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Roadmap to the Future

Roadmap to the Future

The Roadmap to the Future Needs Assessment was publicly released on July 12, 2024, to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors and the wider community. We encourage you to actively engage with the document, to reflect on its findings, and to discuss them with your networks.

"It is with great enthusiasm that our team presents this comprehensive needs assessment document, a foundational component of a communitywide effort to build on Yolo County’s history of collaborating to achieve important goals," said County Superintendent Garth Lewis. "This document is not just a collection of data and insights, it serves as a guide to ensure a future of thriving for children and youth. Our vision for the Roadmap to the Future is bold and straightforward: Every child or youth born, cared for, or educated in Yolo County receives an advantage because of the community’s response to their educational and developmental needs."

This comprehensive analysis has been months in the making, involving meticulous research, community consultations, and a series of interactive community engagement sessions held in each community across the county. We are immensely grateful to the community leaders, educators, parents, and young people who contributed their time, perspectives, and expertise to this critical endeavor. Your insights have been invaluable in painting a detailed picture of the current landscape and how we can and will improve it.

If you have feedback or any questions, please reach out to Anthony Volkar, Public Information Officer, at anthony.volkar@ycoe.org.

Link to Needs Assessment

BACKGROUND

In July 2021, 21 local Yolo leaders issued a guest commentary with a call to action to invest in children and youth with American Rescue Plan funds. The op-ed was a catalyst for increased collaboration from all cities and jurisdictions.

Over 50+ Yolo County leaders gathered for three virtual convenings to discuss ways to invest in communities and build up our public infrastructure to support children, youth and families in our county.

Our Collective Approach: Effectively coordinate the services, supports, and opportunities that children, youth, and their families need to thrive, as well as the establishment of a shared framework that ensures their healthy development.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The roadmap will provide asset mapping, a community engagement process, and a needs assessment on existing community assets and conditions within Yolo County. This will allow us to better understand and allocate resources needed to enhance youth development countywide.

Phase 0: Yolo leaders developed a set of principles and shared priorities that would guide the future work of the project. Completed: August 2021-February 2022

Phase 1: This phase consists of data collection and the development of maps showing community assets that provide support to children, youth, and families. A community engagement session in each Supervisorial district will be conducted to collect feedback from the community. In Progress. Estimated completion in spring 2023.

Phase 2: After asset mapping, the completion of a needs assessment will identify gaps in community assets. A second round of community engagement session in each Supervisorial district will be conducted to seek feedback on the needs assessment. In Progress. Estimated completion in fall 2023.

The Board of Supervisors will use the asset mapping data when determining how to allocate the remaining $2.2 million of American Rescue Plan funding reserved to support children, youth, and families.

FUNDING

The overall project is estimated to cost $450,000. Yolo County and YCOE have committed 60% of the funding, or $275,000. Local jurisdictions are asked to commit funding to cover the remaining costs of the project.

ASSET MAPPING RESOURCES