PURPOSE

Staff, supported by a recommendation from the Mayor�s Youth Task Force, is requesting City Council authorization for funding from the Youth Services Holding Account. If approved, up to $30,000 would be utilized to initiate a Challenge Day Program on Burbank Unified School District campuses.

BACKGROUND

During the Fiscal Year 2002-2003 budget process, the City Council directed staff to set aside funding in a Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) to be utilized for teen services and programming.  Since then, additional funds have been approved to replenish the account.  There is currently $325,550 in this account. With approval from the City Council and recommendations of the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) Board of Education, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force, the Youth Board and the Teens In Action teams, staff implements programs reflecting solutions developed by youth through processes via survey, summits, and focus groups.  These tools have provided the guidelines for considerations of programs.

The City of Burbank places a strong emphasis on the provision of quality programs, services, and facilities benefiting the youth of the community.  Programs which have received funding from the Youth Services Holding Account have included the Teens In Action Media Communications Team, Teens In Action Police Youth Relations Team, PeaceBuilders, Bliss Unlimited, the Middle School Grant Program, the Middle School Counseling Program, and the High School Counseling Program.

To address such issues as conflict, tolerance, and bullying, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force has recommended PeaceBuilders on the eleven elementary school campuses and various Afterschool programs and the Middle School Grant Program on the three middle school campuses.  For several months, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force has received presentations and discussed the feasibility of broadening efforts and establishing a conflict resolution program at the high school level. 

ANALYSIS

In January 2007, the Mayor�s Youth Task Force viewed a video of the Oprah Show that showcased �Challenge Day.� This program involves a 6-hour workshop with a diverse student body interacting on their high school campus.  The Mayor�s Youth Task Force�s positive response to this video inspired further exploration into the program. 

Challenge Day is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 that provides a day-long workshop for schools as part of a Be The Change Movement for the purpose of planning and creating a school environment where every student feels safe, loved, and celebrated.  The workshops are conducted in groups of 100 students and approximately 25 adults.  They consist of powerful exercises to increase personal power and self-esteem, to shift negative peer pressure to positive peer support, and to eliminate the acceptability of teasing, violence and oppression.  The program promotes healthy expression and creates a forum for conflict resolution to help reduce stereotypes and racial, gender and socio-economic tensions.  Many will go back on campus knowing that they are more alike than different.  One of the goals is to inspire and empower these youth to go back to their community and school to make positive changes and to challenge others to do the same.

Prior to scheduling a Challenge Day, a Be The Change Team must be created to plan and organize the event.  This team has a minimum of three people consisting of an adult representative form the school, one student, and one other adult. The team will develop an action plan including creating goals and timelines, recruiting additional members, determining needs, identifying resources, and coordinating the actual event. 

Challenge Day is not intended to be a one-day fix-all program. It would be the intention that this team would also look at long-term goals to develop post-Challenge Day activities to keep the spirit of Challenge Day alive and develop strategies to sustain change.  The Challenge Day organization provides support via office staff, website, manuals/guidelines, tabulation of surveys, and sample forms and letters. 

Important to the success of a Challenge Day Program is the commitment from the schools and the community.   Adults that participate during the day serve as adult facilitators and may consist of school personnel, community leaders, PTA members, and other parents. Participation of a school counselor is required in the event that  follow-up with any of the students is needed.

There has been a very positive response to the program.  Copies of The Oprah Show video has been provided to BUSD administration, all secondary school principals, and PTA Council.  A meeting with the secondary school principals on March 7, 2007 resulted in an initial enthusiastic positive response from three schools: Burbank High School, Monterey High School, and Community Day School.  A subsequent meeting with the secondary school principals will further discuss interest in the program. If this recommendation is approved by City Council, it will be presented to the BUSD Board of Directors.  BUSD would determine the dates and implementation of the program on their sites.  Challenge Day is now accepting applications for the Spring of 2008. 

Organizations scheduling Challenge Day must book a minimum of three days.  The cost is estimated at $15,000.  Included in this amount is the program�s $3,000 per day charge (inclusive of one six-hour program per day, two trained leaders, a pre-program survey, and unlimited phone consultation), hotel accommodations, airfare, vehicle rental, and miscellaneous supplies. Additional expenditures are anticipated related to the Be the Change Team�s supplies such as promotional materials, food and beverage for the participants, decorations, incentives, and other planning needs.  The cost estimate does not include salary costs of City of Burbank or BUSD personnel.  Such costs would be the responsibility of the City and Burbank Unified School District respectively.

It is the recommendation of the Mayor�s Youth Task Force to book two 3-day sessions. This would provide for 600 students to participate and be directly impacted.  Indirectly, the entire student body, school personnel, families and the community will be impacted. Rollout of the program relative to dates, schools, grade levels, and selection of students is to be determined.  Total cost is anticipated at $30,000.

FISCAL IMPACT

There will be no fiscal impact. During the Fiscal Year 2002-2003 budget process, City Council directed staff to establish a holding account for the development and implementation of youth oriented projects. There is currently $325,550 available in the General Fund Non-Departmental Holding Account (Youth Services) 001.ND000.62970. 0000.

RECOMMENDATION

It is the recommendation of staff and the Mayor�s Youth Task Force that the City Council approve funding in the amount of $30,000 from the Non-Departmental Holding Account (001.ND000.62970.0000) to Challenge Day Program Account (001.PR31F.62135.1007).

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