4th Second

4th Second expanded upon its Youth Empowerment Program which seeks to address trauma, support resilience, and provide opportunities for all youth In 2024, 4th Second continued its work with 149 youth to support resilience building, mental health and to prevent substance abuse among low income youth ages 12-25. Participants attended weekly sessions where they learned stress reduction techniques, financial literacyincluding budgeting, credit management, and understanding taxesand human-centered design principles aimed at creating safe spaces in their community. To mitigate the traumatic impact of economic insecurity and poverty, youth were provided with basic income stipends. As part of their learning, the cohort conducted a Human-Centered Design Project, identifying the urgent need for safe spaces where youth in Vallejo could gather and connect. 4th Second opened its second youth-designed youth center in Vallejo in May 2024 where it was able to 4th Second launched weekly sessions at the newly established Safe Space, expanding its programming to address youth suicide prevention, substance use prevention, environmental health and advocacy, and young womens economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The weekly sessions covered critical topics such as mental health and suicide prevention, where youth participated in self-care activities and co-created a media campaign promoting suicide awareness. Financial literacy and workforce readiness were also key components, with sessions focused on budgeting, understanding credit, managing taxes and paychecks, as well as resume building and mock interviews. Additionally, youth engaged in sessions on environmental health where they examined the significance of safe green spaces, including community gardens, as areas where problem-solving skills and positive coping mechanisms could be developed. Further, youth worked in the newly created community garden to bring their designs to life in the physical space to create a relaxing and welcoming space where regular programming continued throughout 2024 and 2025 In the process the youth also learned about organic gardening techniques, including materials for raised beds and soil amendment practices. Beyond the physical aspects of gardening, youth engaged in self-reflection exercises, using nature-based mindfulness techniques to stay grounded.

4th Second continued its community development efforts by building upon its work as the Solano County representative of the statewide Community Economic Mobilization Initiative and Up Housing Program to support projects that address food insecurity, healthcare access, recuperative care, shelter, and affordable housing. 4th Second worked extensively on the predevelopment activities for a 25-room recuperative care facility resulting in the submission of a full planning application in the Spring of 2025. 4th Second purchased a property to develop a shared permanent supportive housing model to support individuals experiencing homelessness. 4th Second also expanded the development of the community garden to provide a community serving asset until the site can be further developed into the mixed-use grocery and housing project. Building on designs created by youth in 4th Seconds youth programming, community members, staff, and youth collaborated to bring the garden to life. Beyond beautifying the neighborhood, the inclusion of native plants provides ecological benefits, particularly their ability to attract pollinators, beneficial insects, and other wildlife, aligning with permaculture principles and environmental health initiatives. Fruits, vegetables, and herbs have been integrated within the native plant areas and cultivated in raised beds alongside them, ensuring a sustainable and productive urban green space Through these efforts, 4th Second continues to foster community resilience by promoting food access, environmental stewardship, and inclusive urban development.