Teen Summer Programs at DC Public Library

This month, with summer now in full gear, we have a guest blog post from Jennifer Thompson, Teen Programs & Partnerships Coordinator at DC Public Library.

Teens come to the library for many reasons. Many of us (me included) have fond memories of using our library as a teen. Granted, I mostly used the library to play poker with my friends, but while I was there, I ended up learning much more than to how to tell when someone is bluffing.

I learned that the librarians and other library staff were great resources for not just book recommendations. They would help me reserve rooms in the library for study groups, they would guide me to online resources when I had homework-related questions, and they would take time out of their busy schedules to chat with me about my day. Today, teens use the library in similar ways. They enjoy checking out books and getting recommendations from our staff, hanging out and chatting with their friends, using our computers, learning about other opportunities in their community, and expressing themselves in the programs we offer to them.

Big Wins for Youth and Families in the FY18 Budget

The second FY18 budget vote will occur on June 13th at 11am (watch here: http://dccouncil.us/videos), and the final legislative vote will follow shortly after. But in the meantime, we wanted to share the progress we’ve made in elevating the needs of the District’s youth and families through the Council’s first vote.

To highlight the fruits of your labor throughout this budget season, read on for more about the Council’s budget decisions impacting our four issue areas: Expanded Learning, Disconnected Youth, Youth Homelessness, and Youth Workforce Development. 

Expanded Learning: $4.9 Million to OST*

Office of Youth Outcomes (Deputy Mayor for Education): While significant progress has been made to build the new Office of Youth Outcomes on a solid foundation, the Committee on Education maintained flat funding at $4.9 million for community-based afterschool opportunities for District youth. In this budget season, the Committee on Education prioritized identifying funds to reach the recommended increase of 3.5% in per-pupil funding, yet *Chairman David Grosso did commit to allocate an additional $2 million to the OST system in the likely chance of a budget surplus this summer. As the system continues to strengthen, DCAYA is committed to restoring OST funds to the historic $10 million mark to ensure demand for these critical youth development programs are met.

DCAYA's Budget Updates: Workforce Development & Disconnected Youth!

While the final vote on the FY17 budget will occur on May 31^st at 10am (watch here: http://dccouncil.us/videos), the Council’s decisions are all but finalized.

Today we’d like to reflect on the work of our members and partners throughout this year’s advocacy season and provide an update on the successes for youth, families, and children within the FY17 budget. This week’s is the first of two parts, focusing on Youth Workforce Development and Disconnected Youth. 

Youth Workforce Development

Maintenance of In-School Youth Program

This spring, DCAYA advocated for the continuation of the In-School Youth Program with available federal funds-- and supplemental local funds if necessary. Under WIOA, federal expenditures for in school programs will be reduced to a maximum of 25% of the District’s total federal allocation of $2.3 million annually. Because the District has significantly underspent federal funds in the last few years, the In-School Youth Program appears safe in FY17. DC’s Draft WIOA State Plan includes a proposed strategy to blend the District’s reduced in school allocation with funding that flows through the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) to make all in school youth programs accessible to youth with disabilities. We will continue to advocate for capacity building support within the program’s competitively selected providers to ensure that they have the training necessary to provide quality programming to youth with disabilities. We’d like to thank our members and partners from LAYC, Sasha Bruce, DCFPI and the Young Women’s Project for attending the WIOA State Plan Public Engagement Session to elevate this priority and for testifying at DOES’s budget oversight hearing.

SYEP Expansion and Evaluation

Full Report Available Here

While the FY17 budget includes $4.8M to fully fund the participation of 12,000 youth 14-21 and 1,000 youth 22-24, DCAYA and our partners were successful in ensuring that the continuation of this expansion be tied to the consistent assessment and evaluation of its quality. Earlier this spring, the DC Council added an amendment to Mayor Bower’s Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Expansion Amendment Act of 2016. The amendment limits the expansion of SYEP to the summers of 2016 and 2017 in order to allow Council adequate time to review and assess data regarding the program's expansion during 2015 while working with the Executive to formulate a permanent program that appropriately meets the needs of the targeted populations, including disconnected youth. Additionally, the DC Auditor’s report on SYEP concluded that to meet legislated program requirements moving forward, DOES will have to contract with an external expert to conduct a third-party, program quality evaluation of the program annually. Big thanks are due to Councilmember Silverman and her staff, Councilmembers Nadeau and Allen for promoting the quality and assessment of SYEP, and to DOES’s Office of Youth Programs for working to provide the best possible program to over 13,000 District youth every summer.

Disconnected Youth

Expansion of Kids Ride Free through Age 24

This year, DCAYA advocated for an additional investment of $950,000 to expand the age eligibility of Kids Ride Free through age 24 in order to meet the transportation needs of over 700 youth engaged in alternative and adult education placements. Building on the evidence elevated by Raise DC’s Disconnected Youth Change Network (DYCN), DCAYA designed a survey of re-engaging youth this winter and circulated it through DYCN’s membership. Our findings provided a basis for a cost estimate of our budget ask and highlighted the importance of funding transportation supports to maximize the District’s investments in nontraditional students.

During budget advocacy, DCAYA also supported the ask of the DC Adult and Family Literacy Coalition (DC AFLC) to extend the availability of subsidized tokens to adult education providers to help offset the cost of transportation for their students. While neither of these asks were able to be funded in the FY17 budget, our advocacy did result in the addition of language in the Budget Support Act requiring the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME) to fully assess the transportation needs of the District’s adult and alternative education population by October 1, 2016. Even though our budget requests were not granted by Council this year, we mounted a strong campaign and are certain that our champions on the Council will find the funding next year.

This year’s effort was made possible by the work of Raise DC’S Disconnected Youth Change Network in vetting and circulating our transportation survey, our partners at DC AFLC and Academy of Hope for supporting our ask, the Council’s Budget Office and the staff of the Committees on Education and Transportation & the Environment for working to identify the needed funding, the DME for initiating a Transportation Taskforce earlier this year, and to Councilmember Silverman for including our ask on the Committee of the Whole’s final ‘budget wishlist’.

Maintain Funding for SLED

Throughout the FY17 budget season, the Mayor’s $1.1M proposed investment to keep SLED stable and fully staffed and $11.9M to develop the capacity of the system in capital funds were maintained. SLED continues to play an invaluable role in driving the District’s education system decisions, and also serves as a starting point for the development of a similar approach within the workforce development sector. Many thanks are due to the Mayor, DME Niles, and Superintendent Kang for prioritizing the maintenance of SLED in the Mayor’s proposed budget, and to the Committee on Education for ensuring the protection of these funds through the budget process. We’d also like to thank our partners at Raise DC for spearheading important and insightful educational research that brings the fruit of SLED to bear.

That’s all for now folks! Check back next week for more budget updates on Expanding Learning and Youth Homelessness.

For more on youth issues in DC you can FOLLOW us on Twitter, LIKE us on Facebook, SUBSCRIBE to this blog and VISIT us at www.dc-aya.org.

Budget Breakdown: What Mayor Gray's Proposed Budget Means for Children and Youth

As you likely heard, Mayor Gray released the proposed DC Budget for 2015 last Thursday. The multi-billion dollar budget proposal is now before Council where, through a series of upcoming public hearings and advocacy meetings, it will be debated and tweaked by Council Committees before it goes to a final vote.

To inform our budget asks for 2015, DCAYA spent the last few days reading through each agency budget to identify major changes. We found a few pockets of great investments, and a few areas that will need loud community voices in the coming weeks. Here's what we've found so far:

Education: Please note the DCPS budget format was dramatically overhauled this year and it will take us a bit more time to work though. In the meantime, here are a few broad takeaways.

DC Public Schools and Public Charter Schools  

• $112,000,000 in new funding for DC Public Schools (DCPS) and the District’s public charter schools (PCS), including $60,000,000 million in funding targeted to at risk students.
• A $409,000,000 investment for ongoing citywide school modernization.
• $880,000 to add three additional career academies in IT, engineering, and hospitality.
• A major increase in the number of middle school counselors, budget mark pending.

Office of the State Superintendent (OSSE):

• Due to a decrease in a number of federal grants, OSSE’s overall budget will be reduced by $25,697,297. This will impact a number of OSSE’s offices and programs. DCAYA is still waiting for more information on these cuts.  
• Funding to services designed to promote success in post secondary education including DC TAG, AP Test Fee Funding the College Access Challenge Grant went up by $9,788,000.

DCAYA Ask: Given the overall complexity of the Education Budget, we are continuing to work through our final asks for this year. We’ll be sure to post additional information here and on our website as soon as possible. In the meantime, DC Appleseed just released a great report and recommendations on the need for robust investments in Adult Basic Education, and as always, our friends at DCFPI have a number of great blogs up that look at the Mayor’s entire budget.

Youth Homelessness and Safety Net Services:

• Although we’re still waiting to hear final numbers on supports for Homeless and unaccompanied youth and young parents; last year’s budget for this population was $6,022,691. Given the investments made by the LGBTQ Housing Program we would anticipate this number to rise by close to $400,000 this year. We’ll update you as we learn more.
• The overall budget for homeless families shows a decrease. While the budget does include a $1,000,000 increase to both emergency rental assistance and rapid re-housing, this investment will not cover the loss of nearly $600,000 in federal funding traditionally used to provide critical safety net services for homeless families. 
• Funding to mental health services for children and youth through the Department of Behavioral Health also saw a massive increase of $23,689,000.
• The DC Kids Ride Free Program was increased by $2,000,000.

DCAYA Ask: With 48% of homeless families headed by a parent aged 24 years and younger, our city faced a mounting crisis this winter. While we applaud the commitment of this Mayor to invest in truly affordable housing and the 500 Families in 100 days initiative, we remain committed to ensuring young heads of household and unaccompanied youth receive the level of support they need to succeed long term. We must remember that many of these young parents and individuals are simply not prepared financially or emotionally to live alone. We will continue to advocate for the adoption of our $10,000,000 investment in prevention, reunification and long-term supports for this vulnerable population.

Expanded Learning and Youth Development:

• Despite early indications that the Trust’s budget could see an increase in the Mayor’s proposed budget, funding remained flat at $3,000,000.

DCAYA Ask: We stand by our initial recommendation that the Children Youth Investment Trust Corporation should be funded at $8,000,000. This is the funding level necessary to maintain its current grant making, capacity building and agency coordination efforts.

Youth Workforce:

• Funding to the DOES Summer Youth Employment Program increased by $634,000.
• Unfortunately, year round programming provided by DOES was cut by $1,943,000 due to a loss in federal funding that was not replaced with local dollars.
• The end of a contract between OSSE and DOES has removed $4,153,000 in Post-Secondary Education and Workforce Readiness funding from the OSSE budget. The impact of this cut is somewhat unknown at this time, with more information to follow.
• On a brighter note though, although this isn’t possible to find in the budget document, the Mayor’s Office Reported making an additional $2,500,000 investment in workforce programming at the Community College of the District of Columbia.

DCAYA Ask: While the investment in the community college is fantastic, the failure to invest local funds into the year round youth workforce programming is troubling. DCAYA will push for stable funding for this program and also recommends that the increase in SYEP be transferred to the year round program.

Disconnected Youth:

• The Deputy Mayor for Education’s budget does include $372,000 to support a city-wide Re-Engagement Center (REC) for Disconnected Youth.

DCAYA Ask: This budget is insufficient to support a fully functioning REC. The DCAYA’s analysis recommended $689,000 in public funding (this relies on at minimum $115,000of in-kind donations from various government agencies and foundations). We are continuing to push for the full investment recognizing that as proposed, the Mayor’s budget would hire three staff and support almost no additional resources for a REC.  In addition, we continue to push for $1,500,000 to support additional capacity in our alternative education programs. Without more seats, there will be very few educational programs for youth to reconnect to. Because funding in DCPS' budget is still unclear, progress in this area is uncertain. We'll continue to update you.


DC Alliance of Youth Advocates envisions a community where no youth is considered at-risk and where all are respected as valued members of society. Facilitating robust community input on the DC Budget to ensure smart, stable funding that positively impacts DC youth is a major part of our work. Please check our website calendar for opportunities to have your voice heard in the upcoming DC Council Budget Hearings 

For more on youth issues in DC you can FOLLOW us on Twitter, LIKE us on Facebook, SUBSCRIBE to this blog and VISIT us at www.dc-aya.org.

Jump On the Bus

Last spring, Councilmember Muriel Bowser, along with colleagues Anita Bonds and Mary Cheh, proposed legislation to provide all District students with access to free transportation. The DC Kids Ride Free Program was implemented this school year with wide-spread popularity. While the program is proving successful with youth currently in traditional public and charter schools, there is a large subset of youth trying to reconnect through alternative education programs (STAY) and workforce development options (SYEP) who are lacking access to such a valuable resource.

The demand is clear. Earlier this year, DCAYA executed an in-depth study of disconnected and recently reconnected youth in the District. Using a dual methodology that combined surveys (we interviewed nearly 500 youth aged 16-24) and focus groups, we captured significant insight into the realities of disconnection here in the District. What we found is heartening: the vast majority of students, who have disconnected, actively want to reconnect. These young people reach a level of maturity and understanding that success in the workforce is predicated on a high school diploma, post secondary education, and guided job training; yet they also face tremendous barriers. One of which is transportation.

Over 33% of our respondents reported spending over $30 a week, or $120 a month, on transportation. Based on reported income data, this suggests youth are spending between 15-30% of their monthly income on transportation alone.

Many young people seeking to reconnect are over-age and under-credited to the point that enrollment in a traditional alternative program would not provide them with enough time to earn a diploma, and once out of school, internship options are nearly non-existent. Others face very real pressure to work in addition to pursuing an education, thus needing a more flexible educational program. These youth are often more appropriately served in alternative credentialing programs (STAY Programs) or intensive GED programs. However, due to the designation of their educational program and their age, the majority are unable to access the transportation supports afforded to younger students.

The loss of economic productivity and social costs associated with disconnected youth are profound. The roughly 12,000 currently disconnected students here in DC cost taxpayers (in lost earnings) roughly $13,900 per youth, or a total of $167,000,000. When you add in the per-student annual social cost of $37,450 associated with disconnection that’s an additional $449,000,000 a year (subsidized health care, income assistance, higher rates of criminal justice involvement) . A modest investment in transportation subsidies would remove a major barrier to successful reconnection and reap significant economic and social rewards for years to come.

With this in mind, I urged Councilmember Bowser and Councilmember Cheh at the Joint Roundtable on the DC Kids Ride Free Program to expand the program to:

• Serve youth up to age 24 who have reconnected to alternative credentialing programs.
• Extend operational hours until 10pm, accommodating those students who are taking evening classes.
• Include summer months for students attending year round or are enrolled in summer school programs.
• Incorporate SYEP youth, continuing the city’s efforts to grow a local, proficient youth workforce.

My suggestions were well-received and I look forward to working with Councilmembers Bowser and Cheh to make them a reality.

Many of our city’s young people face a barrage of obstacles on their path to adulthood that require intensive services and interventions. When it comes to the obstacle of transportation, however, the DC Kids Ride Free Program has proven an effective method for breaking down a known barrier. By expanding the program to youth participating in alternative education, GED programs, and SYEP, youth are more likely to stick with and complete programs intended to better their lives and ultimately, the community as a whole. It’s time to jump on the metrobus and support those youth who one day, will be able to support themselves.

Maggie Riden is the Executive Director of DC Alliance of Youth Advocates. She encourages youth and community advocates to attend Roundtables and Committee Hearings to provide the council with honest insight on neighborhood issues. You can stay up-to-date on these hearings by checking out the DCAYA calendar of events. 

For more on youth issues in DC you can FOLLOW us on Twitter, LIKE us on Facebook, SUBSCRIBE to this blog and VISIT us at www.dc-aya.org.

Youth Voices: Jonathan Williams

When I first met Jonathan, he was soft-spoken and laughed often. In between interviews, he talked about “females” and wanting to get his driver’s license. When we shot b-roll on the street, he would stop people and chat with them about school or the military or whatever other topic popped into his head. Jonathan is an easy-going, likable guy.

One afternoon, when the red record light was off and we were chatting on the way back to the car, he shouted hello to a guy across the street. Just making casual conversation, I asked if the guy was in his program. “Nah,” Jonathan said, “we were on vacation together.” Genuinely excited to hear about his trip, I asked him where they went, wondering if it was a perk of the program and thinking how great of an experience it must be for him to get out of the city. Jonathan just chuckled and said, “Nah, it’s not that kind of vacation, we were incarcerated together.”

Hand to the forehead moment.

Depending on an interviewee’s personality, the lens of a camera can either cause a person to clam up or open up. In Jonathan’s case, if people are willing to listen, he’s willing to talk. During the time we spent working on his Youth Voices video, he touched on topics from gang violence, to family loss, to homelessness. Jonathan tells stories exactly how he sees them and is not afraid to give his opinion, even when he prefaces his thoughts with, “don’t get me wrong,” and “I don’t want to offend anybody, but this is how it is.” His honesty leaves you sickened by the system, but rooting for him and his generation.

Once the camera is turned off though, it’s easy to forget his struggles, because he’s just another guy. 

We mentioned in last week’s blog that November is Homeless Youth Awareness Month and that homeless youth are an invisible population. Homeless youth and disconnected youth are often one in the same. Unstable housing makes lasting stability in jobs or school next to impossible. Sadly, most of the time an average person only hears about a homeless youth or a disconnected youth in DC when they are in the news for theft or gang violence or worse. What these news stories fail to mention is everything that leads up to that single bad choice; personal histories that many youth keep hidden.

Jonathan’s story is one worth listening to and his on-camera persona and off-camera personality are one in the same. Young people are multifaceted human beings with complicated pasts and undefined futures. As members of the DC community, we should do more than just root for Jonathan’s generation. It is our responsibility to ensure all youth like Jonathan have a place to stay, a warm meal to eat, opportunities for employment in the city, and the chance to be a contributing member of society.

Because after the YouTube video ends, Jonathan’s just a 21 year old guy trying to survive in Washington, DC. 

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Want to help youth like Jonathan? Read the Plan to End Youth Homelessness in DC and write your councilmember a letter stating why DC must invest in opportunities for local youth.

E-Sign-On Letter

Plan to End Youth Homelessness in DC

Personalized Sign-On Letter

Pre-populated Sign-On Letter

As the Multimedia and Communications Associate at DCAYA, Angela Massino, works to #unmask  youth homelessness through social media outreach and short films. You can follow Jonathan Williams Twitter and Tumblr campaign #iamDC as he defines what it means to be a youth living in Washington, DC. 






For more on youth issues in DC you can FOLLOW us on Twitter, LIKE us on Facebook, SUBSCRIBE to this blog and VISIT us at www.dc-aya.org.

Starting Out Young

The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides DC youth ages 14-21 with summer work experience in both private and government sectors across the District. The paid, short term employment introduces youth to various local job opportunities. To end our youth blogger series, 17 year old Jocelyn Funes talks about her experience working as the Communications and Development intern at the non-profit CentroNía.

At home, I'm the chef's assistant (my mother cooks a fresh meal almost everyday). I'm also the landscaper's helper (my dad's work in the yard never seems to end), and I'm even a nurse for my three siblings when they get sick. I would say that my duties at home extend to that of a janitor, teacher, translator and many other fields, but for the first time ever, my job title became Communications and Development Intern at CentroNía. Even more incredible: I got paid for it!

This summer while I was not at Capital City PublicCharter School, my days at CentroNía began at 10 a.m. every Monday through Thursday. I would walk through the tall and heavy glass door, where a staff member would always be there ready to welcome you to the building with a big smile. I later learned that I wasn't the only special person to be personally greeted; all staff members rotate at the door on a daily basis before and after school. Next, I would take 50 steps up the stairs until I reached the third floor. I was encouraged not to use the elevator and eat healthy for the sake of following CentroNía's wellness model, as they take pride in being a national example. I must admit though, it was tempting to eat chips or fries, but after time you simply don't do it because others around you don't.

Once in the Communications and Development office, I received projects from my bosses. At times I was asked to file, organize, translate from English to Spanish, input data in the computer, plan, write and many other things. I especially loved the moment I was asked to serve as photographer for an event where students were creating art projects with recycled materials. I was there to capture those special moments and we used the photos for bigger communication and development purposes. Another assignment I enjoyed was using social media to help communicate messages with the community. And on other occasions, I was asked to record audio messages for parent communication in English and Spanish. In many ways, I was a natural assistant since this had been in my DNA since I was a child at home, so now at 17 years-old and in a real job setting, it was no different for me.  I had responsibilities and I knew they just had to get done.

What I mostly got out of this paid internship was the feeling that I could be hired - one day.  I saw my possibilities as limitless.whether I want to be a teacher, nurse, principal, or anything else. I feel that I can work hard to have a good job and maybe even have enough money to travel or buy a home for my family. Who knows what the future holds for me, but for now, what I hear is that more Latinas are enrolling in college. And that Latinas are using both English and Spanish in their jobs. I guess mom was right when she told me that knowing Spanish would come in handy.

I feel so lucky that 54 other interns and I had the opportunity to hold our first job, cash our checks and more important, realize that this could be the beginning of a professional career for us. My next plan is to make my parents proud by graduating from high school, then graduate from college, and eventually become a professional in a field of work. I know that if I can wear many hats at home, I can do the same out there in the real world. CentroNía believed in me and my capabilities by allowing me to intern with them and I am hopeful someone else will, once again, in the near future.

This year, Jocelyn Funes is entering her last year of high school. DCAYA would like to thank Jocelyn for contributing to the youth blogger series. By lending her voice, community leaders and advocates may better understand what quality services youth need to grow into productive adults. 

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To read more about youth issues in DC you can FOLLOW us on Twitter, LIKE us on Facebook and VISIT us at www.dc-aya.org.

From Homeless to Helping the Homeless

This year as part of the One City Summer Initiative the Children and Youth Investment Trust Corp. (the Trust) employed over 20 Young Adult Coordinators (YACs) as part of its target area strategy. These YACs were deployed throughout communities across the District to work directly with residents old and young to better connect them to the resources being offered by various District agencies. DCAYA was fortunate enough to get two of the YACs to blog about their experience this summer. The following post is from Kadeem Swenson who worked as a YAC at the DC General Shelter. 

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to be a community leader with the Children Youth Investment Trust Corporation . My placement as a Young Adult Coordinator with the Trust was at DC General Shelter. My job there was to provide resources to the community and let them know that there are people out there who want to help them. A lot of people in DC don’t know this.

In my situation I was a homeless youth so helping them really meant something to me. I was the only YAC assigned to DC General so, an average day for me was a lot of running around. A lot of people at DC General had lost all hope and hit rock bottom. For some of them, success meant getting all you could from the government or making money doing something illegal. That’s why I worked really hard this summer to make sure the people at DC General had all the resources I could offer them.

While I was at the shelter, I talked to families (both parents and kids) about college and how they could prepare for it. A lot of families did not know much about this. I also worked with organizations such as UDC, DC Public Library, Georgetown Medical Bus and the Department of Homeland Security to come and do outreach and assist shelter residents with completing resumes and applications for jobs. I know the people at DC General needed all the help they could get, but I hope my work there really helped out. I really enjoyed my summer at DC General and am proud to be the first person in the position. Hopefully my work there made a pathway for the next person that tries to help out.

Kadeem is currently in New York at Brooklyn College studying International Business. He really enjoyed working with the Trust this past summer and will continue helping people and promoting positive change in his local communities. Click here to watch a video about Kadeem created by the non-profit College Bound. 

To read more about youth issues in DC you can FOLLOW us on Twitter, LIKE us on Facebook and VISIT us at www.dc-aya.org.