Community leaders sign Compact for Children and Youth

by Suzanne Mayes
Project Consultant
Capital Region Ready by 21

On April 28, the Capital Region Ready by 21 Coalition hosted a community convening to further its commitment to building a vision of shared accountability for improving the outcomes for our youth. The event was attended by well over 200 community members representing education, youth service providers, business, the faith community and philanthropy, among others. Also in attendance were Mayor Fargo and other elected and high-level officials from throughout the Sacramento Region.

During the convening, which was organized and implemented by adult and youth coalition representatives, the Capital Region Compact for Children and Youth was presented and signed by most of those attending. The compact identifies commitments and strategies community members can adopt to make an impact to support the coalition’s goals. Key stakeholders throughout the region committed themselves and their organizations to adopt specific strategies and be publicly accountable for increasing the odds that all youth are ready by 21 for college, work and life.

Lyn Corbett shared information about the City of Sacramento’s newly created Office of Youth Development and its plans to ensure all youth are successful in completing the journey into adulthood. Participants worked in small groups to further discuss the six commitments outlined in the compact and the associated strategies and indicators of success. At the end of the evening, participants signed cards committing themselves and their organizations to adopt specific strategies to increase the odds for youth success and be publicly accountable for keeping those commitments.

In the next few months, the Capital Region Ready by 21 Coalition will meet to adopt next-steps strategies that will catalyze the creation of a truly youth-friendly community that ensures that all youth are ready by 21 for college, work and life. The strategies will focus on the convening participants’ strong conviction for the need for increased youth participation and real engagement in the future of the community.

For more information about the Capital Region Ready by 21 Coalition, please contact Vicki Stockbridge at (916) 231-5333 x15 or vicki@ydnetwork.org. The Capital Region Compact for Children and Youth and the results of the convening are available at www.ydnetwork.org.