Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Youth Master Plan?

The Youth Master Plan will serve as a 10-year, comprehensive roadmap for creating and sustaining a positive, youth-development focused, results-oriented New Orleans that works for all of our young people, birth to 24 years of age.

What is the Youth Master Plan development process?

The Youth Master Plan development process brings together young people, parents, educators, community leaders and other key stakeholders to develop a multisector plan for improving outcomes for our children and youth across Orleans Parish.

What will the Youth Master Plan do?

The Youth Master Plan will cover the next ten years (2020-2030) and it will include all the sectors of our community that have responsibility for improving the future of children and youth, birth to 24 years, across Orleans Parish. The Youth Master Plan will apply the positive youth development framework and an equity lens, ensuring its design and implementation sets a path for every youth to have access to what they need to be successful. In return, our children and youth can become change agents who continuously improve New Orleans.

Why is the Youth Master Plan needed?

Each day, New Orleans youth are forced to endure traumatic experiences that no young person should have to face. The root cause of these inferior outcomes for our city’s youth can be directly connected to systemic bias and poverty.

What are the desired results of the Youth Master Plan?

• The creation of a comprehensive, shared roadmap

• A reframed narrative around New Orleans youth

• Stakeholders implementing a healing-centered,  trauma-informed, youth-focused agenda owned and powered by youth and community

• Aligning resource allocations with resource needs

Learn more about the desired results—which are represented as statements informed by lived experiences and youth perspectives of New Orleans youth; local sector-based expertise; and researched youth development goals and frameworks—here.

Why should you be a part of the Youth Master Plan?

You have the opportunity to engage in the process and utilize the final documentation as a blueprint for ways to invest in young people’s vision for our community. This collaborative development process and the intended outcome for the implementation of the Youth Master Plan will have a lasting effect on the way you and the city engage with the youth. This is your opportunity to join us in the development process to ensure that your leadership and input are included as part of a long-term vision for the city.

How does the new vision for New Orleans relate to the Youth Master Plan?

The development of the Youth Master Plan relies heavily on the goal of shifting the negative narrative around New Orleans youth, while aligning the allocation of resources with the needs of young people. As the Youth Master Plan is created, it will be guided by the new vision New Orleans youth from across the city co-created.

Who are the organizations facilitating the creation of the Youth Master Plan?

The Youth Master Plan development process is led in partnership by the New Orleans Children & Youth Planning Board (CYPB), the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families (OYF), and New Orleans Youth Alliance (NOYA), with co-direction and co-authorship by New Orleans youth, including a Youth Advisory Board.

What role do youth members play in the development of the Youth Master Plan? 

The Youth Master Plan will be co-created by the youth it directly impacts through months of community workshops aimed at examining data on issues New Orleans youth face, mapping priorities and identifying solutions. A Youth Advisory Board has also been recruited to lead on the Youth Master Plan development process while amplifying the collective voice of New Orleans youth to inspire, shape, and drive actionable change for all children, youth, and families in New Orleans.

What is the Youth Advisory Board?

The Youth Advisory Board consists of 22 bright and talented New Orleans youth who were recruited and selected to serve as advisers and ambassadors to the CYPB while leading the Youth Master Plan development process. Board members span the  ages of 14 to 24 while representing all city council districts. 

Meet our Youth Advisory Board.

What comes next? When will the Youth Master Plan launch?

The Youth Advisory Board and Youth Master Plan conveners will continue to host Community Conversations to identify goals, challenges, and opportunities. The steering committee will synthesize collected insights and ideas to create actionable strategies. These groups will then draft and review the Youth Master Plan with key stakeholders in order to create the final plan. The first phase of the Youth Master Plan launched in late 2020, with a formal phase 2 launch announcement and community event to take place in early 2021.

You can access our updated Youth Master Plan timeline here.

What happens after the Youth Master Plan is launched?

The real work begins after the plan is launched. Following the official launch, each action strategy gets moving and CYPB will begin advancing efforts to ensure action and accountability. Invitations to join CYPB in its monitoring and feedback efforts about how the Youth Master Plan is working will be extended in early 2021. We hope you'll consider continuing  the work with us then.

How long will it take for changes to happen that help New Orleans youth?

The answer is not yet known because the Youth Master Plan is still being developed. It is expected to have short term changes and long term changes, and you can look for the answer to this question as soon as the plan is launched in early 2021.

How do I get involved with the Youth Master Plan?

Visit our “Get Involved” page to get in touch with us.

How much time will be needed from me if I want to get involved with the Youth Master Plan?

Involvement will be managed based on the time you have available. The Youth Master Plan can benefit from your voice and time, and we will work with you on a capacity that works for you.

Is it too late to get involved with the Youth Master Plan?

It’s never too late to get involved. Join us!