The 2018 DYCD Annual Report provides a snapshot of the various accomplishments of the Department of Youth and Community Development. The report includes highlights and events from the year gone by, photos of young people and our funded programs, and more.

In observance of November’s National Runaway Prevention Month (NRPH), Dominique Jackson, star of the FX series Pose, stopped by to perform spoken word, poetry and music with young people at the Helen Mills Theater in Manhattan. RHY Open Mic is an annual event to give participants in DYCD-funded Runaway and Homeless Youth programs the opportunity to perform and interact with their peers. Earlier in the month, DYCD hosted the annual RHY Bowling event where young people enjoyed a night of music, food and strikes. If you need support or more information on DYCD-funded Runaway, Homeless and LGBTQ Youth programs, call Youth Connect at 1-800-246-4646 or 646-343-6800.

Applications are now available for both the Family Development Credential (FDC) Program for frontline staff and the Family Development Credential Program for Leaders targeting supervisors, managers and directors. These intensive professional development training opportunities emphasize empowerment and family support as a way of delivering human services, education and health to individuals, youth and families. Classes begin on Friday, February 22 but to be part of the spring 2019 cohort you must submit your online application by December 19. For further program information, please contact Rhodesia Humphrey at 646-343-6224, or email cb-fdc@dycd.nyc.gov.

Are you part of a youth dance or step team in NYC? On December 15, we are holding 2019 #StepItUpNYC auditions! This year, Step It Up is open to all NYC youth dance teams. To learn more, visit bit.ly/StepItUp_NYC, or email stepitup@dycd.nyc.gov.

This winter, New York Cares is organizing the City’s largest winter coat drive! With the help of caring New Yorkers, they collected and distributed 109,000 winter coats to families who would have otherwise faced a long cold winter without one. Over the 30 years of the drive over 2 million coats have been donated. To join the cause this year, visit the New York Cares website to find your local donation site or set up your very own mini coat drive.

The Apollo Theater Academy Spring Internship Program provides high school students in their senior year with opportunities for professional and personal development as they explore administrative and managerial careers in the performing arts and entertainment industries. For more information, visit the official Apollo Theater website before the December 21 deadline.

Join the Prospect Park Alliance for this annual fireworks celebration! Help them kick off the New Year with fireworks, live music and more. Locations for viewing the fireworks include Grand Army Plaza, the Park’s West Drive, and along Prospect Park West between Grand Army Plaza and 9th Street. This event is free and open to the public; for more information, click here.

As part of their continued support of higher education, Municipal Credit Union (MCU) is accepting applications for the 2019 MCU Scholarship Program! This year, MCU will award $71,000 in scholarship grants to college-bound graduating high school seniors, including nine memorial scholarships worth $5,000 each and thirteen grants of $2,000 each respectively. The deadline for scholarship submissions is end of business day on Friday, January 4, 2019. For more information on this scholarship, visit the official MCU website.

There are many scholarships and colleges that want to know the number one thing you want people to know about you. Just one? That’s it? “But, I’m amazing,” you say. Unigo hears you, and they know that it’s tough to narrow down your awesomeness into one measly reason.

So, inspired by David Letterman and his top ten lists, they created the Top Ten List Scholarship! With so many awards based on grades and extracurricular activities, this unique scholarship gives you the chance to show them what’s truly special and different about you. Need a number one reason to apply? How about the chance to win a $1,500 scholarship? For more information, visit the Unigo website before the December 31 deadline.

In conjunction with the Student Communications Career Conference on November 10, The New York Women in Communications opened the 2019-20 NYWICI scholarship application. Each year, New York Women in Communications awards 15 to 20 scholarships to graduating high school seniors, and college undergraduate and graduate students who intend to pursue or further a career in communications. To apply, visit the New York Woman in Communications website; the application deadline is January 25, 2019.

Every year, Bank of America’s Student Leaders program connects 225 community-minded high school juniors and seniors to employment, skills development and service. These students are awarded paid summer internships with local nonprofits such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America and participate in a national leadership summit in Washington, D.C. The Student Leaders Summit focuses on skill building and creating a more civically engaged society. Student Leaders is part of Bank of America’s ongoing commitment to preparing young people for a brighter future. If you or someone you know has a passion of improving the community, visit the Bank of America website to apply before the February 1, 2019 deadline.

Whether you’re organizing for tenants’ rights or laying the groundwork for a children’s arts program, neighborhood initiatives usually have one thing in common: they require funding. That's where Citizens Committee comes in. They offer micro-grants for your community building projects. The funds come from a combination of private foundations, corporate sponsors, and individual donations. For the full list of grants, visit the Citizens Committee website.

Looking for an afterschool program in your neighborhood? Need information on improving reading skills or finding the nearest community center? The web application discoverDYCD allows you to search in multiple languages for DYCD-funded programs. You can search by borough, neighborhood or zip code, and discoverDYCD provides contact information, activities offered, and a mapping feature with navigation.

Categories of services include: Afterschool Programs, Family Support, Literacy Services, Youth Services and so much more! We hope you find discoverDYCD useful as you take advantage of the diverse resources and opportunities that New York City has to offer.