Youth-Community Coordination Project. Research Results and Organization for Planning, Tacoma, Washington.

In March 1975, the American Public Welfare Association's Youth-Community Coordination Project (Y-CCP) began to develop a coordinated youth services system in Tacoma/Pierce County (and four other sites around the country), funded by National Discretionary LEAA funds from the National Instute for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The Y-CCP developed a local data base to facilitate the coordinated planning process. A social Area Analysis identified three kinds of census tracts in the city after analysis of 33 social indicators from 1970 census data. A Youth Needs Assessment was administered to 1,109 youth from grades seven to twelve in Tacoma Public Schools. A Community Resources Questionnaire was distributed to youth serving agencies. A followup survey was distributed to 42 of those agencies to obtain a comparison of their perception of youth needs that could be compared to the youth perspective, and gaps in services identified. A Systems Development survey was conducted with administration of key statutory agencies in the city. In addition, the Y-CCP stimulated coordination activities using the data as an organizing tool. The Youth Concerns Committee was identified as the most realistic starting place for planning efforts. Membership was increased, and 25 appropriate representatives of various service clusters were selected. (Author/JM)