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Purposeful, Action, Creation and Engagement (PACE) Pilot Program

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New Name! From ACE to PACE

The Purposeful, Action, Creation and Engagement (PACE) team has made great strides to support youth since earlier this summer. The PACE program has created jobs, provided weeknight/weekend and evening activities for youth, and is getting ready to launch youth and community based organization advisory spaces.

Accomplishments

Since August 2022:

  • 5 youth from the youth biking movement have received jobs with partner community based organizations such as Redwood City PAL, Redwood City Together and REACH. More partnerships have begun forging to ensure more youth have opportunities for work. 

  • Most recently PAL and RWC Together worked with SMC Office of Education to partner on a grant to expand the County YEE program to support career training programs in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks. 

  • A big part of our work has been to engage with public safety officers through various police department briefing meetings therefore interactions between youth and officers have been more receptive. 

  • Most recently we have also had local public safety officers sign up to support coaching basketball to our bayside youth. 

  • Live In Peace helped PAL host its first successful quarterly ride-out/competition on September 24th! The Rideout attracted close to 90 youth bike riders and 60% of the riders were from RWC/NFO. This Rideout was also supported by our Redwood City Police department where youth and public safety officers were able to build relationships. 

  • Currently PAL staff and opportunity youth involved are in the process of planning our Winter Rideout. More details and dates to come! 

  • New partnerships have begun emerging: Fresh Lifelines for Youth and Silicon Valley Bike Coalition (RWC Group) 

  • Podcast Program has begun so youth can have a space to share their experience on issues they are passionate about in the community and society (happening weekly on Thursdays 6:30 pm)

Background

On September 12, 2022 the Redwood City City Council approved the “Action, Create and Engage” (ACE) Program for Transition Age Youth (12-24 years old), which was developed in partnership with Redwood City Together and the Redwood City Police Activities League (PAL). The ACE program responds to community concerns about disruptive youth behavior in downtown Redwood City, and is a community-based pilot initiative that aims to foster positive relationships between community leaders, law enforcement, and the Bike Life movement youth in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks.

Beginning in May 2022, over 200 youth on bikes began gathering regularly in Downtown Redwood City, with community members, property owners, and businesses expressing concern about disruptive and unsafe behavior, including blocking sidewalks, interfering with traffic, property damage and use of illegal fireworks close to people. City staff immediately began working on a multi-faceted strategy centered in the City’s priorities related to children and youth, public safety, economic vitality, and ensuring a community for all. 

The immediate action plan builds on community input received through the City’s 2022 People's Budget and the Redwood City/North Fair Oaks 2019-2024 Community Collaboration for Children’s Success Action Plan. PAL, in partnership with other community organizations, will offer after-school programs, bike events, entertainment activities, coaching and mentorships and events for transition age youth in Redwood City and in North Fair Oaks. The pilot program will also address youth crime, truancy and criminal disobedience in our community.

PACE Goals

Goal 1: Ensure non-traditional youth development programs in the City of Redwood City and surrounding communities to support mentorship pathways to workforce development and self empowerment. 

Goal 2: Host weekday/weekend events with community-based program partners for opportunity youth  to support positive youth development. 

Goal 3: Provide youth ages 12-24 and their families opportunities to serve on and co-lead Youth/CBO Advisory spaces to shape programming, services, and policies for opportunity youth programs.    

Goal 4: Increase Youth Serving Programs and Amenities in Redwood City by identifying ways to address the acute need of minimal opportunity youth programs and also expand evidence-based alternative public safety initiatives.