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PRCSC - Receive and File an Informational Item Regarding “My Brother’s Keeper.”
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Meeting Date: September 5, 2017
Contact Person/Dept: Patricia Mooney/PRCS Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-6655
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [X]
Public Notification: (Email) Meetings and Agendas - Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission (08/31/17); (Email) Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department Updates (08/31/17)
Department Approval: Shelly Wolfberg, Assistant to the City Manager (08/30/17)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission (PRCSC) receive and file an informational item regarding “My Brother’s Keeper” (MBK).
BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION
At the August 1, 2017, PRCSC meeting Commissioner Amezola De Herrera requested and received consensus to agendize an informational item regarding “My Brother’s Keeper” (MBK).
The My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge
The White House’s My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge (the Challenge) was issued in 2014. This national call to action for communities (cities, counties, and Tribal Nations) was issued by President Obama with the objective of developing and implementing innovative ways to improve social, occupational and financial outcomes for boys and young men of color in the United States. The underlying philosophy is to “address persistent opportunity gaps” that have inherently been a part of the culture for hundreds of years. A core concept of the Challenge is that bringing fundamental improvements and stability to the lives of this population will enhance not only their individual lives but also our communities and the country as a whole. The Challenge is consistent with the goals and recommendations of the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Task Force’s May 28, 2014 report, to “ensure that all young people can achieve their full potential regardless of who they are, where they come from, or the circumstances into which they are born.”
By accepting the My Brother's Keeper Community Challenge, communities have committed to convene key stakeholders to get involved locally, to implement proven strategies for improving the life outcomes of young people, to measure their successes and setbacks, and to share their plans to help communities learn from one another. For more information on the White House’s My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge, please follow this link. <https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/node/279811>
The City of Culver City and My Brother’s Keeper
Council Member Meghan Sahli-Wells was Mayor when the White House’s My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge was issued. Under her leadership and that of her fellow City Council Members, the City of Culver City has been participating in the Challenge since its inception. In Fiscal Year 2015/2016 MBK-related goals were included in some of the Work Plans of City Departments, including the Police Department, the Fire Department and the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCSD). Subsequently, MBK was incorporated into Goal 4 the City Council Strategic Plan Fiscal Year 2016-17 to Fiscal Year 2020-21. Goal 4, “Promote Workforce Diversity and Development,” is provided as Attachment 1. Currently, City leaders are participating in a working group to develop an Action Plan that supports MBK goals. Director of Administrative Services Serena Wright-Black is involved in that effort and she is available at this evening’s meeting to speak to the Commission about the Action Plan.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department and My Brother’s Keeper
In February 2015, the PRCSD’s Recreation Division Youth and Teen Programs Coordinator, Mrs. Arames White - Shearin, MPA, attended a MBK training in Washington D.C. as part of the MBK National Summit. The Summit was also attended by Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells. Following the training, Mrs. White - Shearin developed the following Fiscal Year 2015/2016 Work Plan:
Teen Center: Through our Youth Mentoring Program, set aside 25% of the 12 positions (3 positions total) to be offered to students who meet the “My Brother’s Keeper” qualifications.
The Culver City Youth Mentoring Employment Program is dedicated to helping “at-risk” youth and young adults between the ages of 14 - 24 that reside in the City of Culver City. The program is aimed at teaching “at-risk” youth marketable skills and basic work ethics along with soft skills to be self- sufficient, stable and engaged members of our community. Participants are placed in various City departments ranging from Human Resources, Parks, Recreation and Community Services, Housing, Accounting and Senior and Social Services. Indicators for the MBK Work Plan goal to date are as follows:
June 2015 - September 2015: Two Black males and one Latino participated in the Program
June 2016 - September 2016: Each mentee worked approximately 140 hours over the course of the summer. Seven out of the 14 youth employed qualified under our MBK Initiative.
July 1, 2017 - August 30, 2017: Two Black males ages 15 and 21 and three Latino males ages 18, 16, and 14 participated in the Program.
For the Fiscal Year 2017/2018 Work Plan, staff was asked to incorporate elements of the City Council Strategic Plan, where applicable. PRCSD put forth the following Work Plan to address Strategic Plan Goal 4 (Fiscal Year 2017/2018 Adopted Budget, page 185):
Goal Four - Promote Workforce Diversity and Development
Conduct and expand outreach to a broader range of individuals to increase employee diversity. Employ creative recruitment techniques and further promote diversity within the City’s organizational culture.
Objective 1: Advance Workforce Development and Succession Planning
Initiatives:
a. Engage local high school students in meaningful work assignments that will stimulate an interest in future career opportunities with the City, utilizing social media to market current City programs (i.e. Student Worker Program, Police Explorer Program, Teen Citizen Academy, and Fire Department Mentorship)
b. Continue participation in President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative on a County and Federal level beyond his term as President.
Goal Indicators:
□ Feedback from program participant and employee surveys.
□ Number of student internships/mentorships provided, including those that are connected to the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative.
The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance
The MBK Alliance was formed in response to President Obama’s 2014 White House’s My Brother’s Keeper Community Challenge. It is a 501(c)(3) organization that is nonpartisan and operates independently. The MBK Alliance has remained active and vital in the months since President Obama left office, with the most recent large-scale event being the First Regional Summit Outside of the White House which was hosted by the City of Long Beach and attended by representatives from Culver City. The press release for that event can be viewed online here. <http://www.longbeach.gov/press-releases/press-releases/city-of-long-beach-and-my-brother-s-keeper-alliance-host-first-regional-summit-outside-of-the-white-house> More information, including the MBK Alliance’s Six Milestones along the Life Path that Serve as Key Indicators of Future Success, may be found on the MBK Alliance website. <https://www.mbkalliance.org/>
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no fiscal impact associated with the discussion of this Agenda Item.
ATTACHMENT
1. 2017-09-05 - ATT 1 City Council Strategic Plan Goal 4
MOTION
That the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Commission:
Receive and file an informational item regarding the “My Brother’s Keeper.”