Frequently Asked Questions

The Youth Master Plan is a ten-year (2020-2030) plan for transforming systems and improving outcomes that matter to our children and youth across Orleans Parish, defined and developed by young people, parents, educators, community leaders and other key stakeholders.

The Youth Master Plan development process (Phases 1 & 2) began with local data reviews, the co-creation of a Youth Vision, and a series of Community Conversations. 

Working Groups made up of leaders representing youth, community, and people who work with and for youth co-created 30 solutions to transform systems, leverage strengths, and address unmet needs. 

Then, Action Tables built out two-year strategies to launch the solutions into action. They named common goals and indicators to measure progress and results.

For a deeper dive on how we developed the plan, visitnolayouthmasterplan.org/phase1 andnolayouthmasterplan.org/phase-2.

The Youth Master Plan is a city-wide tool to coordinate and strengthen action efforts, data, funding, policy, programs, and services that support Positive Youth Development experiences and results in New Orleans.

The Youth Master Plan calls all New Orleans community members to hear, live, and amplifythe new, true narrative for New Orleans youth, and to enhance the presence and belonging of Youth Voice in our city.

The Youth Master Plan seeks to bring attention to many of the issues that can prevent our young people from succeeding. Our systems as they exist do not meet the needs of our youth. Our historically siloed approaches to supporting our young people and their families are often costly, overly- punitive, and blind to the unique developmental stages, cultural needs, and lived experiences of New Orleans children and youth. In addition, New Orleans’ legacy systems of discrimination have played a significant role in how our city has been shaped, often cutting off children, youth, and their families from the opportunities and resources they need to thrive. 

The children and youth of New Orleans are not broken or damaged. They can rise above circumstances and have the ability to define their own path. They deserve homes, schools, and communities that prioritize their value, sense of safety, and well-being, that understand developmentally appropriate behavior, and that model compassionate and positive youth development approaches that center youth.

The Youth Master Plan is a commitment to shift the ways we collectively understand, serve, and share power with our young people.

• The creation of a comprehensive, shared roadmap

• A reframed narrative around New Orleans youth

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

• Aligning resource allocations with resource needs

Learn more about the desired results here.

New Orleans youth are central and active players in all phases of the plan -- the vision-setting, steering, meaning-making, amplifying, monitoring, evaluating, and continuous improvement -- through leadership roles, events, projects, campaigns, and youth-to-youth research and outreach. 

The Youth Master Plan is a collective impact effort that belongs to the entire community. Its development, implementation, and administration is supported in partnership by the New Orleans Children & Youth Planning Board (CYPB), the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families (OYF), and the New Orleans Youth Alliance (NOYA). 

• Narrative & Vision: Lift up the Youth Narrative whenever and wherever youth are a topic, and push back at the false narrative wherever you see or hear it.

• Collective Action: Align your or your organization’s objectives with the Youth Master Plan solutions. Tell us how you’re aligned so we can connect with and acknowledge you.

• Data: Help build a culture of data for bettering experiences and outcomes for our city’s youth. Join the emerging Youth Data Hub Steering Committee or follow our progress (more info coming soon).

• Funding: Invest in our youth and fund Youth Master Plan actions.