Hyannis Supporting Our Youth Strategic Plan

March 2016

Mission Statement

Hyannis Supporting Our Youth, Inc. builds positive community with the youth of Hyannis.

Vision Statement

The children of Hyannis will feel cared for, and grow up to feel a sense of pride in and desire to give back to, their community.

Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity (2015-16)
Race	% of School	% of District	% of State
African American	15.4	7.1	8.8
Asian	2.4	2.4	6.5
Hispanic	25.1	10.3	18.6
Native American	0.0	0.7	0.2
White	47.4	74.9	62.7
Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander	0.6	0.2	0.1
Multi-Race, Non-Hispanic	9.1	4.3	3.2

Environmental Scan

Hyannis West Elementary School

2015 data:

Free/Reduced - 85%

ELL - 40%

Special Ed - 11%

Homeless - 10%

Source: Kathi Amato, principal

POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS (Town of Barnstable Report)

• Hyannis is four times more densely populated than the Town.
• Hyannis has comparable share of households with children with the Town as a whole but, with 40% of the households with children having single-parents, a significantly greater share than the Town as a whole (29%).

• Hyannis’ population is more racially diverse than town wide, the county, and the state. Roughly 75% of Hyannis’ population identified race as white, one race. Almost half of the Town’s total black/African American population, 43% of the total Asian population, and 42% of total population with Hispanic/Latino origin reside in Hyannis.
• Hyannis population has lower income and greater rates of poverty than town-wide.

·         Roughly 68% of Hyannis’ population lived in households with income up to 80% AMI (area median income), significantly greater than town wide (48%).

·         Roughly 15% of families are below poverty level in Hyannis (6.6% town wide).

SUMMARY HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS

·         Hyannis has far greater share of renter-occupied housing units at 56% of all occupied units than the Town (22%). In fact, close to half (48%) of the Town’s total renter-occupied units are located in Hyannis.

·         Overall, Hyannis has a greater share of housing units in multi-unit structures compared to the Town. Only 55% of units are in single-family structures.

·         An estimated 58% of Hyannis households are housing cost burdened with 57% of owners and 50% of renters. Comparable rates to town wide estimates: Both geographies showing high proportion of cost-burdened households.

http://www.townofbarnstable.us/AffordableHousing/HousingNeeds.pdf

SWOTs Analysis –

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats that are helpful/harmful to the organization’s achieving its mission and vision.

Strengths –

1. A significant strength of HySOY is its commitment to collaborate with organizations & groups in the community which have similar goals for Hyannis youth. Some of these organizations are the Hyannis Public Library, Hyannis West Elementary PTO, a camp for children of incarcerated parents and several youth sports organizations.
2. A strength of the mentor program is that it is in its fifth year and has begun to recycle many of the mentors and some mentors have continued their relationship with their mentees after the 4 year commitment.
3. Multiple positive relationships with administration and staff at Hyannis West Elementary School.
4. The seven members of the working board have sat on the board since the first Voices of the Village meeting in 2011.
5. Each area (mentoring, early literacy, childhood enrichment opportunities) has a strong and consistent leader or leaders.
6. Positive image to those who know of the organization.

Weaknesses –

1. Since our organization is still young, it is not well-known within the community.
2. We are lacking in “brand awareness” as an organization.
3. Many of our working board members are very busy with jobs, family and other civic involvement.
4. We do not have any salaried positions.
5. We lack a regular or consistent funding source.
6. Though we have strong relationships with teachers at Hyannis West, many do not know of our program or the work we do in the school.
7. We do not receive consistent press coverage or social media presence about our programs.
8. We need a larger working board of members who can spread out the work of the various committees.
9. Most of our board members and mentors are female and above 50. We could use a more equal distribution of gender and age among our board and volunteers.

Opportunities –

1. We have a growing number of English Language Learners, transient youth, and homeless students in Hyannis, increasing the need for our organization.
2. There are many grants available for supporting youth initiatives.
3. Many organizations are working to provide services to youth in Hyannis-partnering with these could grow and strengthen our program.
4. With our strong relationship with Hyannis West Elementary, we could provide additional programs and enrichments to students at this school.
5. The ability to broaden our program into the other schools serving Hyannis youth within our district (BUES, BIS, BHS, BHMPCS).

Threats –

1. The need to continually train a growing population of volunteers in confidentiality and best practices of working with youth.
2. We do not have liability insurance.
3. We have a small number of working board members.

Goals

To help children in need reach their full potential through professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships.

To put books and other reading materials into the hands and homes of Hyannis children.

To serve an increasing number of Hyannis children per year with diverse enrichment opportunities.

To increase public awareness of HySOY, Inc. and its mission and goals.

Objectives

MENTORING

1.    The Mentor Program Directors will recruit 8-12 new mentors by October of each year.

2.    Potential new mentors will attend training and orientation sessions in October in preparation for an early November start.

3.    Ongoing support and training will be provided by directors in the form of emails, phone calls and meetings.

4.    Interactive and consumable materials will be provided by Hyannis Supporting Our Youth, Inc. for mentors to use with their children.

5.    An appreciation celebration will be held at the end of each year for mentees to learn the value of gratitude.

6.    Hyannis Supporting Our Youth, Inc. will show its appreciation to mentors with a summer gathering, celebrating a successful year.

7.    Each year, mentors and mentees will participate in two community service activities to help the mentees understand and value service to others.

EARLY LITERACY

1. Promote and increase awareness of the Early Literacy Committee at HyWest elementary school and in the larger Hyannis community.
2. Contact one to three Hyannis organizations to arrange speaking opportunities to either significant individuals in that organization or to the organization as a whole.  [By end of school year]

3.    Reconnect with Sturgis West H.S. to promote fund raising for the program as well as supportive activities with HyWest students as had been done before. [By Fall 2016]

4.    Contact one to two additional schools in the community to explore possible fund raising and other supportive activities. [By Fall 2016]

5.    Review two relevant and significant grant sources. [By end of school year]

6.    Identify at least one individual who would be able to assist and/or collaborate with grant writing. [By end of school year] 

CHILDHOOD ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

1. Fundraiser: By 2017, HySOY will recruit a person with the time, motivation, and experience to run a fundraiser that would become an annual, hallmark event.
2. Grants: During 2016, pick three grants or beneficiary events for which to apply.
3. Children: By the end of May, 2016, choose sponsorship children to ensure preferred program choices and completion.
4. Community: Over the next two years, strengthen and grow our community connections with groups and organizations with a similar mission.