July 19, 2005
SUBJECT: Status Report on Implementation of Multicultural Outreach Task Force Recommendations
REPORT IN BRIEF
The Neighborhood and Community Services Program in the Office of the City Manager has coordinated the City-wide implementation effort by initiating the process, developing methods and procedures where appropriate, and monitoring progress.
As noted in Attachment A, Table Showing Status of Implementation of Recommendations, of the 16 recommendations, 11 are implemented and ongoing, three are in development, and two are on hold pending resource availability.
BACKGROUND
In March 2004 Council convened a community advisory task force to make recommendations to Council on improving the City’s outreach to multicultural populations. Council approved 16 recommendations, and directed staff to implement them during FY2004/05. Council also directed staff to return to Council in one year to report on implementation status. This status report is in response to that direction.
The task force organized their 16 final recommendations into five broad strategies. The five broad strategies are:
1. Expand representation and participation of multicultural populations at all levels of City government and in community life.
2. Increase the awareness and responsiveness of City government to multicultural issues within the community.
3. Acknowledge, value and celebrate Sunnyvale's multicultural populations.
4. Facilitate an increased "sense of community" within Sunnyvale.
5. Communicate more effectively with populations speaking limited English.
Attachment A, Table Showing Status of Implementation of Recommendations, details the implementation status of each of the task force’s 16 recommendations, clustered by strategy area. A list of the recommendations, also clustered by strategy, and a summary of the implementation status, is included in the body of this report.
EXISTING POLICY
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Community Education |
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Goal 7.2A Achieve a community in which citizens and businesses are informed about local issues and City programs and services.
Policy Making and Program Planning
Goal 7.2C.1 Representation -- Plan for and encourage an appropriate cross-section of the community when obtaining public input for policy decisions
Service Delivery
Policy 7.2D.3 Access -- Provide reasonable and fair citizen access to information and services within budgeted resources
7.2D3c Provide appropriate language translation assistance and translated materials to citizens seeking City services. |
DISCUSSION
Outreach is a City-wide effort, and the task force’s recommendations fall under the authority of several City departments. The Neighborhood and Community Services Program in the Office of the City Manager has coordinated the City-wide effort by initiating the process, developing methods and procedures where appropriate, and monitoring progress.
The first strategy the task force identified was to expand representation and participation of multicultural populations at all levels of City government and in community life. Four recommended activities were approved as follows:
a. Provide training for community members in how City government works and how to effectively influence government decision making.
b. Make full use of ethnic media in the Bay Area.
c. Develop more news releases with content that will be of interest to multicultural communities.
d. Regularly distribute news releases to community organizations with culturally diverse membership representing Sunnyvale residents.
The CitySkills class, which is an introduction to how the City works and how to effectively address community issues, was piloted in April of this year. The class successfully attracted a diverse and enthusiastic participant base, and will be repeated in fall 2005, with broad applicant outreach throughout the Sunnyvale community.
The Communications Office continues to send all City news releases to 55 individual news agencies, including 13 agencies representing the ethnic media. Five news releases were prepared in FY2004/05 with content potentially of interest to multicultural communities.
In January staff sent a letter to community organizations in Sunnyvale inviting them to participate in a variety of outreach services including: the Mayor’s Outreach Program, the City Speakers Bureau, the Community Liaison Service; monthly e-mail notifications of City events (including news releases as requested); and the Community Calendar located on the City’s Web site.
Finally, prior to the spring 2005 board and commission recruitment, language was added to the board and commission applications specifically acknowledging the City’s commitment to encourage applicants who reflect the demographic diversity of the Sunnyvale community.
The second strategy the task force identified was to increase the awareness and responsiveness of City government to multicultural issues within the community. Four activities were recommended and approved:
a. Develop relationships with leaders of diverse ethnic and cultural organizations representing Sunnyvale residents.
b. Create a multicultural business roundtable.
c. Ensure City staff recruitment outreach includes multicultural communities.
d. Provide ongoing recognition of the City's multicultural outreach efforts through Council outreach activities, articles in the Quarterly Report, news releases, and in-person Councilmember appearances at cultural events.
e. Develop and implement cultural diversity training throughout the City's internal organization.
f. Participate with other community agencies in a diversity youth forum as the opportunity arises.
To address the first recommendation, the Office of the City Manager developed a database of cultural and religious organizations in the community in order to begin to conduct outreach and start the relationship building process. This year, letters were sent to these organizations publicizing the City’s outreach services, and inviting participation. While response was limited, this first step initiated the City’s commitment to continuing to build relationships with these organizations. A plan for further outreach, including specific goals and activities, will be developed and implemented in FY2005/06.
The Economic Development Division is in the early stages of identifying targeted groups representing a broad range of ethnic businesses. The goal is to work with ethnic chambers of commerce, cultural organizations, and organizations supporting small businesses to establish partnerships to reach out to these organizations’ existing networks. This program will be developed and implemented in FY2005/06.
Two articles on multicultural outreach were included in this year’s Quarterly Report, Councilmembers have attended several cultural events, and all community associations, including cultural associations, are invited to post their public events on the City’s Community Calendar, which is located on the home page of the City’s Web site.
Regarding diversity in the City’s work force, the City’s staff recruitment continues to comply with Proposition 209 (which requires that recruitment activities be broad-based and inclusive). However, limited resources limit the breadth of recruiting efforts. To assist in tracking the City’s success in attracting demographically diverse candidates, the Human Resources Department has released a Request for Proposals for a new applicant tracking system, and hopes to have awarded a contract within the next 90 days.
The development and implementation of cultural diversity training for City employees is on hold due to resource constraints. While Council supported this recommendation, resources were not identified for implementing it. Some diversity training was included in the mandatory Preventing Workplace Harassment training which all City staff attended in the spring of this year. While diversity training is not currently offered by the City’s Human Resources Department, City staff continue to attend externally offered diversity training programs as budgeted by departments.
There were no opportunities for participation on a youth diversity forum in FY2004/05. However, the Columbia Neighborhood Center (CNC) offered a program sponsored by City Year addressing issues that middle school students face, including issues of culture and race. The CNC continues to explore collaborative opportunities for diversity workshops for youth and adult community members.
The third strategy the task force identified was that the City acknowledge, value and celebrate Sunnyvale’s multicultural populations. The two approved recommendations were:
a. Participate in community based cultural celebrations by hosting a City of Sunnyvale booth as opportunities present.
b. Promote community cultural events, sponsored by nonprofit community organizations, on KSUN.
This strategy focuses on the City’s participation in and promotion of multicultural celebrations and events in the Sunnyvale community. While Councilmembers are often invited to and do attend community cultural events, this year City staff was not asked to host a City of Sunnyvale booth at a Sunnyvale-based cultural celebration. However, at the December 2004 Council Study Issue Workshop staff was directed to undertake a study issue that will explore how the City and community might work together to support special events held throughout the community (including multicultural events). That study issue is scheduled for Council review on November 15, 2005. As noted earlier in this report, cultural events sponsored by non-profit associations that are open to the public can be posted on the City’s Community Calendar, which is linked to the City Web site’s home page, http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/events.
The fourth strategy is to facilitate an increased “sense of community” within Sunnyvale. There was one recommendation:
a. encourage neighborhood association outreach and participation strategies that enable neighbors to get to know one another.
FY2004/05 was the first year of the City’s Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) program. This program supports community-building activities including forming associations, hosting a block party or other special event, connecting community members with other City-sponsored activities (such as neighborhood watch, Sunnyvale Neighbors Actively Prepared “SNAP”, etc.), or instituting a neighborhood e-newsletter. The program’s efforts and tools in supporting neighborhood associations, including the “How to Start a Neighborhood Association” packet, have been well received, with four new neighborhood associations forming in Sunnyvale in FY2004/05, bringing the total to 16. A block party kit, identified in the June 2004 Report to Council, will be posted to the City’s Web site this fall.
The fifth and final strategy identified by the task force was to communicate more effectively with populations speaking limited English populations.
a. Post "Translation Services Available" signs in most frequently used languages at answer point locations in City buildings. Utilize qualified bilingual staff for translating.
b. Increase awareness and sensitivity among City employees for the need to do special communications outreach to non-English-speaking populations.
c. Develop City guidelines to identify eligibility criteria for translating City documents and publications, and develop document translation procedures.
While the task force was clear that translation should not be a major focus for the City, they did recommend that the City’s bilingual services to residents be better publicized, and that document translation guidelines be developed and implemented. Following this recommendation, the City has posted “Multi-lingual Services Available” signs at two key public-contact areas in the City: the City Clerk’s Office, and the Columbia Neighborhood Center. In January (following an evaluation of the effect of posting the signage), additional signs will be posted at key reception areas City-wide. As is current practice, should a community member with limited English skills request bilingual services to conduct City business, and if a staff member with bilingual skills is available, the community member is connected with the bilingual staff member. If a bilingual staff member is not available, the community member can make an appointment for bilingual assistance. Certified bilingual staff members have passed a language certification review and receive a stipend for their bilingual skills. Currently, the City has bilingual staff certified in the following languages: Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Tagalog, Portuguese, Russian, Farsi, and Vietnamese.
Document translation guidelines (Attachment B) have been developed and will be incorporated into the City’s administrative policy pending final approval of the City’s communications policy. As a first step in implementing this policy, the City Council fact sheet, a document that summarizes how community members can access City Council, City services, or provide input on City business, is being translated into both Spanish and Chinese. Very limited funding for translation of City documents had been earmarked in the City’s Multilanguage Translation Project, which expires in FY2004/05.
The City is also moving forward in taking advantage of relevant publications that are available at no or low cost from other organizations. For example, the City recently ordered, at no cost, several hundred English, Spanish and Chinese language copies of When You Become 18, A Survival Guide for Teenagers. This user-friendly document funded by the Foundation of the State Bar of California, helps teenagers understand the legal responsibilities that accompany adulthood. The City will distribute the guide at appropriate City sites.
In summary, significant progress has been made in all five strategy areas. Implementation of the recommendations will continue as part of the City’s ongoing operations.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to this report.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of the Council agenda in public places, on the City’s Web page, and the publication of the general business/public hearing items in the San Jose Mercury News.
ALTERNATIVES
1) Accept this status report as presented.
2) Other direction as determined by Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Alternative #1) Accept this status report as presented.
Reviewed by:
Robert Walker, Assistant City Manager
Prepared by: Coryn Campbell, Neighborhood and Community Resources Manager
Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager
Attachments
Attachment A, Table Showing Status of Implementation of Recommendations
Attachment B, Document Translation Guidelines