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CITY Project Begins: Positive Change in New York

May 1, 2006

Spring is in full bloom in New York, a time of growth, newness, and change. Just ask the CUCE-NYC Family & Youth Development program staff.

Beginning in May, a new initiative aiming to effect positive change for at-risk communities in New York City, the Community Improvement Through Youth (CITY) Project, will be implemented in two high-need communities. The goal is to empower at-risk youth to become community change agents. The CITY Project provides the opportunities and support that youth need in order to meet the challenges of growing up in poverty.

CUCE-NYC is one of two locations in New York State chosen to implement the CITY Project; the other is CCE Broome County. Grant funding for the first year of the five-year project begins May 1, 2006.

CITY employs one of Cornell Cooperative Extension's signature programs, Youth Community Action (YCA), and utilizes a National 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System resource, Public Adventures: An Active Citizenship Curriculum for Youth. The CITY Projects in New York City and in Broome County will focus on the Teen National Program Area.

CUCE-NYC and CCE Broome County were selected through a competitive process as sites for the funds from the CYFAR Program, the Sustainable Community Projects (SCP). Successful completion of five years of Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) programming for high need, vulnerable youth and families was required to receive the funds. CSREES allocates this funding to land-grant university extension services for community-based programs for at-risk children and their families.

Ariff Hajee (Extension Associate) and Jackie Davis-Manigaulte (Program Leader) from Family & Youth Development will serve as New York City's CITY Project co-directors.