WSA_Youth and Family Master Plan Phase I - September 2009

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Interpretation of youth services assessment In Santa Ana, youth services vary. In particular, recreation services are dynamic and are provided by several types of organizations. From the analysis, three themes emerged that highlight opportunities for augmenting youth services: resources, programming and coordination. ~eso~e~ ~ Pr~~r~r~r~irt~~ *~J~ed for rnar~ "~pa~e~"- b~th k~uildings ar~d ~a~~enf gr~e~en spaces ~N~e~ed for consistent, Iong- termfunding streams Figure 4: General themes #Ne~ds to engage entire farnily •Ne+eds to be a~ordabl~e- especiallytvfamilies uvitl~ multiple children Resources ~Improvod cornrnuni~ation k~et~uveen ~ommur~ity ~rganizati~n~ and pity *lmproued ~cvrnrnunication bet~reen city and school district Several focus group participants noted that pursuing joint-use opportunities and making fuller use of the school facilitates would be one way to provide for more park space within the city. There is currently a Joint-Use Committee that meets regularly to explore current and future opportunities for shared resources. There are currently 7 joint-use collaborations between SAUSD and the City of Santa Ana. As the California Endowment Healthy Communities Initiative unfolds, the potential for several more in the upcoming years is possible. As the research on joint-use has increased in recent years, aCalifornia- based statewide task force, convened by the Prevention Institute, was created in May 2008 to provide support and resource tools for communities interested in pursuing joint-use.25 It is important to note that the identified lack of space referred not only to green spaces- although those were identified several times- but also to buildings and spaces for community members to convene. The need for safe locations for families- mothers in particular- to congregate and foster civic capital was identified by several stakeholders. Several individuals mentioned that the families they work with constantly ask for locations to congregate for "cafecitos" or other opportunities to engage one another and build relationships. Among stakeholders interviewed, it was felt that the schools could be ideal locations for such convenings. However, focus group participants felt that there is not currently a sufficiently robust protocol for families to be able to access these resources. r ra~~o Providing safe and healthy places coupled with activity programming does more than foster good physical health in children and teens; it can also help divert youth from gang membership and prevent youth violence. Community mobilization is often needed to create momentum in creating healthy and safe spaces. As an example, in 2005, the Madison Park Neighborhood Association in Santa Ana expressed concerns to city government that the area around a paved trail that ran through Madison Park was covered in graffiti and had attracted homeless persons, which made the area feel unsafe for some local residents. The Safe and Active Living United Districts (SALUD) Initiative was created by the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Agency, to address the communities concerns. Among other achievements, SALUD has staged a health fair, formed amountain-biking club for youth, and offered a morning aerobics class with free child care at the neighborhood recreation center ~ALBD, 2006). Actions z5 More information on this can be found at www.iointuse.or~.