Youth Advisory Commission 09/22/2026

The City of Worcester Youth Advisory Commission met on September 22, 2026. The commission received an update on its Shannon funding application for youth violence prevention. Staff reported completing an RFP process, with 11 applications approved to move forward; two applicants missed the submission deadline, and Legendary Legacies submitted two applications that the community review committee selected for funding. Funding decisions remain dependent on the state, and the amount available was uncertain; the discussion referenced roughly $2 million in requests and a prior-year funding reduction of about $300,000. Separately, an additional $15,000 from the Institute for Women and Ethnic Studies was directed to CYCHIP youth forums and focus groups. No contract award or procurement vote was reported.

Members also discussed the departure of the city’s violence prevention coordinator, whose position was identified in a departmental cost-saving analysis, and the need to refill it. Staff credited cross-agency coordination with a quieter summer and reported a 47% decline in youth arrests for June and July compared with the same period in 2025. Other topics included adding youth council members, school staffing and proposed school realignment scenarios; the commission agreed to monitor the realignment and discuss school staffing concerns at an operations meeting. Strategic planning was postponed to the next meeting.