Vancouver Youth Organization Questionnaire

Vancouver Youth Organization Questionnaire

Spring 2008

California East Bay

Section One: Organizational Statistics

1.1) Organization Name:

826 Valencia / SO1
Youth Radio Oakland / SO2
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts / SO3
Tumi’s Design / SO4
Design Action Collective / SO5
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights/
Bay Area Police Watch / SO6
SO7
SO8

1.6) Number of Years in Operation:

6 / SO1
17 / SO2
13 / SO3
7 / SO4
5 / SO5
12 / SO6

Notes:

SO1: Since opening its original operation in the Bay Area, SO1 now has 7 chapters across the United States.

1.7) Organizational Structure

Board/Committee-run / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO6
Collective-run / SO4
Other (please specify): / Worker Coop SO5

Notes:

SO1: Non-profit status requires BoD structure. Additionally, the organization has staff, an executive director, program director and coordinators

Section Two: Demographics Served

2.1) Primary Geographic Communities Served

Mission Area / SO1
Oakland, Berkeley / SO2, SO5
N/S / SO3
N/S / SO4
Oakland / SO6

Notes:

SO1: This organization tries to not be limited by its location, offering additional programming in schools throughout San Francisco

SO2: While the organization has been based in the areas listed above, SO2 continues to attract youth participants from across the East Bay area.

2.2) Ethnocultural Communities Served

Chinese:
South Asian (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Tibet):
Southeast Asian (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore):
Black: SO2, SO6
Filipino:
Arab/West Arab:
Latin American: SO1, SO6
Korean:
Japanese:
First Nations:
Other (please specify): SO3, SO4

Notes:

SO1: The higher rate of Latin American youth accessing the services is not due to intentional targeting. Rather, the Mission area has a large Latin American community.

SO2: Since moving to Oakland, African American participants have increased due to the large African American community in the area.

SO3: Attempts to include all ethnocultural communities. Diversity is never an issue, as this organization recruits youth from every public high school (and some private) in San Francisco.

SO4: This organization focuses specifically on engaging people of colour, but does not focus on any one specific ethnocultural community.

2.3) User Gender Breakdown:

Gender by % (female/male/transgen) / Org Code
50/50 / SO1
50/50 / SO2
75/25 / SO3
30/70 / SO4
N/S / SO5
N/S / SO6

Notes:

SO2: Intentionally recruit equal numbers of male and female participants.

2.4) Age Ranges Served:

Age Range / Org Code
0-8 / SO1
9-12 / SO1
13-15 / SO1, SO1, SO3, SO4, SO6
16-18 / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
19-21 / SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
22-24 / SO2, SO4, SO6
25-30 / SO6
30+

Notes:

SO1: Works with students between the ages of 6-18. Certain programs, such as after school tutoring, attract younger students. Other programs, such as the Youth Advisory Board, are targeted to an older audience.

SO2: Entry point for working with this organization is between the ages of 14-18.

SO3: Age range is between 14-19. 66% of participants are usually 15-17.

2.5) ) Involvement of Marginalized Youth

Category: / Org Involvement
At Risk Youth / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
Multi-Barrier Youth / SO2, SO4, SO6
Street Involved Youth / SO4, SO6

Notes:

SO2: Estimate of Marginalized Youth Involvement is that 85% of youth involved with SO2 are ARY or MBY, based on where they live, their income, parents’ level of education, schools they attend.

SO3: While there is an attempt to engage with students who are ARY, or have physical limitations, the program is unable to accommodate high-risk youth. Here, high risk refers to both MBY and SIY.

SO4: The programs here engage with marginalized youth, including ex-offenders. The organization identifies as actively engaging with immigrant youth, but notes that it does not have similar success for attracting queer youth.

2.6) Level of Education of Participants

Level of Education / Code:
Less than grade eight / Total: 1a In Progress: 1b
Grade eight / Total: 2a In Progress: 2b
Less than grade twelve / Total: 3a In Progress: 3b
Grade twelve / Total: 4a In Progress: 4b
Some post-secondary / Total: 5a In Progress: 5b
Post-secondary / Total: 6a In Progress: 6b
1b/2b/3b/4b / SO1
3b/4b/4a / SO2
3b/4b / SO3
3a/3b/4a/4b / SO4
N/S / SO5
N/S / SO6

Section Three: Volume of Clients

3.1) Number of Clients Accessing Services Per Time Period:

Number of Clients / Time Period / Org Code
300-350 / Per Month / SO1
20
60
40-50 / Per Session
Per Training
Employed / SO2
30 / Jan-Aug / SO3
250 / Year / SO4
50-60 / Constant / SO6

Notes:

SO1: Number provided only reflects the volume of students accessing onsite services. It does not account for the additional youth who access the program through school-based workshops.

SO2: 4 sessions per year

3.2) Increased Participation Volume

January
February
March
April
May / SO4
June / SO3
July / SO3
August / SO3
September
October
November
December

Notes:

SO1: School year.

SO2: N/S

SO3: After completing six months of training, the participants give back to the community by teaching workshops for children. The teaching sessions are followed by graduation for participants in August.

Section Four: Funding

4.1) How the organizations are funded

Source of Funding:
Private/Corporate / SO1
Public / SO2
Donor Supported / SO1, SO3, SO4, SO6
Foundation Supported / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
Earned Income / SO1, SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Advertising

Notes:

SO1: The publications created by participants are sold in the operation’s storefront. Additional product sales (including copies of teaching lessons) help fund the programs.

SO2: Small city grants contribute 10% of organization’s funding. The remainder of funding comes from foundations. This undiversified funding stream leaves SO2 financially vulnerable.

SO3: Earned income for this organization comes from members’ fees collected by the overarching arts organization.

SO4: This organization generates revenue through providing communication and design services to a growing client base in the Bay Area.

Section Five: Organizational Networks

5.1) Current Networks:

Mission Learning Centre, Youth Speaks, Elementary and High schools / SO1
Schools and Teachers, Internship placements,
Youth Radio LA/DC/Atlanta / SO2
Pre-existing networks brought by staff: mainly work with arts education groups / SO3
Eastside Arts Alliance, Youth Media Council, Ella Baker Center, Movement Strategy, Young Women Unite, Youth Together / SO4
Eastside Art Alliance, Designs on Democracy Roundtable / SO5
106 KMEL FM, United Playaz, Covenant House Records, Oakland Athletics, Youth Uprising, Art in Action, The Mentoring Center, One Fam Radio, Youth Against Youth Incarceration, Youth Movement Records, Youth Together, Oakland Rising / SO6

Notes:

SO2: Self-identified as having no formal partnerships, but is actively involved in finding job placements for participants after training.

SO6: This organization is involved in an inter-organizational network called Oakland Rising. The mission of Oakland Rising is as follows:

“Oakland Rising is a core team of six (6) community-based organizations who have a long term shared vision for building progressive power in Oakland. Our current work focuses on several major areas: 1) Permanent Civic Engagement: building permanent, city-wide, voter mobilization infrastructure, with the capacity to win electoral issues; 2) Organizational Alignment: maximizing and coordinating the campaign and organization-building work of Oakland Rising organizations and coalitions, and exercising influence with a broad range of progressive organizations and formations; and 3) Policy Change: Engaging with decision-makers and other key stakeholders to advance our issues, values and policy agendas.”

5.2) Level of Networking:

Project collaboration: SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Resource sharing: SO2, SO5, SO6
Labour sharing:
Funding sharing:
Other (please specify):

5.4) Length of network relationships, intention to maintain (Y/N)

6 years, Y / SO1
N/S, Y / SO2
Continual, Y / SO3
Continual, Y / SO4
DoD= 4 years, Y / SO5
12 years/Project based, Y / SO6

Section Six: Organizational Analysis

6.1) Self-identified strengths:

One-on-one tutoring/relationships with participants / SO1, SO3
Publishing / SO1
Training (Hard and Soft Skills) / SO2, SO3
Holistic Approach / SO2
People of colour run / SO4
Economic Development Competency / SO4, SO5
Media Savvy / SO4, SO5
High Quality Services / SO5
Long-term presence / SO6
Multidimensional solutions / SO6

Notes:

SO2: In addition to providing media skills training, SO2 offers employment and internship opportunities. Additionally, the organization works with participants individually on issues regarding academic advising, college and career planning.

Emphasis is placed on connecting youth with livable wage jobs.

6.2) Self-identified areas for improvement:

Staffing for increased capability
(institutional memory) / SO1
Internship/externships / SO2, SO5
Growth limited by capabilities of space / SO3
Better marketing of program / SO4
Intergenerational approach / SO6

Notes:

SO1: Includes maintaining staff training.

SO5: The current intern program here is only able to work with one young designer at a time, due to funding constraints.

6.3) Self-identified greatest challenge:

N/S / SO1
Funding / SO2, SO4
Approach to engaging youth / SO3
Looking beyond media creation / SO5
Creating opportunities for youth / SO6

Notes:

SO3: Currently overcoming previous ideological approach to youth, where participants were viewed as “those kids”, not as artists. Now, youth are curating a full-scale show with the overarching arts organization.

SO5: This organization believes that communication and design play a critical role in inciting social change, but that in order for change to be realized, there must be development beyond the initial stages of media creation.

Section Seven: Future Forecasting

7.1) Potential Organizational Networks

Internship/Outernships / SO2
Arts Organizations / SO3
Schools / SO3
Community Organizations / SO6
N/S / SO1, SO5

7.2) Incentive for entering into an organizational network:

Similar Goals / SO1, SO4, SO5, SO6
Access to Livable Wage Jobs for Participants / SO2
Increased access to potential participants / SO3, SO6
Project Collaboration / SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Approaching problems from multiple perspectives, influencing public policy / SO6

7.3) Inter-organizational networking is important to the organization’s future:

Yes / SO1, SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
No
Unsure / SO2
No Answer

7.4) Focus areas of future projects:

Depends on Community Identified Need / SO1
N/S / SO2
Art for Social Change / SO3, SO6
Global Immigration / SO4
Improving Services and Structure / SO5
Green Collar Jobs / SO6

7.5) Intention to continue fostering YGM creation:

Yes / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
No
Maybe / SO5
No Answer

7.6) Concerned about feasibility of long-term funding:

Yes / SO1, SO2, SO4, SO5
No / SO3
No Answer / SO6

Notes:

SO1: Funding operates on a year-to-year basis, maintained by grant writing and donation drives. While funding is never a sure thing, SO1 focuses on creating strong programs to maintain funders.

7.7) Self-Identified organizational attributes that contribute to long-term success:

Alumni help shape programs / SO2, SO3
Network with educational institutions / SO1, SO3
Networking with community / SO4, SO5, SO6
Economic Model / SO5
Sustainability / SO5
Community Involvement / SO6
Strong Messaging / SO6
Foresight, the Next Step / SO6

Part Two: Youth Generated Media Content (YGM)

Section One: Creation and Distribution

1.1)Primary Medium Used for YGM:

Print / SO1, SO5
Radio / SO2
Website
Film / SO3
Visual Art
Performance
Graffiti / SO4
Music Production / SO6

1.2) Secondary Medium Used for YGM (where applicable):

Print
Digital Media / SO1
Website / SO2, SO4, SO5, SO6
Film / SO6
Visual Art / SO3
Performance / SO3, SO6
Graffiti
Music/Production / SO4

1.3) Creation Processes:

Workshop / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO6
Cyclic (i.e. Newspaper publishing) / SO1
Ongoing / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Skills Training/Apprenticeship / SO4

Notes:

SO1: Publications are produced through a variety of approaches. Each workshop produces a text, as do field trips. There are also longer term and quarterly publications.

SO2: Organization runs workshop style training programs for media creation and broadcasting skills. Ongoing creation is done by the youth employed by the organization.

SO3: For the Young Artist at Work project, participants engage in workshops on performance, visual and film/video art each week. They are paid $200/month to attend these sessions and create art.

1.4) Methods of Distribution:

Online / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
Print / SO1
Community Television
Festival
Conference
Radio / SO2
Other: podcasts / SO1
Youtube/myspace/facebook,
Displays in the art gallery / SO3
Graffiti murals
CDs / SO4
Public/Street events, CDs / SO6

Notes:

SO2: Generates content for terrestrial and Internet radio stations. Additionally, SO2 is producing content for other public radio outlets.

1.5) ) Methods/Considerations of program development:

Skills sharing / SO1, SO4, SO6
Provide Professional Quality Service / SO1, SO4, SO5
Industry Demands / SO2, SO4, SO5
Holistic Approach / SO2, SO6
Deconstruction and Re-framing / SO2, SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Focus on Mastery of Skills / SO3, SO4, SO5
Current Issues Shape Content / SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6

Notes:

SO1: Additional programming consideration is based on the specific needs of each school, or group of participants involved.

SO3: Current Issues are influenced by the “Big Ideas” being discussed in the gallery shows during the training cycle.

SO4: Current Issues involves political education.

SO6: The YGM produced by this organization is created through the Silence the Violence program. This program was created in response to a surge of violence and homicides within the Oakland community. To address this situation, the program developers identified a simple message that would serve as basis of unity for a multidimensional campaign. StV combines public policy change with YGM creation, and various other methods of community involvement. The key objective of this project is to create real solutions for real people.

Section Two: Level of Youth Involvement

2.0) Goals and Objectives of Youth Involvement: What they are, and how they are met:

Strengthening Skills/ Skill Centric / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO5
Self Expression / SO1, SO6
Media Literacy and Deconstruction / SO2
Youth Voice/Youth as Experts / SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
Alternative Media Creation / SO4
Group Process / SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
Critical Engagement / SO6
Decreasing Violence by Increasing Opportunity / SO6

Notes:

SO6: StV engages youth in music creation, allowing them an avenue for self-expression while exploring the message of StV. In addition to creating music, the youth are involved in leadership development and conflict resolution workshops.

2.1) Level of youth involvement:

Organizational Level / Yes or No
Board Members (where applicable)
Program Planners / SO1, SO3, SO6
Workshop Facilitators
Trainers / SO1, SO4
Content Planners / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
Creative Participants / SO1, SO2, SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Editors / SO2, SO3, SO6
Distributors / SO6

Notes:

SO1: Youth involvement is based largely in the Youth Advisory Council’s work. Additionally, older youth can volunteer and intern with SO1 to tutor younger students.

2.3) ) Rate of Retention of Users:

Period of Time
Hours
Days
Weeks
Months / SO3: 8
Years / SO1: 4-5, SO2: 2, SO4: 4, SO5:1

Notes:

SO1: Youth usually access the after-school tutoring programs for four to five years. Currently, there are 40 youth on a waiting list to access the services. Additionally, the organization sees a repeat in the youth accessing workshop services.

SO2: Relationships with youth participants are intended to span two years. The first year focuses on skills training. In the second year, the youth are employed. Long-term relationships are an important component of SO2’s approach to youth engagement. The current executive director was a student. Additionally, many senior staff members are former students.

SO6: N/S

2.4) Methods of evaluation:

Client Feedback / SO1, SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Retention of Clients / SO1, SO3, SO4, SO5
Livable Wage Job Placement / SO2
Final Products / SO3, SO4, SO5, SO6
Future Endeavours of Participants / SO3, SO4
Youth Recruitment / SO6

Notes:

SO2: Despite the high levels of long-term retention, the organization places emphasis on integrating the youth into the “real world”. While media skills training is a focus of the program, the real aim of SO2’s work is about success: helping to shape successful futures and careers for participants.

SO3: Participants evaluate the program twice. The first evaluation occurs in the middle of the program, so that the effectiveness of the teaching methods can be evaluated. To ensure an accurate snapshot of the program is achieved, the questionnaires used to assess the program are anonymous, use number system grading questions, as well as some open ended questions. This feedback is shared with the workshop facilitators.

Section Three: YGM Content Analysis

3.1) Strength of YGM Created:

Sense of Identity Explored Through Creation Process / SO1, SO3, SO6
Empowerment / SO1, SO6
Published Final Product / SO1, SO4, SO5, SO6
Articulate Re-framing of Issues / SO2, SO5, SO6
Youth Voice / SO2, SO3, SO4, SO6
Honesty / SO3
Cutting edge / SO4
Multi-disciplinary / SO4

3.2) Positive Feedback Received:

Difference made by working through ideas / SO1, SO3
Sense of accomplishment / SO1, SO4
Pride in final products / SO3, SO4, SO6
Interest in program’s approach to YGM / SO4

3.3) Challenges to the YGM creation and distribution processes:

Resource Limitations / SO1, SO5
Convincing Media Outlets to Use YGM Content / SO2, SO4
Lack of Group Dynamics / SO3
Politics / SO4, SO6

SO3: This organization stresses the importance of group work, which requires the facilitators and participants to struggle against the individualism that is projected in society. Part of the group work cycle is self-evaluation, based on reflective questions such as, “what did I do today?”. The questions are not intended to lead to a negative self-assessment, but to help the participants recognize their roles within the group. Additional emphasis is placed on group problem solving, and adaptability.

3.4) Suggestions received from youth regarding YGM:

More resources/equipment / SO1, SO3
More time to work / SO1
Better distribution, bigger audience / SO4

Section Four: Sample of YGM

/ SO1
/ SO2
/ SO3
/ SO4
/ SO5
/ SO6

Youth Organizations and the role of YGM in Vancouver Study 2008 QP3