Mayor, here’s how to go upstream

In the bitter cold of January, at the start of his administration, and with myriad urgent issues to tackle, it would be easy for Mayor Adams to push summer programming for youth to the bottom of his priority list. But New York City’s leaders make this mistake every year, and young people are the ones who suffer the consequences. Adams can carve a different path and end that cycle now by issuing clear expectations for summer programming — and providing specific funding — in his first Preliminary Budget.

Adams talks a great deal about the need to “go upstream” to fix problems: Help people who might be at risk before they fall into the river, rather than having to pull them out after they do. This would be the perfect way for him to demonstrate his commitment to this philosophy.

Summer camps and the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) are essential resources. Fully staffed and resourced camps help close the achievement gap and prevent summer learning loss, which, for the most part, impacts low-income families who can’t afford the cost of private camps. (Disadvantaged New Yorkers, of course, have been most negatively impacted educationally by three COVID-disrupted school years.) They provide a safe, stable environment where kids can eat a balanced meal, interact with caring adults, and explore new areas of interest. They also serve as gateways for parents and family members to access additional resources from community-based organizations, like English classes, SNAP food benefits, wellness activities and trauma-informed counseling.

For years, New York has left summer planning until the last minute, meaning settlement houses and other youth-serving nonprofit organizations the city relies on to operate its Department of Youth and Community Development programs have had no time to staff up or prepare to meet the growing demand for summer engagement. As the end of the school year approaches, parents are unclear on whether they will have to make alternate arrangements or take time off work to care for their children.

Adams seems to understand the value of keeping youth engaged during the summer months. The very first item on his campaign’s education agenda was “expand summer school options.” By setting a budget for summer programming now, he can end the uncertainty for families and providers and help prevent the summer slide. Parents can rest assured that their children will be learning and safe, and program directors can secure space, hire and vet staff, organize meal distribution, advertise to local families, register students, conduct parent orientations, and ensure safety protocols and PPE are in place. Most importantly, young people can look forward to exploring and learning with peers over the summer months.

But Adams can and should go further by expanding our youth employment programs to accommodate more of the 150,000 youth who apply for the program each year. In a typical year, the program serves 75,000 young people. If they have sufficient notice, providers could expand to recruit and serve as many as 100,000 young people this summer. With families still reeling from the impact COVID-19 has had on the job market, this is a crucial way to help bolster financial security and skills training to match the current economic landscape. Now is the time to act if we really want to set up our youth for success.

Summer programming is just one example of the delicate partnership between city agencies and neighborhood-based organizations. It’s common for settlement houses to carry out contracted work on behalf of the city and then wait months, or years, before getting paid; that disconnect has hit already stretched-thin nonprofits especially hard during the pandemic. Adams’ campaign promised more efficient and effective city government, and this contracting issue is an ideal place to start. Adams, along with Comptroller Brad Lander, has already begun to take positive steps toward addressing our calls to improve contracting systems by establishing a joint task force to get nonprofits paid on time. This approach and dedication are exactly what we need to ensure successful and impactful summer programming for New York City’s youth. A city that values and equips its local partners, who are often overworked and understaffed, is a city that values strong neighborhoods.

We look forward to what Mayor Adams will accomplish and urge him to prioritize practical steps to support summer programming now for our youth, working parents, and the community organizations that support them. By building on his campaign commitments, he can create a New York that uplifts, empowers and advocates for our youth. Going upstream isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a practical approach to solving so many of our city’s problems, if we have the will and wherewithal.