programs.
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Gather
the research, reports, studies and documents that have been produced
over the past five to 10 years (Diversity Project, Health
Disparities, etc.) and review the findings and recommendations.
Using this information, identify what conclusions and
recommendations continue to surface and what gaps in information
still exist. This
information will inform our overall priorities.
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Collected
the Diversity Project 1999 and 2000; WASC 2000 and 2001; Bilingual
Master Plan 1998; City of Berkeley Health Status 1999; Small Schools
– Draft Policy Dec. 2001 and Small Schools- Board of Ed May 2003.
Still seeking Rebound Proposal and report. These studies
represent a vast array of academic research, focus groups and
citizen participation that has already taken place and does not need
to be replicated. Barry
Krisberg, Executive Director of the National Council on Crime and
Delinquency, has agreed to review all the reports and create a
matrix of the major findings and recommendations.
The Steering Committee will be able to review the matrix,
assess whether there are any gaps and identify whether there are 1or
more themes that we as a community want to address/attack with a
major campaign/initiative.
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First draft
submitted for review.
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Barry Krisberg will
present the initial data at a February Summit Steering Committee
meeting.
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Engage
the community in working to eliminate the barriers that interfere
with the ability of Berkeley’s youth to succeed.
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On-going
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Expand
the Steering Committee
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Expand
to include: Keith Carson,
Alameda County Board of Supervisor; Darryl Moore, Peralta
Community College Board Trustee
Barbara
Leslie
of SBC, Berkeley Chamber of Commerce, and
John Martin, The Berkeley Alliance
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Steering Committee
meets quarterly.
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Youth
Safety Action Team: Create
safe environments at school and in the community for our youth.
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Actions
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Accomplished
– Spring 2003
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Accomplished – fall 2003
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In Progress
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Improve
Institutional Coordination – BUSD & Berkeley Police Dept.
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Berkeley
Police Dept (BPD) committed to placing School Resource Officers at
all 3 middle schools and BHS. This doubles the number of SROs placed
in the 2002-2003 school year.
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Communication
continues between BUSD (Director of Student Services) and BPD (Sgt.
of Youth Services).
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BUSD/BPD
Safety Committee meets monthly and is improving coordination and
developing strategies.
Addressing
the coverage of SROs at the middle school level.
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Develop
Truancy Prevention Initiative.
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Student
Attendance Review Teams have begun at Berkeley High School (BHS). BHS is re-establishing partnerships with community-based
organizations that provide support services to youth and their
families.
The
group will meet over summer to develop Student Study Team/Student
Attendance Review Teams/case management process - includes BPD, BHS,
the Berkeley Alternative High School (BAHS) and the district.
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Student
Attendance Review Teams (SART) will become a part of the Student
Success Team (SST) process, to prevent truancy; the SST will
establish linkages with families, school staff and community
agencies.
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BUSD
working with community to establish Student Attendance Review Board
(SARB). The SARB is a
last resort to provide supports to chronically truant students.
The
Alameda County District Attorney has been in contact with districts
across the county regarding a new truancy prevention effort.
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Develop
Victims Services.
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National
Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) received grant funding to
work with Berkeley on a teen violence prevention program.
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NCCD
meet with BUSD staff, BHS and BAHS in December to discuss a program
that addresses, and works to prevent, teen victimization.
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Improve
Safety and Climate.
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Possibly
submit School-Community Policing program grant to continue safety
efforts at the middle schools.
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Gather
grassroots input from youth.
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South
Berkeley Youth Services for Crime Prevention is considering hosting
a 2nd annual Youth Forum, organized and lead by youth.
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Actions
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Accomplished-
Spring 2003
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Accomplished – fall 2003
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In Progress
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Pilot
a model of coordinated mental health and case management services
with the City of Berkeley, the schools and community-based
organizations.
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Early
Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) application from
City of Berkeley Mental Health for $2.1 million submitted to County
of Alameda Behavioral Health Care Services. In June, Berkeley Mental
Health (BMH) submitted a detailed proposal for school-based mental
health services for qualified students (funding is for full-scope
MediCal). EPSDT will be pilot project for integrated services model
with schools.
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BUSD
committed to reframing the purpose and role of the Student Study
(Success) Teams (SST), traditionally the avenue for teacher referral
to special education.
SST’s
will be reorganized to be student and family centered, and utilized
as an avenue to build partnership with the family to address the
needs of the student. BUSD
is working with the Berkeley Alliance Integrated Services
Coordinator, school site administrators and community members to
develop the framework, the tools and the training for the new and
improved SST process.
Through
the SST process, students/families who request mental health
services will be referred to appropriate agencies – those eligible
for MediCal will be referred to BMH or other EPSDT qualified
provider.
Berkeley
sent a team of 6 people representing the BUSD, City of Berkeley and
community-based organizations to the national conference on
School-based Mental Health Programs.
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BMH
will working with community agencies to submit detailed proposals
for the other elements of EPSDT application: community mental health
services for children; substance abuse treatment; special day
treatment and, crisis intervention.
On-going
planning with goal of beginning implementation Fall 2003.
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Brought
together the Integrated Services Work Group with leaders from the
Community Action Teams/South and West Berkeley Health Forum to
better coordinate efforts.
Reorganized
operating structure of the Citywide Collaborative for Youth with the
goal of more substantive coordination and collaboration occurring.
Completed
project with Goldman School of Public Policy graduate student to
frame an integrated services delivery model (May 2003).
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Planning
Consultant, Lisa Warhuus, was hired and is actively facilitating the
work of the integrated services work group.
$20,000
secured from SBC to develop system for integrated, coordinated
family support services.
Integrated
Services Work Group meets monthly – organized into two sub-groups:
1)
School-based and Community-based Mental Health
2)
Student Success Team Re-organization – with the goal of
identifying student/family needs and then bridging the appropriate
services to help meet those needs.
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Improve
the coordination and delivery of family support services across the
city.
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Berkeley
Alliance allocated $25,000 for planning coordinated for integrated
services model with the City, the schools and the community.
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BUSD
and BHS Health Center secured new space BHS Health Center.
Mayor
convened a Task Force on Health Services to:
1.
Identify assets and gaps in health services in Berkeley
2.
Identify opportunities for collaboration among health service
organizations
3.
Create a vision for health services in Berkeley
4.
Provide direction to the City Health Department, ensuring
that the City’s priorities address the needs of the community.
Task
Force includes City’s public and mental health departments,
Lifelong Medical Inc., UCB Tang Center, UC School of Public Health,
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, Kaiser, Children’s Hospital
Oakland, South & West Berkeley Health Forum.
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Discussions
proceeding with the Family Resource Centers at Rosa Parks,
Longfellow and BHS about increased billing potential to serve more
students.
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After
School and Summer Program: Strengthen
our system of after school and summer program to better leverage resources
between public and private programs and engage youth in the design of our
programs (especially teen programs).
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Actions
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Accomplished-Spring
2003
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Accomplished-Fall 2003
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In Progress
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Develop
a comprehensive resource and networking guide.
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BUSD allocated
funding in the Berkeley Schools Enrichment Program (BSEP) Fund 6
budget to support the development of a resource guide.
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Lights On
Afterschool – first effort to coordinate public and private after
school programs across the city – 22 sites participated, news
coverage on 3 TV stations and the SF Chronicle, Daily Planet and
Berkeley Voice.
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Still exploring
concept of resource guide
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Establish
an on-line forum for information sharing.
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Berkeley Community
Fund volunteered to pilot an on-line forum for after school
providers.
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On-line
communication launched with planning of October 9th
Lights On Afterschool
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Coordinate
citywide training.
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To be determined
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Develop city wide
volunteer pool.
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Mayor proposed $70,000 for
volunteer coordination and mentor program for Berkeleyans to
volunteer with youth through the libraries, as well as other
community agencies.
|
Mayor’s
proposal to allocate $70,000 for Berkeley
Champions for Kids Volunteer Coordination
was approved by City Council – June 2003.
An advisory
committee has been established to develop the volunteer coordination
program in partnership with Berkeley School. Volunteers.
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Berkeley Alliance
is considering Fiscal Sponsorship.
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Develop
programs that serve diverse groups of teens.
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As part of the
youth engagement piece in youth safety, we hope to have the youth
provide input and design into teen programs.
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Actions
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Accomplished-Spring
2003
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Accomplished- Fall 2003
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In Progress
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Meet
as an Action Team through the Berkeley Citywide Collaborative for
Youth (4th Monday of every month, except July and
August).
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Developing an
advisory committee for coordinating mentoring programs (recruitment
and training) across the City. This will also double as the
mentoring committee that connects to the Citywide Collaborative for
Youth.
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Mentoring Committee
of Citywide Collaborative for Youth held its first committee meeting
October 2003. Identified
various issues, but specifically the issue of funding—We are at
risk of losing mentors for up to 500 Berkeley students due to state
budget cuts!!
Mayor is convening an
“emergency fund development strategy” meeting for mentoring
programs in January 2004.
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Stiles
Hall to offer to help new mentoring program with training and/or
developing training.
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As part of the Advisory Committee,
Stiles Hall has offered to provide training.
Plans will be developed as the coordination evolves.
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Improve
coordination and recruitment mentors and tutors from the community
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See Berkeley
Champions for kids proposal in Steering Committee section
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See Berkeley
Champions for kids proposal in Steering Committee section
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Linking
Berkeley Public Library (bpl) with Schools:
Improve literacy among our children, youth and adults by forging stronger
institutional partnerships between the public libraries and the school
libraries.
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Actions
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Accomplished-
Spring 2003
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Accomplished- Fall 2003
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In Progress
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Berkeley
Public Library work in partnership with BUSD to develop
collaborative plans for West Berkeley Library renovation.
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Committee
has been established and planning has begun on the partnership
between BPL and the schools around West Branch renovation.
They have discussed plans for a teacher/family reading center
and professional development center for an upper story as part of
the West Branch application for State Prop. 14 funding for library
construction.
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Preparing
grant application due January 2004
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.
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Recruit
more volunteers to help with libraries, e.g. could volunteers help
in public library while librarians come into the schools to visit,
do book talks? Expand “LitPal” program—more volunteers.
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Mayor
proposed $70,000 for volunteer coordination and mentor program for
Berkeleyans to volunteer with youth through the libraries, as well
as other community agencies.
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Mayor’s proposal to allocate $70,000
for Berkeley
Champions for Kids Volunteer Coordination was approved by City Council – June
2003.
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On-going
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New
and emerging partnerships.
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Berkeley
Public Library director is actively exploring ways to partner with
BUSD elementary school libraries.
Library Board of Trustees has expressed support for such
partnerships.
Partnering
with Berkeley Adult School, Vista, BPL and the Mayor’s Office on
adult literacy and Cities that Read campaign.
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Discussions
on-going.
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On-going
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