In an interview with The Paly Voice, Palo Alto Mayor Sid Espinosa pledged to improve youth well-being in the coming year, with plans to fully implement Project Safety Net and encourage youth engagement.
The City of Palo Alto established Project Safety Net, a community-led effort to develop a youth mental health plan, last year. However, Espinosa acknowledged that more work needs to be done before the program can kick into full gear.
“While we were able to develop the Project Safety Net program and report, there is still a lot of work to be done to implement all of the recommendations,” Espinosa said. “As a result, the City Council recently voted to extend this work for the coming year. We will be focused on finding long-term funding for and fully implementing the Project Safety Net program.”
In addition to a community mental health plan, Espinosa hopes that Palo Alto teens will take part in civic engagement, creating a more positive, connected community.
“There are many ways for teens to become engaged in Palo Alto’s civic life, and I want to encourage everyone to think about how they can get involved and make a positive difference,” Espinosa said. “Our society works because citizens get engaged in their community.”
Espinosa pointed to the Palo Alto Youth Council as one option for teen involvement in municipal affairs.
“The Youth Council is perhaps the most obvious example of how teens can connect directly with the City Council,” Espinosa said. More information regarding the Palo Alto Youth Council can be found here.
The mayor also suggested that Palo Alto teens work with local non-profits to make a difference in the community.
“There are neighborhood associations and non-profit organizations that are very actively involved in city life,” Espinosa said. “I would strongly encourage teens to think about what social issues they’re passionate about, and find a non-profit organization in town that is working on that issue. We have hundreds of non-profits in this city and I am sure that teens can find a group that aligns with what they care about. Volunteer, get engaged and make a difference.”