Youth outreach seen falling short

LR board presses for broader effort

Little Rock board members said Tuesday that they want a wider outreach from a hired consulting firm and its local partners in obtaining information to help at-risk city youths.

The Board of Directors heard a presentation at its meeting Tuesday from local partners that conducted interviews with youths and families, which is a large part of the process for a three-year Youth Master Plan. But several city directors asked for the efforts to include more people not already involved in city programs, particularly youths at risk of poverty or criminal behavior. The city directors also wanted to reach more parents and to increase contact with Hispanics.

In August, the board extended the time for the Youth Master Plan to be completed until June and increased its contract amount with Ohio-based Advocacy and Communication Solutions LLC by $60,000 for a total of $185,000.

The consulting firm works with a consultant advisory team that includes the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Philander Smith's Social Justice Institute and Little Rock's Department of Community Programs. The firm is working with the advisory committee to establish goals for the master plan and strategies to accomplish those goals.

"The discussion has been driven by grass-roots efforts to understand what the city's children, youth and families need," said Cory Anderson, executive vice president for the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. "We talk about raising the bar. When we talk about raising the bar, we're talking about raising it in a way that makes life better in the community and the city."

City directors were told that there had been focus groups and surveys involving 430 youths and 85 adults, as well as interviews conducted with 12 community leaders.

When City Director Joan Adcock asked how many of the 430 youths interviewed thus far were already enrolled in a city program, the answer was two-thirds. Adcock said that because local partners were conducting the interviews, they were staying in familiar territory, whereas the hired consulting firm from out of state might have reached into other areas of the city and found more at-risk youths.

Adcock questioned whether Wards 3, 4 and 5 in the northwest and far western parts of the city were reached, adding that she knew of residents in those areas who should be included who said they weren't even aware of the process.

City Director Lance Hines said specific efforts to get residents from subsidized apartment complexes in west Little Rock turned out "zero attendance" at two meetings.

"I challenge the consultants to get boots on the ground and figure a new way to engage the community," Hines said.

City Director Doris Wright said that a meeting in Ward 6 in the central part of the city also was "not very well attended."

"I've not been pleased with the response you've gotten, and I know that you tried," Wright said.

Metro on 11/25/2015

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