Each year, KIDS Network celebrates the contributions of young people in Santa Barbara County by honoring individuals or groups who have made a significant positive impact in our community . The spirit of the Youth Impact Awards is to recognize youth who are outstanding because they have taken initiative to address and/or overcome adversity and have made a difference in the lives of others. Nominees may be recognized for demonstrating leadership while facing adversity in their own lives; or...

Linked here is an article by Cynder Sinclair, Noozhawk Columnist, sharing how local nonprofits are adjusting and continuing to service their community amid coronavirus. Featured in the article are two of Resilient Santa Barbara County's very own community partner organizations: Isla Vista Youth Projects and the Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County. The piece features an interview with Lori Goodman, Executive Director of Isla Vista Youth Projects (IVYP) on how they have remained...

In 2019, more than $40 million will become available to fund community-based, culturally rooted, trauma-informed services for youth in California as alternatives to arrest and incarceration. Thousands of California youth are arrested every year for low-level offenses. Youth who are arrested or incarcerated for low-level offenses are less likely to graduate high school, more likely to suffer negative health-outcomes, and more likely to have later contact with the justice system.

CAPC Intro It’s week three of Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time when we pause to appreciate all of the people who come together to support and encourage children, youth and families. Everyone has a role to play in making sure that our community is a great place for children and youth to thrive. Parenting can be hard, and parents must be flexible and strong to meet the needs of their families when challenges arise. Stress can make it harder to be a patient and supportive parent. This...

This work WYP is doing is so fundamental to community wellbeing and community resilience. Let's face it - there is no resilience for a community unless there's resilience for everyone in the community. All kids - all people - need time in nature. We all need mentorship. Investing in kids this way is a key investment in the community, our wellbeing and our future.

Thank you Wilderness Youth Project for sharing your love of nature and its healing properties. So many kids are benefitting from your mentorship!

The 2023 Bridges to Resilience conference inspired us all to think more deeply about HOPE and how we might increase access to positive experiences for children and youth who have been exposed to high doses of adversity. In this post-pandemic world we recognize that many of our youth are suffering and in need of support. The November Lunch & Learn hosted by the KIDS Network of Santa Barbara County explored the four building blocks of HOPE from a youth perspective and elevated youth voices...