Purpose
The Syracuse community has a longstanding history of youth disengagement and juvenile justice issues. Efforts to respond to this growing challenge have involved a number of well-intended strategies. However faith-based and non-traditional grassroots organizations represent an untapped, under-developed and under-utilized resource in the community’s attempt to stem the rising tide of youth and gang related violence. In their existence as small grassroots and faith-based entities – which lack organizational capacity, experience funding limitations, and lacking unity and collective visions among themselves – their voices are not heard, their wisdom and talents are not recognized, and they are not often given an opportunity to be a major participant in initiatives that respond to the needs of at-risk youth.
The principle objective of the Syracuse Urban Youth Development Coalition (SUYDC) is “to build a coalition that leads the Syracuse communities’ youth development initiatives in a collaborative manner resulting in youth and family sustained performance and success.” To this end the Coalition seeks to support and promote strategic objectives related to collaboration and capacity building, the adoption of a performance-based system that rewards high performance to goals that positively impact youth, families, and community, as well as to encourage sustainability by empowering faith-based and community organizations to become self-sufficient.
The Coalition seeks to support and promote the following strategic objectives:
◊ Coalition Building
◊ Capacity Building
◊ Performance
◊ Sustainability