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PROJECT OVERVIEW Introduction A Youth Master Plan includes both an assessment of the strengths and needs among youth within a community as well as recommended solutions to build on the strengths to address youth issues. Several cities across the country have developed Youth Master Plans in response to national and state emphases on youth leadership development and organized efforts to include youth more fully in civic and community life. The National League of Cities and the League of California Cities have each championed their member cities to develop Youth Master Plans. In 1993, League of California Cities began to focus attention on the importance of a statewide movement to make youth a priority. In their 1995 Youth Development Planning Guide, the League of California Cities described a guiding vision for youth development activities at the municipal level: "Children, youth, and families must become a local and statewide priority so that all children experience freedom from fear and have expectations for hope, equal opportunity, education, and full participation in our communities." Since the mid-1990s, a number of cities around the country have prepared Youth Master Plans to assess assets, needs and concerns of their youth populations and to determine ways to address them. Investment of time, money and human capital along with reframing local policies to support prevention and intervention strategies are at the core of these plans. Background and History of Project The Thousand Oaks Youth Commission is an appointed advisory body of the Thousand Oaks City Council. The Youth Commission is comprised of 13 youth members and 2 adult members, representing the Conejo Recreation and Park District and Conejo Youth Employment Services, who work closely with City staff to facilitate and support Commission projects. The Youth Commission's Establishing Resolution (Exhibit 1) states: "the City Council recognizes that youth are a vital component of our citizenry" and "it is essential that youth have a forum to provide input on their specific needs." In addition to its advisory role; the Youth Commission also coordinates programs cin behalf of the City, such as the Therapeutic Dance for disabled teens, Youth Recognition Awards Ceremony honoring youth for community service, and other related projects as directed by City Council. in 1998, Youth Commission convened a Crime Symposium to discuss safety and juvenile crime in the community. An outcome of this project was renewed interest in providing and enhancing the array of constructive activities for youth involvement. The decision to explore the development of a Youth Master Plan grew out of this body of work. In 1998, the Youth Commission embarked on a process of study and discovery to determine lona-term strategic directions for youth in the City. During the early stages of research, they July 2, 2002 City of Thousand Oaks Youth Master Plan 17 171