This is How We Empower Our Youth
Bayview youth enjoying an Easter egg hunt
The power of positive acknowledgement towards children fuels their progression towards self-autonomy. Opening spaces for young people to enjoy their childhood in places where more often than not, kids are pushed to maturity younger, grants validation to their development. City of Dreams is fighting for this validation for the kids of the Bayview neighborhood. Our initiatives remain consistently defined under one umbrella term: youth empowerment.
Bayview’s long history of affliction has rooted the neighborhood into seclusion from its not-too-distant SF peers. We recognize the decades of hardship and the work to turn that around here. Our goal here is to address trauma and poverty by providing meaningful experiences and connections with our kids. By validating their hardship and introducing alternative means to cope and heal, we hope that they establish the confidence to speak and act for themselves. The Boys and Girls Club puts it simply: “When young people are inspired, they feel confident and capable. They become excited to explore their impact on the world around them.”
In the ideal sense, we are introduced to our kids at the average age of 8. Coming from the surrounding public housing complexes, the youth come to our site after school for homework help, activities, snacks, reading workshops, and bonding with each other. Oftentimes, a part of those activities is directly correlated with the on-site garden. Our Earn2Learn program gives kids an opportunity to cultivate the garden themselves and receive a small stipend in return. The goal is to introduce early on financial literacy, and the process of plant cultivation and healthy eating through maintenance and care. In Bayview, 40% of 5th graders are considered obese. Many of our activities are oriented towards teaching healthy habits and combatting the inaccessibility of healthy foods. We believe that gardening can change their lives, and work as another step towards self-determination.
With the concept of immersive opportunities for personal development and making memories, we implement monthly field trips to experiences around the Bay Area. Some include: Six Flags, Santa Cruz, House of Air, Golden State Warriors Camps, recreational parks, surfing, and partnering with other organizations. We call them “Super Saturdays,” which imply to the youth that these experiences are memorable and created with them in mind. These trips are made possible by the organizations we partner with and donors who see the potential in our youth. By advocating for Bayview youth, experiences once out of reach become accessible.
Mentorship has been the backbone of City of Dreams and, in many ways, has contributed the most to validating the voices of our youth. One-on-one pairings are matched by staff, who interview both parties and decide on meaningful matches. Presented with the opportunity to cultivate a relationship with an adult outside of their family, the pairing has the potential for mutual development and perspective outside of one’s typical experiences. De’Maya, a Bayview native, who came to us experiencing challenges, found connection with Cassidi and now the pair travel together and seek out healthy habits of living. In Bayview, 3 out of every 10 people are under the age of 24. With the severely low-engagement rate of these youth in school, mentorship has proven to enrich the lives and self-confidence of this population. Additionally, 5 out of every 10 youth are less likely to use drugs after mentorship, and 4 out of 5 are more likely to participate in extracurricular activities. Michelle, a youth in our Ground Zero program, has become more inclined to participate in her school’s programs since meeting her mentor Emily. Recently, she played a role in the play, “Survivors of a Broken System,” and invited Emily to a show!
During the transition into early adulthood, City of Dreams offers “Ground Zero,” a life skills, thought expression, career building, safe space to discuss the lives of the kids so far and what they can expect in the future. Topics often include how they can pursue opportunities like jobs, trade schools, college, mental health, trauma, and how to start building themselves up for adulthood. By offering sound advice, connections, and recommendations for the transitional youth, they are less likely to seek out unhealthy alternatives. Validating their experiences establishes a positive interpretation of self-autonomy.
As April is Youth Voice month, City of Dreams would like to acknowledge the kids of our organization as active contributors to the happiness and progress of the Bayview neighborhood. By standing up for them, they are able to build the courage and values to stand up for themselves. And by elevating their stories and validating their childhood, we abide by the goal for total youth empowerment.
Sources:
“Bayview Demographics and Statistics.” Niche, https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/n/bayview-san-francisco-ca/residents/. Accessed 20 April 2022.
“Club Impact.” Boys & Girls Clubs of America, https://www.bgca.org/about-us/club-impact. Accessed 20 April 2022.
SFSU Students. Bayview Neighborhood and City of Dreams Fact Sheet. PDF. San Francisco, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OOnpJbCPlyC0l_k_SCnJrf1u476cnFdx/view.
Social Policy Research Associates (SFUSD). “Data Report for Our Children, Our Families Council.” SFUSD SPRA, 2015, http://bayviewmagic.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2010/02/OCOF_DataReportAug2015.pdf.