As a transformation is underway with the beautiful city of Oakland, so it is with the team at Oakland California Youth Outreach, Inc. Above you will see a new “Vision Statement.” OCYO also has a new Mission Statement which sets the stage for what we hope to achieve in the years ahead. It takes into account our recent journey as well as where we intend to go. Teamwork, collaboration and cooperation
are emphasized. Oakland CYO FounderIt all began with Henry Woods 15 years ago at Fremont High School. A Student Union President during his college years and an Army Signal Corps Veteran – Henry has worked with teens and young people since the mid-sixties. He has served with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, in Christian youth ministry leadership; and for 12 years as President and Founder of American Maid Catering. He continues to serve as a consultant and member of the OCYO Board. With the help of his friend, now City Councilman Noel Gallo, Henry was able to secure funding for an important school based violence intervention project. This relationship with Fremont High School continues through the present.He concentrated on reducing truancy right on site, working very closely with his student clients one important young person at a time. He proved that he could make an amazing difference through his caring, mentoring and determination. During these early years, Noel helped to guide our overall development while serving on the Oakland School Board and as a Public Safety leader in his community. Henry concentrated on recruiting and training others to help make a difference. As Program Manager, he quickly built a network of friends throughout the city. His earliest effort was inspired by a passion for helping the community of young people who represented an important part of the future of the city. As time passed, the Oakland Outreach organization grew into a 21 person group of specialists who gained city wide prominence for their efforts w young people. They were especially recognized for their work in truancy reduction, violence interruption and conflict mediation. By 2011, the staff and leadership elected to become an independent 501c3. On July 1, 2012, Geoffrey G. Godfrey accepted the position as Executive Director. A new Board of Directors was appointed. As a true legacy, Henry made sure that Geoffrey was also supported by a talented new Program Manager – Aisha Johnson. Aisha is a graduate of Mills College and has years of hands on case management experience working with troubled youth. Today, under the new name of Oakland California Youth Outreach, the OCYO team is building real momentum. The “Street Outreach” staff gathers at its headquarters on MacArthur Boulevard throughout the week. The purpose is manifold: staff meetings to plan and share experiences, one-on-one sessions with young clients, training sessions, tracking progress of each individual served. And of course, serving as “Violence Interrupters” as incidents may occur throughout the assigned hot spots. Evening and weekends are particularly busy times as they maintain a presence on the streets. Through “Street Outreach” and “Men of Influence,” the OCYO teams build relationships within Oakland’s most volatile areas. They host cookouts, maintain networks, mediate conflict, and stand on call for interventions throughout the week. Increasingly, we are moving toward a more vital role in support of the economic transformation underway in conjunction with our more active partnering relationships.
