Youth who reside, play or are employed in Long Beach are invited to share summer project ideas as part of the city’s fourth annual Youth Participatory Budgeting (YPB) process.
This youth-focused initiative is overseen by Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Youth Development alongside The Nonprofit Partnership and the Invest in Youth Coalition, led by Khmer Girls in Action.
“Long Beach is proud to continue investing in youth leadership,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “Through the Youth Power Participatory Budgeting process, more and more young people are learning the power of collaboration and civic engagement while leading the development of programs that make a lasting difference in their city.”
The chosen proposals will be awarded funding ranging from $10,000 to $50,000 out of a $500,000 sum, which consists of Measure US dollars and one-time General Fund support.
The Youth Power PB cycle will begin with a series of four in-person idea collection sessions aimed at giving brainstorming opportunities to youth from throughout Long Beach. Youth only need to attend a single session to submit their summer project ideas.
The schedule for the idea collection sessions is as follows:
- Thursday, Dec. 4 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Doris Topsy-Elvord Community Center at Houghton Park (6301 Myrtle Ave.)
- Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Youth Movement and Education Center (2217 E. Sixth St.)
- Thursday, Dec. 11 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center at Admiral Kidd Park (2125 Santa Fe Ave.)
- Tuesday, Dec. 16 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Whaley Park Community Center (5620 E. Atherton St.)
Throughout the Youth Power PB initiative, young people are encouraged to develop new skills, connect with peers and embrace leadership roles with decision-making opportunities. In addition to the idea collection sessions, eligible youth can review project proposals, work with community organizations to form project ideas and partake in the final voting phase.
“The Youth Power Participatory Budgeting process embodies our vision of community health, where young people have both voice and influence,” said Health and Human Services Director Alison King in a public statement. “This collaborative approach strengthens shared leadership, promotes well-being and ensures every young person has the opportunity to thrive.”
Youth Power PB Long Beach will consist of three phases:
- Phase 1: Idea Collection. From Dec. 1 through Jan. 6, youth ages 12 to 26 in Long Beach can submit ideas for projects to be funded.
- Phase 2: Project Development. In January and February, youth steering committee members will select ideas from the pool of submissions and match them with interested Long Beach community organizations. These selected ideas will move on to the project development phase in March, where youth and community organizations will collaborate to turn them into full proposals for the voting ballot.
- Phase 3: Voting. Youth throughout Long Beach will be invited to vote on which projects should be funded. Voting will be open to youth ages 12 to 26 who live, learn, work or play in Long Beach. Voting will be available online or in person at designated voting sites such as teen centers, libraries and high schools. More information about voting centers will be available at a later date.
Last year’s Youth Power PB cycle garnered more than 400 project ideas, over nine times as many submissions received in 2024, as well as 1,976 youth voters, which more than tripled the voter participation a year prior. The Youth Steering Committee selected and developed 24 of the suggested ideas into full proposals, with the 11 projects eventually chosen by voters centering on community care, transportation, housing, health and wellness and planning for the future.
The Youth Power PB initiative is Long Beach’s first citywide participatory budget process, and its objectives align with the Youth & Emerging Adults Strategic Plan.
For more information about Youth Power PB Long Beach, visit investinyouthlb.org. Youth and community organizations who are interested in participating can fill out corresponding interest forms for additional details.
