Youth Together Inc

Youth Together provided year-round programming and direct services for youth and families in Oakland, CA for fiscal year 2023-2024. Youth programs consisted of leadership development, civic engagement, after school academic and enrichment programs, coordinated parent support services, wellness checks, case management, and expanded learning events in collaboration with community organizations and school sites.Youth Together Program Accomplishments FY 2023-2024-Youth Together emerged as a collaborative project in 1996 following a 2-week long emergency closure of Castlemont High School in Oakland, CA, and the weeklong closure of Richmond High School in Richmond, CA, due to violent race riots. Outraged by the conditions in their schools that led up to these riots, students and community members came together to strategize how young people could lead efforts to identify solutions to the root causes of both the physical violence (e.g., fights between students, increased gang presence) and the institutional violence (locked bathrooms during the day, punitive tardy policies) that was present on their school campus. Youth Together began working in five targeted high schools. YTs mission is to address the root causes of educational inequities by developing multiracial youth leaders and engaging school community allies to promote positive school change.Since its inception, Youth Togethers model of Transformational Leadership Development has been locally and nationally recognized as a model program for developing youth leadership, educational justice, student organizing and parent/community engagement. Grounded in our commitment to peace, unity, and justice, the mission of Youth Together is to address the root causes of educational inequities by developing multiracial youth leaders and engaging school community allies to promote positive school change.Youth Together operates on school campuses where 76% of students are on the Free andReduced Lunch program. Our strategic location in East and West Oakland helps us reach our target population of low-income students of color at risk for school push-out/drop-out: all students served receive free or reduced lunch, over 86% of students are Latino or African American (12% Asian, Native American, Multiracial and other ethnicities and 2% Caucasian), 62% of our students identify as female, 32% as male, and 6% identify as transgender/genderqueer/non-binary.Youth Together provided year-round programming and direct services for youth and families in Oakland, CA for fiscal year 2023-2024. Youth programs consisted of leadership development, civic engagement, after school academic and enrichment programs, coordinated parent support services, wellness checks, case management, and expanded learning events in collaboration with community organizations and school sites.Youth Togethers One Land One People (OLOP) Youth Center located on Skyline High School provides direct service to youth and parents throughout the academic school year of 2023-2024. Here are the following direct services and programs;1. Rising 8th Grader Summer Bridge Summer 2023Supported 75 incoming 9th grade students for during the two-week summer bridge program located at Skyline High School. Youth Together provided students with workshops on various topics including, community building, healthy relationships, academic success, navigating high school, career exploration and more! Many of the summer bridge participants are currently participating in after school programs or are consistent visitors in the Youth Center.2. Newcomer Literacy SupportThis space was created to provide a safe and supportive environment for our Skyline newcomer population. By participating in the literacy program, students are provided with mentorship, academic support and other family/community resources from ELD teacher.3. Food AccessIn partnership with the Alameda County Foodbank, youth and families were able to access our Feed the People Food Pantry Monday through Friday for 180+ days throughout the school year.4. Expanded Learning Units of ServiceYouth Together enrolled 988 students and provided a total of 50,000 units of services before, after school, and intermission for 2023-2024.5. Dual EnrollmentIn partnership with Oakland Unified School District and Peralta Colleges, Youth Together supported with enrollment, supervision, and academic tutoring for two community college courses for 50 Skyline students.6. Unity DaysYouth Together hosted four days of Unity Day for each Pathway at Skyline for 1400 students and 120 teachers during the first week of school to cultivate healthier culture and climate for the remainder of the school year.