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Home My WebLink About _ 4.6(a)--Authorize City Manager to Execute Agreement with Shasta County for Funding Programs at MLK C CITY OF REDDING REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL Recommendation Authorize the City Manager to: (1) Approve and execute a Professional Services Agreement between the Shasta County Probation Department and the City of Redding (City) for program and services support utilizing Shasta County's Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funding in the amount of $100,000 per year for a three-year term for program support at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center; (2) Administratively appropriate the associated funds; and (3) Execute the necessary documents to implement the associated grant funding. Fiscal Impact The Professional Services Agreement (Agreement) provides $100,000 annually for three years to the City of Redding (City) to offer enhanced programs and services at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center (Center). The Shasta County Probation Department is the grant recipient of the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) and will act as the fiscal agent. There is no impact to the General Fund, and no match is required. Alternative Action The City Council could decline to approve the funding agreement or provide staff with an alternate direction. MEETING DATE: June 20, 2023 ITEM NO. 4.6(a) FROM: ***APPROVED BY*** kniemer@cityofredding.org btippin@cityofredding.org SUBJECT: 4.6(a)--Authorize the City Manager to approve and execute the funding agreement and appropriate Shasta County's Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant funding for program support at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center Kim Niemer, Community Services Director Report to Redding City Council June 14, 2023 Re: 4.6(a)--Authorize City Manager to Execute Agreement with Shasta County for Funding Programs at MLK C Page 2 Background/Analysis The Center is located at 1815 Sheridan Street. The Center has offered programs for families and at-risk youth for over fifty years. In a supportive environment, the Center offers academic and enrichment programs such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (S.T.E.A.M.), social programs such as Positivity Girls Club, Kings Brotherhood, and Kids Night. It focuses on developing life skills through camping trips, college trips, and more. These programs are vital in assisting at-risk youth to avoid the criminal justice system and instead foster an environment where youth can develop skills and discover personal interests. The Shasta County Probation Department is the recipient of JAG; this is the fourth round (2016, 2019, 2019 extension, 2023) of JAG funding for the Center. This new round of funding will allow the Center to continue to offer evidence-based programs, including the following: • One Circle Foundation curriculum promoting safe and healthy development through the preteen and adolescent years; • Academic tutoring for students under the age of 18; • Mentorship from two credentialed teachers; • Annual college connection trips; • Technology programming emphasizing S.T.E.A.M; • Job skills certifications for youth that focus on activities that promote the development of life skills, positive relationship building, and study habits; • Young Naturalist environmental stewardship program that provides hands-on activities and project-based learning; and • Art therapy. Environmental Review This action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act, and no further action is required. Council Priority/City Manager Goals • Government of the 21st Century – “Be relevant and proactive to the opportunities and challenges of today’s residents and workforce. Anticipate the future to make better decisions today.” Attachments ^2023-2026 MLK updated proposed scope of services City of Redding, Martin Luther King, Jr. Center Updated Proposed Scope of Services for 2023-2026 Program Area No. 1 Boys Council/Girls Circle Train and supervise staff to develop, coordinate, implement and facilitate the Boys Council and Girls Circle programs. • Market program to targeted audience. • Purchase materials and curriculum needed to run program successfully. • Maintain registration, attendance rosters and additional documentation specific to the program. • Provide regular program evaluation. Program Note: Frequency: 3 sessions (26 weeks) Expected Participation: approx. 10-15 youth per session, 50-75 youth in a calendar year. Population Served: This program is open to the community but focuses on disadvantaged youth from the immediate neighborhood, and receives referrals from local foster agencies, school resource counselors and Youth Violence Prevention Council. Program Area No. 2 Tutoring and Educational Support • Augment tutoring and educational support for participants. • Purchase materials needed to run program successfully. • Market program to targeted audience. • Maintain registration, attendance rosters and additional documentation specific to the program. • Provide regular program evaluation. Program Note: Frequency: 37 weeks, 1100 hours Expected Participation: 40-50 youth over a 37-week period Population Served: This program is open to the community but focuses on disadvantaged youth from the immediate neighborhood, and receives referrals from local foster agencies, school resource counselors and Youth Violence Prevention Council. Program Area No. 3 Pro-Social Activities and Job Training Youth Tech Classes: Provide twenty-six weeks of S.T.E.A.M. programming that allows youth ages 9-18 to develop technology and workforce skills taught in the context of the needs and priorities of the youth. Lessons will include computer coding, build a computer using Raspberry Pi’s (small module computers that students learn to build upon), graphic design, utilizing free and inexpensive web tools to create and design websites; photo editing, and more. Additionally, staff will delve into the world of social media, teen usage, and the impact social media can have on youth’s lives. Art Therapy: Staff will hire an art instructor who will offer three/ ten-week art therapy sessions utilizing materials such as paint, oil pastels, markers, clay or crayons as a means of self- expression. The class will guide participants to develop various art projects which journals their life past, present and future. Through the process of journaling their lives through art, participants will be provided an outlet to channel their anxiety and aggression while expressing feelings and ideas that are too emotionally loaded for verbal communication. Providing youth, a safe and encouraging environment where they can create art can strengthen a youth’s problem-solving skills, autonomy, sense of purpose and social competence. Additionally, as many of our at-risk youth have experienced traumatic experiences the process of working with materials and creating a final product helps youth gain self-understanding and supports youth to learn better coping skills while working through problems. Young Naturalist: Staff will offer two/ eight-week environmental education programs that utilizes the award-winning curriculum, Project Learning Tree/Project Wild/Project Aquatic to provide youth opportunities to become engaged in real world issues that transcend the classroom walls. Staff will provide hands-on, interactive project-based activities for 20 participants to explore and understand natural habitats. Staff plans to not only educate but provide a natural antidote to the technology focused youth culture. Studies have shown that children who experience school grounds or play areas with diverse natural settings are more physically active, more aware of good nutrition, more creative, and more civil to one another. Recreation Scholarships: Provide fifteen scholarships per year into the following job skill development programs, utilizing programs offered through Redding Recreation. By utilizing these established programs, staff can monitor their attendance; they are certificate classes that upon completion students are eligible for the City of Redding to directly hire them. Once hired, students will gain financial independence, employment history and we can provide ongoing support past their program completion date. • Babysitting Training • Summer Adventures Junior Counselor Training • Junior Lifeguard • WSI Training with Fundamentals of Instructor Training • Blended Learning Lifeguard Classes • Umpire and Referee Training Retreats and College Connection Trips: Pathways to your Future: College Connections: Staff will host one college trip per year over the three-year contract term to local state universities such as Sonoma State University and University of San Francisco, for disadvantaged youth which will focus on helping participants creating and realizing career opportunities that have not been made available to them and developing a goal-centered mindset that will create a bridge to a better future. Staff will partner with the local University of California-4-H Cooperative office in Shasta County to offer a ten-week Pathways to your Future program which directs participants to take a self- reflection approach to choosing an after high school path instead of the traditional pick a college approach. This approach has proven to be more successful because students start with what they're passionate about and what they think they're good at, how much money they want to make in the future and focus their intentions on knowing themselves and a realistic idea of what they desire for themselves before jumping into college or a career. To help them attain that clear-eyed perspective, the modules in the curriculum also debunk myths about the college experience and incorporate budgeting activities. Many participants in the trial program said they appreciated that the curriculum presented a variety of pathways, including vocational education, non-degree certificate programs, community college, on-the-job training or entering the workforce – as well as four-year institutions of higher education. During the college tour’s staff will partner with the Universities Admissions and Financial Aid department as well as connect minority students with on-campus organizations that will support them in their college path. Through connecting at-risk youth with greater spectrum of opportunities, positive mentorship, life and goal-setting training, staff will engage students to see the accessibility and reality that they can achieve a better life for themselves. The program will serve 30 disadvantaged youth from middle school to high school per college trip. Many participating students come from single parent, and disadvantaged families who have not attended college. When youth have parents, who have not attended college before, and lack a positive role model in their life, they don’t feel like college is attainable or necessary. Through this thought process, students stay in the disadvantaged cycle without having practical steps or motivation to move forward. Additionally, many families do not have the financial income to send their child on educational or recreational trips nor have they traveled outside of their community restricting their outlook. Staff believes by providing positive mentorship that encourage and motivate youth to believe in themselves that they are capable to open doors for themselves to a better future. This program will not only connect youth with financial resources, allow them to explore potential career paths, but also will provide them mentorship, tutoring support and tools to help them navigate the transition from high school to college. Program Fee’s Estimated Cost Assessment per year Total per year Program Area #1 Boys Council and Girls Circle • Salary= $11,700.00 • Materials, Equipment (Tables/Chairs), Trainings/Curriculum= $ 3500.00 $15,200.00 Program Area #2 Tutoring, Mentorship and Educational Support • Salary= $44,000.00 • Materials, Equipment and Curriculum= $2,000.00 $46,000.00 Program Area #3 Pro-Social Activities and Job Skills • Youth Tech Classes: $7,850.00 • Job Skills Certification: $2,400.00 • Naturalist Program: $2,800.00 • Art Therapy: $9,750.00 • College Connection Trips: $16,000.00 $38,800.00 Note: Costs are estimated and will vary upon program evaluations and attendance. Cost reflects the rising cost of staffing, transportation, and materials. Total Program Costs $100,000.00