County gets funds for at-risk youth programs

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

In order to quell a spike in gang violence throughout the county and help at risk, low income youth receive critical employment and training opportunities, the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors accepted more than $1.5 million in federal money yesterday to put towards youth services.
County officials said nearly 300 youths throughout the county will be able to participate in the programs.

The money is dispersed by the Federal Department of Labor and made available to state’s Workforce Investment Act, which awards various amounts to local jurisdictions.
Though the county has received similar amounts of cash through the Workforce Investment Act in past years, First District Supervisor Salud Carbajal said the youth need it now more than ever.
“We’re facing some serious violence among out youth and some destructive behavior,” Carbajal said. “Clearly this initiative and effort allows us to make a difference in these children’s and youth’s lives.”
The Board of Supervisors approved the disbursal of the money to four different contractors throughout the county yesterday. Most off the contracts will run from Oct. 1 of this year and stretch through Sept. 30, 2010.
The first contact totals $325,000 and will be executed by the City of Santa Maria. This money will provide support for youth services for young people ages 14-21 who are in school and living in the Santa Maria and Cuyama Valleys, the agenda letter says.
The second contract is for $318,779 and was issued to Santa Ynez People Helping People, who will provide services to children ages 14-21 who are in school and live in the Lompoc and Santa Ynez Valleys.
The third contract totals $382,510 and will be SER Jobs for Progress, which will serve in-school youth between the ages of 14 and 21 in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria and Lompoc.
The fourth and largest contract is for $480,496 and will also be filtered through SER Jobs for Progress, but will be used for out-of-school eligible youth between ages 14 and 21 in Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Lompoc and the Santa Ynez Valley.
SER Jobs for Progress is the lone non-local vendor, and according the agenda letter, the company will collaborate with the City of Santa Barbara Housing Authority, City of Santa Barbara Recreation Department, the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce, Casa De La Raza and Santa Barbara City College in order to provide services to youth.
The agenda letter estimates 50 youth will be served by the program in the Santa Maria area; 60 in the Santa Ynez area; 86 in-school youth by SER, Jobs for Progress and 96 out-of-school youth by Jobs for Progress.
Carbajal said the goal is to identify the county’s young people who qualify, and get them into full-time and part-time jobs or provide other education and job skills.
“I think this money’s going to help the county make a serious impact in the North County and the South County,” Carbajal said. “It’s a community partnership and a community effort.”
During a recent meeting with west side Santa Barbara residents, Carbajal said the majority of parents he spoke to were concerned about a lack of recreational and job training opportunities.
Carbajal said he hopes this money will speak volumes as to how the county is attempting to grapple with youth issues and hopes to get the program up and running during the summer next year.
“This is in line with what I think our parents have been requesting,” Carbajal said.
The money will be disbursed over a three-and-a-half year period and progress will be monitored by performance measures designed by the state’s Employment and Training Administration.