something funny about school - caltransit fall conference... · that moment, i knew what people...

Public-Public Partnerships:

How to improve outreach through partnerships with public schools

Stephen Newhouse, Transportation Planner AC Transit (Oakland, CA) snewhouse@actransit.org (510) 891-4867

AC Transit Customer Demographics

75% People of color

50% Earn less than $25,000/year

32% Speak a language other than English in the home

45% Younger than 30

15% Younger than 20

Oakland Unified School District

85% People of color

70% Eligible for Free-or-Reduced Lunch

50% Speak a language other than English in the home

30% ‘English-Learners’

100% Younger than 20

Classroom strategy for linked-learning. • Promote student learning • Address a public need or issue • Provide tangible products (report, presentation)

Used in classrooms across the United States and abroad.

Berkeley High School Berkeley, CA

MetWest High School Oakland, CA

Five-Step Methodology

1. Start Up Five-Step Methodology

2. Survey Five-Step Methodology

3. Analyze 3. Analyze Five-Step Methodology

4. Present 4. Present Five-Step Methodology

“Besides seeing myself as a community member, I see myself as an advocate for other community members that feel like they aren't considered. 12th grader Richmond High School

“I was interviewing a [Latina] woman…and I had to approach her in Spanish…I was inspired because she was hesitant to share ideas at first. Eventually, she stopped walking to answer the questions…and ask her own questions about the issues…I loved that kind of communication. At that moment, I knew what people meant when they say community building.” 11th grader Richmond High School

“Y-PLAN is a best-practice and model of public participation. It isn’t just contributing to a specific project, it’s transforming the process.” Bill Lindsay City Manager, Richmond CA

[This] highlights a void that government has had in the planning process. We often plan with those who just happen to come to the table and they happen to not be young people of color. Y-PLAN forces us to open our minds—to get youth who are people of color, who have families that live in the community—to the table, to hear what reality is for them, and to incorporate that in the process. Y-PLAN Client City of Richmond

5. Reflect 5. Reflect Five-Step Methodology

Benefits Captive audience— not captive riders!

Representative cross-section

Likely customers

Multiplier effect

Fun!

Conduit of information across language barriers

Challenges Time!

Resources vs Mandates

Initiating/Sustaining Partnership

Managing Expectations

Scalability

Making complex issues accessible (and interesting)

De’Andre Buggs Intern for hire De39andreBuggs@yahoo.com

Y-PLAN Partners Deborah McKoy, Executive Director Jessie Stewart, National Director Cailin Notch, National Coordinator

AC Transit Dir. H.E. Christian Peeples, AC Transit Board Dir. Joel Young, AC Transit Board Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development Catherine Paulson, Planning Intern

MetWest High School Michael Cellemme Alex Mejia Nick Palmquist Berkeley High School Dagny Dingman Kate (Trimlett) Rinnie

Team Members

THANKS

Contact Info

Stephen Newhouse snewhouse@actransit.org

(510) 891-4867