The Ready by 21 Challenge

The Petaluma Youth Network is comprised of youth and adults representing families, education, business, government, law enforcement and youth-serving agencies. Over the last two years, the PYN has developed innovative ways to support youth success, closed service gaps and developed new ways for young people to influence the policies and practices impacting their lives.

However, in these are turbulent social and economic times all sectors of the community are facing dramatic reductions in funding as youth and families are facing unprecedented change, uncertainty and stress. In light of this reality, we have the opportunity to identify what is at the core of child and youth success so that each young person has access to the most basic and necessary learning opportunities and supports 24 hours a day, seven days a week from birth to young adulthood so they are truly able to thrive, learn, work and live.

Across the United States, communities are learning that in order to prepare young people for success, they must collectively examine community resources and needs, and plan strategies and actions that make a difference in the community’s ability to provide the necessary supports, opportunities and services to young people. It can not be left to the individual programs and agencies.

The Petaluma Ready by 21 Challenge is to understand and agree on the basics that must be in place for youth to thrive, learn, work and live. Based on this understanding, we must take shared accountability for having the systems, services and programs that we must have. We can align policies and resources, increase demand for supports and effectively engage youth and families in the strategies that will increase their odds for success across all age groups.

Because Petaluma is a community that has the wherewithal to take bold and creative steps for and with our youth, the Petaluma Youth Network has engaged the Forum for Youth Investment, a national action tank, (www.fyi.org) to help us develop this community-wide action agenda for youth success. Leaders from all sectors in the community have joined us in this challenge already. We are asking you to participate.

So what makes this different from every other collaborative effort that has come down the pike before?

The Ready by 21 Plan will be built on our cross-sector understanding of basic needs, supports and services. It will address the supports, environments, coaching and programs needed to offer all youth the opportunity to succeed in their educational, career and life goals. And it will cross community result areas beyond traditional program structures. It must.

What, how and when

Over the next four months, the community will create the Ready by 21 Action plan. We will have two leadership retreats: Nov. 3 and Dec. 8. Between these retreats we will host a series of town hall meetings to ensure that all sectors of the community, families and youth have input and opportunity to participate. Between Dec. 8 and the end of February 2010, we will launch strategic action teams to increase the odds for every child and youth to thrive, learn, work, connect and lead so that they are truly Ready by 21. And we will host a blog on the Healthy Community web site where you can share your input and your insights as the plan unfolds.

Take a couple of hours over the next two months to change the odds for children and youth. Just consider the possibility. Attend a town hall meeting, or ask us to meet with your organization, neighborhood or group. Town hall meeting dates are:

Nov. 16 at Casa Grande High School, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Nov. 18 at the Petaluma Public Library, 6:30-8 p.m.

Other dates to be announced at McDowell Elementary School (in Spanish) and at the Petaluma Arts Center (in English and Spanish).

To participate, contact Pat Landrum, executive director or John Milburn, project coordinator for the Petaluma Youth Network, the Healthy Community Consortium. E-mail rb21@healthycommunity.info or call 778-4951.

(Pat Landrum is the executive director of the Healthy Community Consortium.)