Friday, May 16, 2008
May 19th Action: Fund Youth Jobs
With a Summer Youth Employment Program that will place nearly 10,000 young people in the workplace this summer and an expected growth to 15,000 in 2009, Mayor Fenty and his Administration have made a real investment in the future of the City’s young people. We urge Congress to do the same and make an investment in the young people of our nation, by including $2 billion in the national economic stimulus package for summer youth employment programs.On May 19, 4pm at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, support legislation that would ensure summer jobs for 3 million young people.
Details here
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Loose Change Week
Organized under the campaign DC Youth Need Change!, DCAYA members distributed materials and information highlighting the need for $5 million in additional funding for the Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation and $4 million in funding set aside for supports for homeless youth. DCAYA members urged Councilmembers to find loose change in the FY09 budget for youth initiatives. This effort follows months of preparation for the FY09 Budget Hearings. DCAYA members, including youth, participated in the Department of Human Services, Department of Employment Services, and DC Housing Authority budget oversight hearings. One group of formerly homeless youth at Sasha Bruce Youthwork participated in six weeks of advocacy training to prepare to give testimony and tell their stories Councilmembers. Witnesses as young as eight years old participated in the hearing, as did leading Executive Directors of several community organizations. DCAYA Director Eshauna Smith and Youth Leadership Fellow Anthony Ross were interviewed on News Channel 8 in connection with the campaign.Meeting on DCPS Extended Learning Day
On Thursday, May 8th, DCAYA hosted a conversation/working meeting of more than 80 members and allies about DCPS’ new initiative to extend the school day. This extended school day model, planned to begin in Fall 2008, will seek to formalize and coordinate out-of-school-time programs between the hours of approximately 3:30-6:30pm. DCPS’ goal is to provide all youth in DCPS with out-of-school-time programming – beginning in Fall 2008. Representatives from 40 community organizations and foundation received an update on the initiative, asked questions of Dr. Ximena Hartsock the Deputy Chief for Differentiated Instruction.Saturday, April 12, 2008
New Photos: Youth Program Funding 2008!
On April 10, 2008 DCAYA members and young people from across the District
participated in the Committee on Human Services Hearing on the Children and
Youth Investment Trust. With more than 30 people in attendance, the room was
filled with youth and youth advocates. Committee Chair Wells and
Councilmember Schwartz both remarked on the power of the testimony shared,
especially that by the young people.
DCAYA was represented by the Vietnamese American Community Service Center,
LifeStarts, Kid Power, Beacon House, Life Pieces to Masterpieces, Metro Teen
AIDS, DC Scores, and Heads Up. With a unified voice, these members asked for
$5 million in additional funding for youth-serving organizations in the
District.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
DCAYA & Fair Chance will be hosting a series of brown bag discussions!
Please RSVP to info@dc-aya.org. This is a brownbag event, please bring your lunch!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Rally to Support Summer Youth Programs Photos Online!
On October 30th, DCAYA organized 100 young people, parents, concerned residents and youth advocates from across the city to rally on the steps of the Wilson Building on Tuesday. The purpose of the rally was to urge Mayor Adrian Fenty to invest $6 million of the city’s $100 million surplus to preserve summer youth programs in 2008.
Without additional funds, dozens of summer programs that help thousands of youth build skills, increase academic achievement and develop healthy behaviors will be eliminated or dramatically cut. Since 2006, funding from the city to the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation’s summer programming has been cut by more than half, from $6 million in FY 2006 to $2.5 million in FY 2008, leaving summer programs in real danger.
Each year, the city awards funds to the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, which then makes grants to community-based organizations (CBOs) that operate summer arts, academic enrichment and recreational programs throughout the city. In 2007, CYITC made grants to more than 100 organizations, reaching more than 10,000 children and youth.
These programs help young people fight the learning loss that occurs during the summer months and, by keeping youth active and providing healthy meals, the programs also help to take on obesity. In 2006, for example, 29,000 children ate nutritional breakfast and lunch through the CYITC-backed programs.
These programs work to actively engage young people in learning, with interesting activities offered such as playwriting workshops, a NASA astronomy program, and field trips to the Frederick Douglass National Historical Site and the National Museum of History. Of course, the programs are careful to balance the fun factor as well, taking participants to Nationals games and on nature excursions.
Related documents:
Press release
Monday, January 28, 2008
March General Body Meeting
What: DCAYA General Body MeetingWhen: Friday, March 14, 2008, 9:30-11am
Where: Charles Sumner School Museum and Archives
1201 17th St NW, Washington, DC 20036 (between Dupont Circle & Farragut North Metro Stations)
Please join us as DCAYA’s three core committees - Youth Employment, Youth Homelessness, and Out-of-School-Time report on the exciting advocacy efforts for 2008, and discuss for upcoming projects and events.
In addition, our guest speaker for this meeting will be Nicholette Smith-Bligen, Administrator, Child & Family Services Administration, Office of Youth Development.
Ms. Smith-Bligen will provide an overview of how Child and Family Services works to assist families in Washington DC and the particular role of the Office of Youth Development.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Rally to Support Summer Youth Programs Photos Online!
On October 30th, DCAYA organized 100 young people, parents, concerned residents and youth advocates from across the city to rally on the steps of the Wilson Building on Tuesday. The purpose of the rally was to urge Mayor Adrian Fenty to invest $6 million of the city’s $100 million surplus to preserve summer youth programs in 2008.
Without additional funds, dozens of summer programs that help thousands of youth build skills, increase academic achievement and develop healthy behaviors will be eliminated or dramatically cut. Since 2006, funding from the city to the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation’s summer programming has been cut by more than half, from $6 million in FY 2006 to $2.5 million in FY 2008, leaving summer programs in real danger.
Each year, the city awards funds to the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, which then makes grants to community-based organizations (CBOs) that operate summer arts, academic enrichment and recreational programs throughout the city. In 2007, CYITC made grants to more than 100 organizations, reaching more than 10,000 children and youth.
These programs help young people fight the learning loss that occurs during the summer months and, by keeping youth active and providing healthy meals, the programs also help to take on obesity. In 2006, for example, 29,000 children ate nutritional breakfast and lunch through the CYITC-backed programs.
These programs work to actively engage young people in learning, with interesting activities offered such as playwriting workshops, a NASA astronomy program, and field trips to the Frederick Douglass National Historical Site and the National Museum of History. Of course, the programs are careful to balance the fun factor as well, taking participants to Nationals games and on nature excursions.
Related documents:
Press release