Pico Youth & Family Center's Advisory Board: Support our Founder/Executive Director and the PYFC Mission Statement

Pico Youth & Family Center's Advisory Board: Support our Founder/Executive Director and the PYFC Mission Statement

The Issue

Let it be known, the staff  and youth of the Pico Youth and Family Center, does not support any change of the PYFC mission statement without a comprehensive community engagement process. We also do not support the removal of the Executive Director without an appropriate plan and timeline in place in order to ensure a manageable transition.

The PYFC was created through a community effort when 1,000 people came together to demand an end to violence in the Santa Monica Community. The very essence of the PYFC is the involvement of the many facets of the community. If the PYFC board chooses not to engage with the staff and youth on central decisions that effect the very essence of the organization, then the Pico Youth and Family Center as we know it will cease to exist.

We respectfully request that the board commit to support the current mission of the organization and come up with a realistic transition plan with a fair and reasonable timeline, in order to protect the integrity of the PYFC.

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Pico Youth & Family Center (PYFC)Petition Starter
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This petition had 297 supporters

The Issue

Let it be known, the staff  and youth of the Pico Youth and Family Center, does not support any change of the PYFC mission statement without a comprehensive community engagement process. We also do not support the removal of the Executive Director without an appropriate plan and timeline in place in order to ensure a manageable transition.

The PYFC was created through a community effort when 1,000 people came together to demand an end to violence in the Santa Monica Community. The very essence of the PYFC is the involvement of the many facets of the community. If the PYFC board chooses not to engage with the staff and youth on central decisions that effect the very essence of the organization, then the Pico Youth and Family Center as we know it will cease to exist.

We respectfully request that the board commit to support the current mission of the organization and come up with a realistic transition plan with a fair and reasonable timeline, in order to protect the integrity of the PYFC.

avatar of the starter
Pico Youth & Family Center (PYFC)Petition Starter
Media inquiries

The Decision Makers

Amanda Seward
Amanda Seward
Board Chair
Responded
“It is very encouraging to see how important the Pico Youth & Family Center is to so many in the community. The need for the organization is why I have served on the Board of the PYFC for so many years. Although, it is very disheartening to see the misconceptions spread by this petition and the comments thereto. One, there is no effort to close the PYFC. Our only goal was to strengthen it and to allow its continued existence. Two, the administration of the programs has not been in accordance with the requirements of nonprofit organizations, nor met the best practices required of our major funder - circumstances that now jeopardize the continued funding of the organization. Some people believe that it is not important to follow the law, or that administration is not important. I believe an organization can be well run, its programs can have broad impact, and it can still remain a grass roots organization where community members feel like it is their organization. Three, we were working with Oscar de la Torre, the executive director of PYFC, on a manageable transition in which he would continue to be involved in the PYFC. He had been offered a consultancy agreement that would involve him in the hiring of staff, program planning, and developing a plan for community organizing. We also asked him to develop a plan to bring together communities throughout the region to reduce gang conflict. His role as an executive director, handling the day to day operations of the PYFC for ten+ years did not allow him the opportunity to focus on the broader vision of the organization he co-founded many years ago. Four, the mission statement was being reviewed to consolidate various differing statements in grant applications, the bylaws, the articles of incorporation, and the website. There is a need for one single consistent statement that reflects where the PYFC is after ten years. Oscar has been very much involved in every discussion the Board has had, and in fact, a consultant engaged by Oscar to work with the Board in April 2012, recommended the review of the mission statement – a task that only began recently. Further, at a recent retreat of the Board, it was unanimously agreed that the motto, "peace, unity, and social justice" was an important part of the PYFC's message and should not be changed. Finally, Oscar was asked prior to our retreat to conduct a community forum to discuss the PYFC's mission, which did not happen due to other pressing matters. In any event, it was always the intent to involve the community in a review of the mission statement. The petition that has been circulated appears to be based on false information and it is truly unfortunate that the petition hit the streets before the consultancy agreement was finalized and Oscar and the Board could make a joint announcement. Amanda Seward, Board Chair ”
Sal Galvan
Sal Galvan
Board Vice-Chair
Jan Book
Jan Book
Board Treasurer
Shelly Wood
Shelly Wood
Board Secretary
Chad Sells
Chad Sells

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Petition created on November 27, 2012