/5-for-the-Future

PYD’s Five for the Future Five key issues for our city’s youth 1. New Orleans must increase employment opportunities and job training for our city youth.

Recommendation: The new at-large councilperson should advocate for additional funding for youth employment programs, as well as directing city funds to accredited GED and other adult education programs that are already helping our young people.

2. New Orleans youth need more recreational programs and summer camps.

Recommendation: Once elected, the at-large councilperson can assist the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC) to better serve city youth by advocating for increased budget transparency and program accountability for the organization. The councilperson must also urge NORDC to create a 21st century vision for the organization that expands programming so that all city youth have access to high quality recreation opportunities, rather than the small percentage who are served by NORDC today.

3. New Orleans should provide increased opportunities for youth advocacy.

Recommendation: To ensure the needs of city youth are being met, the voices of our young people must be heard. The city should establish more teen councils to contribute to policy discussions.

4. To address public safety, the New Orleans Police Department must have all available resources for working with youth and effectively utilizing a community policing strategy.

Recommendation: Mandate that all NOPD officers receive evidence-based skills training in positive youth development. Officers working directly with youth must attend Advancing Youth Development training, a 30-hour skills building workshop to increase core competencies for working with youth.

5. New Orleans must increase funding for youth services across the board.

Recommendation: While the city increased funding for the NOPD in 2012, it left funding for youth related services, such as NORDC and Job1, stagnant. The city must make more of a financial commitment to its young people.