Oxnard Plan Makes Youth a Top Priority

After a year’s worth of studies, surveys and analyses, a $1.4-million, five-year blueprint to increase teen programs and activities will be brought before the City Council tonight.

The city’s youth master plan calls for a teen center, an expansion of current youth services, an increase in youth employment programs and funding for after-school programs at elementary schools. A mix of city money, federal block grants and private-sector donations would be used to pay for the plan.

Although the master plan is not complete, this draft is the first step in demonstrating a resolve to bring options to teenagers in Oxnard, city officials say. The council is expected to approve the draft, and by the end of the year a final version of the plan should be complete.

Oxnard has logged 17 homicides this year, 12 of those gang-related. Five juveniles have been named as suspects in those homicides.

The draft plan comes as community leaders are organizing a “peace march” for Saturday to protest the recent violence in the city.

Participants in forming the youth plan included representatives from the Oxnard Police Department, religious leaders, teachers, parents, students and city officials.

“I really think it’s the next step we need to focus on to have emphasis on prevention and intervention,” Oxnard Police Chief Harold Hurtt said. “I think this is the first time we are taking a serious look at providing opportunities and structured programming for most young people. This is part of the city’s efforts at providing them options versus getting involved with gangs.”

But the most important part, say some youth activists, is that the plan’s goals are pursued and its programs implemented.

“I’m hopeful that what has come out of the assessment [will be] put through in action,” said Ricardo Melendez of the nonprofit social service agency El Concilio del Condado de Ventura. “The youth are needing something to be done to get the sense of community back. That is what is a priority.”

Some of the proposals include a youth career development program, in which teenagers can learn about networking and job skills from working professionals. The plan also calls for an arts program, a 24-hour youth hotline where teens can call for advice and counseling, and a multicultural awareness program.

The plan has been developed using information from a survey of 190 high school and junior high students in Oxnard’s school districts.

Asked to grade the city on how well it supports its teens, 42% of respondents said Oxnard deserves a C.

Of those surveyed, 43% said they did not think most of their needs are met by current city recreation and prevention programs.

While 60% of the teens who responded to the survey said they felt safe in their community, 47% said their top concerns are violence and gangs. Only 30% said jobs, employment and higher education are their top concerns.

Although juvenile arrests have dropped from 2,724 in 1993 to 473 in 1996, Chief Hurtt said the Police Department’s top problem has been the increase in violent incidents, some of which involve youth.

“Our major concern is the violent crime and what we can do in the future to make sure our young people will make the correct choices,” Hurtt said. “It is an excellent plan for the future. We really need to have our feet held to the fire to see that our proposals are followed through on.”

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The Oxnard Youth Master Plan

Here are some highlights of the proposed plan coming before the Oxnard City Council tonight:

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Program Cost Funding Source Teen center $175,000 City budget, federal block grants Youth services $375,000 Corporate and federal grants expansion Employment programs $350,000 Private funds After-school program $420,000 City budget, federal grants Middle-school $120,000 Grants, city money development program and private sector funds Total $1,440,000

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Source: city of Oxnard.