  Opportunity | Equity | Youth and Family Voice | Access | Action
What have we been up to?
Engaging Youth Voice in Government
Mayor for a Day
OYF recently launched its ‘Mayor for a Day’ program which will offer three girls the opportunity to shadow Mayor Cantrell for a day, take part in a mock press conference and share their vision for the city. Over 100 middle and high school age girls from across the city submitted essays describing what they would hope to accomplish if they were Mayor. We are excited to announce the three winners!
Our winners from left to right. (1) Ella Aluise, a rising junior at Newman High School. (2) Samarah Bentley, a rising freshman at Lycée Français. (3) Morgan Turner, a rising 6th grader at Louisiana Virtual Charter School.
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Junior Civic Leadership Academy
Junior Civic Leadership Academy (JCLA) is an eight week program facilitated in partnership with the Office of Neighborhood Engagement. The inaugural JCLA cohort features forty 13-17 year-olds from all across New Orleans. Youth explore the ins and outs of city government through presentations by city senior staff as well as hands-on activities on topics such as city budgeting, infrastructure and transportation.
Over the past several sessions, our young people spoke passionately about the issues affecting their communities including the need for increased recreational and arts programming for youth, the importance of mental health awareness and better community stormwater management strategies.
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Big Wins for New Orleans’s Youth & Families
Creating a Sustainable Parks and Recreation System
On May 4th, the voters of New Orleans overwhelmingly approved the parks and recreation millage on the ballot with 76% of the vote! The millage reallocates current property taxes to create a more equitable distribution across our park system. Through this new formula, NORDC and Parks and Parkways will receive over a $1 million in new funding and City Park will receive city funding for the first time in its 169 year history. Along with the millage renewal, the park partners committed to strengthening coordination around family programming, litter abatement and stormwater management improvements.
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Summer Jobs for System-Involved Youth
In an effort to provide young people to remain attached to positive, pro-social activities over the summer, OYF partnered with the Gun Violence Reduction Task Force and the Office of Workforce Development (JOB1) to launch a summer job program for 100 youth who have been arrested in the past 18 months. Youth are placed at one of seven different work sites around the city, earn a stipend and receive job readiness training. We would like to thank all the referral partners and providers for collaborating with us on this important initiative!
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Building Systems Capacity
Partnership with Harvard Medical School
As a community organizer in the Broadmoor neighborhood, Mayor Cantrell built strong partnerships with higher education institutions across the country to help revitalize her community. One of these collaborations included a relationship with Harvard University and that partnership still benefits the city today!
In April, OYF hosted three graduate students from Harvard Medical School to study and recommend strategies for improving maternal/child health outcomes, mental health as well as chronic disease management for vulnerable families. Our office is excited to build upon this work and incorporate these recommendations into our second year of the Mayor’s term.
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Engaging Decision-Makers in Understanding Early Brain Development
In partnership with TrainingGrounds and the New Orleans Early Education Network (NOEEN), OYF hosted a ‘Brain Architecture’ Workshop with over 50 elected officials and city leaders on early childhood brain development and the impact of trauma on long-term life outcomes. This was a great opportunity for policymakers and key stakeholders to learn how their work can address the needs of young children and their families.
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Strengthening Partnerships Between Schools, Libraries and Recreation
In an effort to break down silos and deepen impact for youth and families across the city, OYF convenes monthly systems coordination meetings between the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB), New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC), and New Orleans Public Library (NOPL). Representatives from each agency are putting their heads together in order to improve cross-promotion and coordination around school enrollment, afterschool/summer program registration as well as access to library services.
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How to get involved
Youth Study Center
The Youth Study Center is hiring! They are seeking Juvenile Detention Counselors, who play a critical role at the facility serving youth as counselors, supervisors and role models. This position offers a regionally competitive salary (starting at $32K) with benefits and a career ladder for promotion. Visit nola.gov/ysc to learn more information.
New Orleans Recreation Development Commission
To learn more about NORDC job opportunities, follow this link. For more information about employment opportunities, contact Debra Calderon at NORD 504-658-3052 or dlcalderon@nola.gov.
New Orleans Public Libraries
What qualities, experience, and background are important to you in the Library's next Executive Director? Visit NOPL's website to learn more about opportunities to share your input.
Visit NOPL's website to learn more about employment opportunities.
In the News
Want to be Madame Mayor for a Day?
Mayor Cantrell closes out first year building confidence
Early learning plan offered in partnership between New Orleans, advocacy group
New Orleans partners with Lyft to offer discounted trips for families traveling to juvenile court
Teens interested in politics sought for New Orleans city program
Nonpartisan group backs May 4 parks, recreation millage redistribution in New Orleans
New Orleans voters overwhelmingly approve parks and recreation millage
About Us
The OYF is the realization of Mayor Cantrell’s commitment to creating systems change for vulnerable youth and families.
The mission of the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families is to build a strong foundation for future generations of New Orleanians by engaging youth and community input into city government decisions affecting young people, improving coordination between agencies, expanding resources, and ensuring equitable policymaking.
OYF’s Strategic Priorities
The following priorities guide OYF’s work on a daily basis:
1. Increase the reach and depth of positive youth development programs, with a focus on out-of-school time enrichment opportunities and improved access to quality early childhood education
2. Transform our city’s juvenile justice system to invest in rehabilitation and reentry as opposed to detention and confinement
3. Infuse behavioral health services such as mental health support and trauma-informed care throughout all systems that touch vulnerable youth and families
4. Establish structures that enable youth voice and input to shape policy and decision-making around key issues such as health, housing, education and recreation
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