Highlighting America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People
The 100 Best Communities for Young People competition honors outstanding efforts on behalf of young people by multiple sectors of communities. In cities, suburbs, small towns and counties across the country, this annual competition is leading communities to assess their efforts, work more effectively together for young people, and share best practices. Each week one of the 2007 100 Best Communities will be highlighted in the America’s Promise Bulletin and on our web site.
Irvine, California
By Cynthia Hobgood
Named the safest city in the United States in 2007, Irvine is home to nearly 43,000 young people in Orange County, California. With a high school graduation rate of 99 percent, Irvine was also a 100 Best winner in 2005.
Recognizing the direct connection between the success of Irvine's school-age children and the success of the city in terms of community safety, quality of life, and availability of superior public resources, the Irvine City Council recently approved the implementation of the Irvine Educational Partnership Fund. Funding is awarded to add or enhance health and guidance services within schools attended by Irvine children.
In its first year, thirteen programs were awarded funding totaling $963,917. Among the collaborative activities are programs for middle and high school counselors, health education, effective behavior support, kids helping kids, a family resource center, a salad bar installation at one high school, and after-school classes.
The Irvine Public Schools Foundation
(IPSF) mission is to provide community and corporate funding in support of public education and manages educational and child development programs within the Irvine Unified School District. The IPSF is the largest public school foundation in California, raising nearly $6 million annually in support of Irvine school programs.
The Irvine Prevention Coalition
(IPC) has provided citywide drug, alcohol, and violence prevention leadership since 1996. Comprising parents, youth, non-profit agencies, city, school district, law enforcement, religious, business, health-care, and governmental representatives, the IPC provides coordination and community oversight for youth prevention programs, and maintains an ongoing needs assessment and evaluation component to help guide prevention efforts in order to support Irvine's youth.
Irvine also has a variety of programs specifically designed to cultivate and support youth leadership.
The Youth-Action-Team
(YAT) focuses on developing leadership skills at the middle and high school levels. Student representatives from each of the City's middle school and high school campuses act as the driving force behind Irvine's teen programming. YAT members initiate, coordinate, and implement a wide spectrum of recreational, educational, and community service activities for the student population at large. Participants also represent their peers throughout the community through interaction with the City Council, Community Services Commission, and School Board, participation in community forums, and involvement in a variety of community-based organizations.
Youth in Irvine are provided the resources and opportunities to help others through a variety of programs including the Middle School and High School Youth Action Teams, Boys and Girls Club, Leaders in Training, Special Olympics, Kids Helping Kids, Youth Creating Change, church service groups, campus clubs, and many more. Youth serve on the Irvine Prevention Coalition, Irvine Unified School District Board of Education, and act as liaisons to the City. Indicators from a number of these programs show statistically significant increases in youth's self-esteem, personal responsibility, and increased sense of belonging and attachment to the community. To ensure that all youth have access to opportunities to help others, the City of Irvine funds a number of youth development programs out of general funds and offers them at little or no cost to the participants.
Irvine is currently developing a Strategic Plan for Children, Youth and Families with a goal of ensuring the city has the infrastructure necessary to meet the current and future needs of Irvine children, youth and families. Irvine invited a cross-section of the agencies and groups that provide services to Irvine's children, youth, and families to solicit involvement with achieving the goals of the City's Strategic Plan for Children, Youth, and Families.