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City Preparing “Fresh Start Kits” for Vulnerable Youth In recognition of November being National Runaway Prevention Month, DYCD is assembling “Fresh Start Kits” containing personal hygiene items to help runaway and homeless youth maintain their dignity in the face of significant challenges. DYCD reached out to local businesses and national retailers seeking donations of non-perishable snacks, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, band-aids and other essential items to be distributed to vulnerable youth. A number of civic-minded businesses have contributed to the “Fresh Start Kits”, including American Hygiene Industries, Estee Lauder, NIKE and Vinnie’s Styles.
DYCD continues to seek donations; New Yorkers can call the Youth Connect hotline at (800) 246-4646 if they are interested in making a donation or know of a potential partner. Read the release
2010 NYC LADDERS FOR LEADERS APPLICATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE! **Deadline
Extended : Dec. 14, 2009**
NYC Ladders for Leaders is a college and career readiness program offering New York City high school and college students professional paid summer internships, college scholarships opportunities, free college preparatory and SAT courses, career guidance, and leadership development workshops. Online Application Learn more
FMS UPGRADE ALERT! The City of New York is upgrading its Financial Management System (FMS) to a web-based application. As a result of this conversion, the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) will be unable to process payments during the period beginning December 18, 2009 and ending January 4, 2010. Read additional details
Cornerstone Initiative RFP: Organizations determined eligible for an award Through the Cornerstone Initiative, 25 not-for-profit organizations will operate programs for youth and adults at 25 New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Community Centers across New York City. These sites were selected by DYCD and NYCHA based on indicators of need, an assessment of existing services, and the suitability of the physical facilities. The overall aim of the initiative is to strategically invest public funds in ways that foster the healthy development of NYCHA youth, provide engaging and relevant programs for adults, promote intergenerational activities, and support vibrant community centers that offer benefits to residents of all ages.
The term of the contracts will be from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012, with an option for DYCD to renew for up to three additional years. Download the list (in PDF)
NEW YORK CITY RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH SERVICES November is National Runaway Prevention Month. DYCD is pleased to premiere a new Public Service Announcement, highlighting New York City’s continuum of care for Runaway and Homeless Youth including Street Outreach, borough-based Drop-In Centers, Crisis Shelter and Transitional Independent Living programs. Watch the video
NYC DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT JOINS PARENTS AND NON-PROFIT PARTNERS TO HELP KEEP “LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL” On October 22, DYCD joined afterschool programs throughout the five
boroughs and the families they serve in marking the 10th anniversary of Lights on Afterschool, a nationwide celebration that calls attention to the importance of afterschool programs for America’s children, families and communities. This year’s event follows the introduction of compelling new data demonstrating the importance of afterschool programs. According to the America After 3PM report, released by the Afterschool
Alliance and sponsored by the JCPenney Afterschool Fund, 8.4 million children
across the nation (15 percent of all school-age children) are in afterschool
programs. New Yorkers should be proud to note that the study ranked our
state third in its “Top 10 States for Afterschool” list. The State’s
increase is significantly driven by growth in DYCD’s coordinated system of
afterschool programs, which will serve more than 150,000 young people over the
current school year. Read the release
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) 2009 Annual Summary In 2009 DYCD enrolled 52,255 participants with placements at 8,688 worksites. Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) restored and created additional SYEP jobs resulting in the largest summer program in over ten years. Read SYEP 2009 Annual Summary (in PDF) Learn more about SYEP
MAYOR BLOOMBERG APPOINTS MEMBERS OF CITY’S COMMISSION FOR LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND QUESTIONING RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH On October 5, 2009 Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced the appointment of 25 civic leaders to the New York City Commission for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) Runaway and Homeless Youth. The Commission is charged with devising strategies to address the unique needs of LGBTQ youth before they run away, provide homeless youth with both shelter and the support they need to live independently, or help them reunite with their families when appropriate. The New York Women’s Foundation President and CEO Ana L. Oliveira will serve as Chair, and Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Jeanne B. Mullgrav will serve as Director. Read the release
HELP WANTED: NYC's 100 Best Communities for Young People Application New York City has twice been named one of America’s 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise. Winning this important award not only secures New York City national recognition as a great place to raise a child, it also allows local communities-based organizations to compete for specially designated grants. For future 100 Best competitions, America’s Promise will be judging communities based in part on the number of Promise Places located there. Promise Places are local organizations that are providing young people with caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, an effective education, and opportunities to help others. Promise Places will receive recognition materials, be featured on the Alliance's website and in the Alliance's weekly newsletter, and will serve as models for other local organizations across the country.
Please take a few minutes to register your organization as a
Promise Place.
Family Literacy Family Literacy programs address the educational and individual needs of parents and children between the ages of 4 and 10 through a coordinated set of four components: adult literacy, children’s education, parent and child together (PACT) time (parent/child interactions centered on literacy), and parent resource time (parent knowledge of child development and parenting strategies). New programs began September 1, 2009. Find a program Learn more
Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs for High School Youth The Out-of-School Time (OST) Programs for High School Youth provide services that are relevant and tailored to the needs of two distinct groups of youth: (1) Students entering Grade 9 who are confronting the transition from middle school; (2) Students in Grades 11 and 12 who are eligible for assistance under the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA). Find a program Learn more
New Report on GED Testing in New York City An important new report on the GED Testing System in New York City was just released. “Our Chance for Change: A Four-year Reform Initiative for GED Testing in New York City,” by Jacqueline Cook examines the current system for GED testing and offers critical recommendations on how to improve it.
Download the Report (in PDF) Learn more
Prequalification (PQL) for New York City Council Discretionary Funding Any organization applying to the New York City Council to receive one or more discretionary award(s) totaling more than $10,000 must be Prequalified. Starting in FY 2009, DYCD has administered the Prequalification (PQL) process for City Council Discretionary funding on behalf of the City, under the guidance of the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services. Our goal is for this process to be as simple and efficient as possible. Learn more Download forms
Protect Yourself During Flu Season New Yorkers are encouraged to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting flu shots or flu mist for H1N1 and seasonal flu. Learn more - visit nyc.gov/flu
DYCD Highlights
Choosing a Good Day Care Program
The Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene offers tips, referrals, health advisories, and more. Learn more
Volunteer
Interested in volunteering? The Mayor's Volunteer Center can find you the right cause. Learn more
Learn about public health insurance
New York State offers free and low-cost public health insurance programs that can help individuals pay for health care costs. Visit the site
A New Way to Learn
English on TV
We Are New York is a new TV show for people learning
English. You will see stories of hope, love, family and friends. And you
will learn the English you need to make it in New York City. Learn
more
ACCESS NYC - Benefit Information Screen your
family for up to 35 City, State, and Federal health and human service
benefit programs. In addition to screening, you can learn about the
programs, how to apply, where to go, and even print filled in
applications
. Visit
www.nyc.gov/accessnyc
Learn about your Community Board
The Community Assistance Unit provides information on all New York City Community Boards. Visit the site
Census 2010
Be counted. Learn about the upcoming census, the benefits to the City and your community, and the importance of every New Yorker's participation. Learn more
Register to Vote
Register to vote in the next election. Learn more
Locate City Services using NYCityMap
Use NYCityMap to find information on transportation, education, public safety, resident services, neighborhood information, and City life. Visit the site
To protect children from falls, the Health Department urges New Yorkers to make sure window guards are in place. For more information about approved window guards call 311. Learn
more
Read the release
