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4. Allocate Increased Funding for Youth Service Programs within areas in City Hall and not <br />within the police department, such as that can provide young people with access to skill <br />development, recreation, and housing. <br />a. In partnership with Santa Ana Work Center; offer certification and training programs to <br />train (system impacted) youth including providing opportunities to learn coding, receive <br />job skills training, and have access to leadership development (geared up to the ages of <br />25) <br />b. Cost-free sports programs and fitness centers <br />c. Housing Assistance to Trans/Queer Youth <br />d. Expanding hotspots for wifi for young people and more access to computers <br />5. Additionally, we ask that you give city staff direction to hold AT LEAST ONE youth <br />specific, budget input session in partnership with community organizations. And that City <br />Staff allow ample time for community feedback and suggested edits to any Surveys <br />developed to assess residents' budget priorities. <br />Context Youth Funding: <br />Over the Fall, we held a series of focus groups in Santa Ana to hear from young people ages 14-25 about <br />the youth services they need and current services they receive through their school, city, or community <br />organizations. This was done in partnership with Latino Health Access, Project Kinship, Invest in Youth, <br />Alianza Translatinx, and Santa Ana Youth Ballot. <br />These focus groups revealed the following programs and services that young people want to see <br />prioritized funding for the areas listed above. <br />Lastly, youth expressed they felt uncomfortable with participating in programs & services by the police <br />department due to their own experiences with police officers through the city and school. Programs and <br />services outside the police department will attract and cater to youth who need these services the most and <br />are often difficult to reach. <br />Furthermore, at the February 15th, 2022 City Council Meeting, Members of the Council expressed <br />a strong desire to continue improving safety by addressing root causes and investing in residents' <br />material needs and well being. We believe that the recommendations outlined above achieve these goals <br />by strengthening our city's nonprofit infrastructure to provide mental health services, counseling and <br />preventative services, jobs, and recreational activities that provide positive outlets for young people to <br />thrive. <br />Context Police Oversight: <br />Over the last two years, a majority of this Council has voiced support for the creation of a Police <br />Oversight Board in Santa Ana, and has put the City on a path to establish such a Board by creating an <br />Ad -Hoc Committee of the Council to draft and propose a Police Oversight policy to the full council. <br />