Background
In 2008, Council Members Genoveva Calloway and Leonard McNeil began to take notice of the increasing attention around building links between city government and school districts to enhance community collaborations as an effective way to provide services to youth, especially in the areas of youth violence prevention. With information from the Coalition for Community Schools and the U.S. Berkeley Center for Cities and Schools, Calloway and McNeil recognized the opportunity to take a pro-active stance and began advocating for a more integrated way for San Pablo to provide youth services; this was especially important with the growing gang and youth violence concerns in the local and surrounding communities. It was understood that in order to effectively address the anti-social behavior of youth, it was necessary to draw on the myriad resources in the community. These resources and assets include the school district, the police department, the recreation program, parents and guardians, the faith-based organizations, the business community, county health services, probation department, community-based organizations and young people themselves.
In 2009, Calloway and McNeil were assigned to lead the Ad-Hoc Youth Services Sub-Committee which saw the re-institution of the Youth Commission, the expansion of the Police Department’s Youth and Education Services Unit, a new truancy strategy and a strengthened partnership with the West Contra Costa County School District to provide after school programming. completly
A commitment was made by the entire City Council in 2009 to develop a prevention, intervention and suppression strategy to address youth safety in the community. The City Council's initial allocation of 2010 general funds was made to lay the foundation and infrastructure for the Youth Services Program. The Youth Services Program extends from the city council's support of the Helms Community Project which emphasizes wrap around community services for San Pablo children, youth and families.