PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: sEPTEMBER 20, 2016
PREPARED BY: Jennie Tucker, Community Services Supervisor
APPROVED BY: Chris Ghione, Community Services Director
Title
RECREATION AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
Receive report on afterschool programs and community outreach provided by the Community Services Department.
BODY
REPORT NARRATIVE:
The Community Services Department currently runs afterschool programs at Murphy Ranch and Village Avante, as well as strives to provide community outreach to historically underserved residents.
Murphy Ranch Afterschool Program
In 2008 the property manager at Murphy Ranch contacted the City to see if the City would be interested in providing recreation activities and homework assistance to the children living at their apartment complex. Murphy Ranch financially supports this program and over the years, Murphy Ranch and the City have worked together to grow and build a quality program for the residents. The program is offered during the school year and in the summer months.
This year the City will be on-site three days a week, for two hours per day to provide homework assistance and recreational activities. There are an average of 16-18 youth residents that attend the program per day and two City teammates assigned to work at Murphy Ranch.
Village Avante Afterschool Program
In February of 2015, the City began offering an afterschool program at Village Avante. The program is funded by a grant from the State of California that is aimed at reducing gang and youth violence. The grant funds provide staffing and supplies thru December 2017. The program partners with Discovery Counseling Center to provide recreation activities, homework assistance, parent workshops, and other activities geared to prevent gang and youth violence in the neighborhood.
The program runs five days a week during the school year and the summer. There are an average of 25-30 youth residents that participate each day, with three to four teammates.
Community Outreach
The Community Services Department strives to provide programs that are accessible to all residents in Morgan Hill. The Youth Development Coordinator dedicates a quarter of her time to reach diverse communities in the City.
Over the last two years, an effort has been made to reach out to the affordable housing complexes within Morgan Hill to provide and connect them with outside resources that are beneficial to their residents. Some of the outside resources include vision and dental screenings, environmental seminars, parent resources and trainings, Morgan Hill library bookmobile, and CPR and First Aid trainings. This network has allowed the City to build a good working relationship with other complexes besides Murphy Ranch and Village Avante and at the same time aid in educating the residents about the programs and membership opportunities that the City and other service providers offer. In addition, staff have also recently revised the Financial Assistance application and process (including translating the application into Spanish) to make it easier for qualified individuals to apply for and obtain assistance in paying for recreation programs and CRC membership.
During the summer months, the Community Services Department coordinates and provides transportation and admission to the Aquatic Center to residents of the affordable housing communities. This is a great opportunity for children and families to visit a location they might not have access to on a normal basis.
One of the biggest accomplishments the City has had in the form of outreach has been to create and implement a monthly summer event at Galvan Park. Summer Fun in the Park was started in 2015 with the goal of bringing residents and neighbors to Galvan Park for safe and fun activities. The event attracts between 200-300 residents each month and provides fun activities and resources for the entire family. The entire event is free and is funded primarily by grants. It has brought many residents to visit Galvan Park who might not otherwise have visited it, which positively impacts the safety and security and neighborhood perception of the park.
LINKS/ATTACHMENTS:
Powerpoint Presentation-Afterschool Programs and Community Outreach