Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Open Board of Directors Meeting
San Bernardino Community College District
114 S. Del Rosa Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Minutes
Present: Dimitrios Alexiou, Carole Beswick, Erin Brinker, Ann Bryan, Bill Easley, Dick Hart, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, Ed Lasak, Neil Macready, John Mirau, Charlie Ng, Tom Nightingale, John Prentice, Kristine Scott, Paul Shimoff, Phil Waller, A.J. Wilson and Ray Wolf.
Announcements: 1) A retirement party will be held for Ty Schuiling at 4p.m. on Friday, May 4, 2012 at 2086 South E Street, San Bernardino. Details will be e-mailed to members. 2) The scheduled speaker for lunch in Sacramento on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 will be Dan Walters. If you plan to attend the trip to Sacramento May 21 & May 22 please complete the reservation form and submit it as soon as possible.
M/S/P: Minutes of the April 17, 2012 meeting
Erin Brinker introduced Joseph Williams, CEO & Founder, Youth Action Project.
The Youth Action Project (YAP) established in 1998 is a non-profit organization that works to empower San Bernardino’s youth to develop the skills and habits needed for economic and social success. Their work is intended to bring positive change by helping local youth graduate from high school, complete college or vocational training, develop work skills, and make responsible choices.
YAP recognizes the many and diverse groups that are focused on youth programs and sees a need to find a comprehensive system that would streamline and tie services together in our state, county and region. They envision linking youth service providers by an electronic network and to establish a network of youth providers who share a unified vision with specific action plans for serving the county. The project would identify and acquire an electronic information management system for tracking and evaluating performance and to identify youth that require additional wrap around services.
The system would be accessible to all youth, sending the message that youth as a group are valued stakeholders in the larger community, that they must serve as resources for themselves and others and that their well being and success are key to the overall advancement of society. Additionally, there is strong evidence that when young people from diverse backgrounds and experiences are engaged in the same program activities, at-risk youth are provided a wider range of opportunities and have greater success.
A comprehensive system would engage youth that have become frustrated, alienated and disenfranchised with the current confusing system. It would tie service providers together and reduce duplication of services.
YAP has been successful in their ventures and continue to develop their three primary service components:
Community & Economic Development-Young Professionals Academy California has the fifth worst unemployment rate in the nation. The Inland Empire regions of San Bernardino & Riverside have the highest unemployment rate in the state of California. The economy and uncertain job market have increased competition for local college students to obtain entry-level employment. YAP provides these college students with hands-on work experience and professional development training. The goal is to provide a two-fold benefit: work experience and professional development for our young adults and, through their service, benefits to the community-at-large. Several YAP alumni have gone on to obtain employment with: county agencies, local non-profit organizations, and school districts just to name a few. Others have continued, or completed, their education at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Educational Enhancement-Young Scholars Minority and economically disadvantaged students in San Bernardino fail the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) at rates far greater than their counterparts; making them ineligible to receive a diploma (California Department of Education). Alarming rates of academic disengagement show that minority and economically disadvantaged students are leaving high school unprepared and disadvantaged because of their ethnicity or financial circumstances. YAP provides students with the essential skills and strategies necessary for success in, through, and beyond high school. Additionally, YAP encourages the habit of being a life-long learner.
Youth Development-Young Leaders The City of San Bernardino has the highest concentration of disadvantaged youth in the state. YAP uses a near-to-peer approach in its programming. Youth are connected to positive adults who teach and model appropriate behaviors and life skills. Youth gain interpersonal skills as they participate in activities that teach them to handle conflict, value others and their differences, communicate effectively, and to be able to foster change in themselves and their communities. Youth are able to increase self-esteem, which increases the likelihood of improved academic performance. Additionally, youth play an integral role in the development of all our programs.
A Q & A period followed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 a.m.