Miami-Dade Youth Commission presents package of proposals including volunteer background checks and mobile-home notice extension

Miami-Dade Youth Commission leaders presented a set of policy proposals and program initiatives to the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners on the Youth Commission’s role and priorities for the coming year.

The Youth Commission chair, Martina Jaramillo, told commissioners the group represents ‘‘350,000 diverse youth voices’’ in the county and outlined projects the commission advanced this year, including urging resolutions and several new proposals aimed at student safety and community supports.

The commission’s secretary, Silvana Londono, introduced a proposal that would require all adults who may come into contact with children while volunteering under Miami‑Dade County jurisdiction to undergo background checks before being permitted to volunteer. Londono also said that high school students 18 and older who volunteer would need approval letters from teachers or counselors; those letters would be valid for one school year (August 1 to the following August 1) before requiring renewal. "This proposal advocates for the implementation of a policy requiring that all adults who may come into contact with children through their volunteering must undergo thorough background checks before being permitted to volunteer in any capacity or time frame under the jurisdiction of the Miami Dade County," Londono said.

Annie Valido, chair of the Advocacy and Legislation subcommittee, described a proposal called "Keep Roofs Over Miami's Head" drafted to protect mobile-home park residents facing redevelopment. The draft would require mobile-park owners to provide at least nine months’ notice before eviction resulting from redevelopment, instead of the current six months cited in the presentation. Valido highlighted Little Adnor Mobile Home Park and the Palm Springs North area as the catalyst for the proposal.

Eva Egozi, chair of the Education and Services Committee, urged the county to declare Aug. 21 a day of mandatory fentanyl education and response training for students and teachers. She said the Education and Services committee seeks to formalize that date as a day for required training and recognition to increase student and staff awareness and response capability.

Other Youth Commission initiatives described to the board included a proposal to establish a Teach the Arts Day, a Changemaker Day on April 30 to honor student leaders, a countywide career immersion program with Port Miami, and continuing cultural-access projects such as a youth arts magazine and an interactive map of cultural opportunities.

The commission also reported regular activities including a Washington, D.C., legislative tour planned for June and peer leadership development exercises such as an FIU ropes-course team-building event. Chairwoman Jaramillo thanked county staff liaisons by name for support that enabled the commission’s work.

The board did not take a formal vote on the Youth Commission’s proposals during the session. Commissioners on the dais offered praise and invited follow-up: Commissioner Eileen Higgins offered to coordinate with cultural-affairs staff on the Teach the Arts Day idea, and other commissioners congratulated the students on their work and college acceptances.

The commission’s members were sworn in earlier in the meeting by the clerk, a ministerial action recorded in the meeting minutes.

Looking ahead, the Youth Commission asked the Board of County Commissioners to consider the proposals and indicated it will continue to pursue the items through formal requests and urging resolutions.

Ending: The Youth Commission representatives concluded by thanking the board and noting that several of the proposals will be forwarded for consideration in the coming weeks; no final county action was recorded at this meeting.