Youth programs & schools
Consistent priorityOut-of-school programs, mentoring, early education and school-based supports for children and teens.
Residents consistently ask for affordable after-school and summer programs, safe youth spaces, better-funded school buildings and food, child care, and tutoring and college access.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
281 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 81 | 6.6% | 3 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 87 | 7.2% | 4 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 113 | 8.5% | 4 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
Affordable after-school, before-school and summer programs
Residents want free or low-cost programs, including before-school care for working parents and options for older teens, available at schools and community centers.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Safe places and activities for youth and teens
Residents say young people have few places to go and ask for centers, teen spaces, sports and mentoring to keep them engaged and out of trouble.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Better school funding, buildings and food
Residents ask for more money for schools, repairs and cooling or ventilation, supplies, and fresher, better school lunches.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Affordable child care
Residents ask for free, subsidized or voucher-based child care so working and single parents can keep their jobs.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Free tutoring, test prep and college access
Residents want free tutoring, SAT and exam prep, and scholarship help so lower-income students have the same chances as peers with private support.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Ideas were wide-ranging, covering school resources and facilities, free indoor playgrounds, college and scholarship help, mentoring, and playground renovations at specific Dorchester schools.
2025–26
Affordable before- and after-school programs for working parents and complaints about school lunches and missing air conditioning were the most common themes.
2026–27
Volume rose to 113 ideas, many short general asks for education funding and youth programs, along with school lunch complaints from students, swim lessons, and youth money-management and career programs.
New in 2026–27
Free swim lessons, reusing old East Boston police stations as youth centers, new or renovated schools in Allston-Brighton, and student reports of pests in school lunches stand out as new or growing.
Funding so far
The winning projects, grants for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth and financial literacy workshops, address two narrower asks, but no winning project yet covers the recurring asks for affordable after-school and summer programs, child care, school buildings and food, or tutoring.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
Programs Supporting Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Youth
2024–25 · $250,000
This proposal will offer grants to nonprofit organizations to support youth ages 14-21 who are formerly or currently incarcerated, helping them build a brighter future.
Youth Financial Literacy and Empowerment Workshops
2025–26 · $250,000
This proposal provides financial literacy workshops at youth job sites, local events, and colleges for young people ages 14-24.
Departments that often lead this work
- Boston Public Schools
- BCYF
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Youth programs & schools
281 ideas
2024–25: 81 · 2025–26: 87 · 2026–27: 113
- Weekend hours at BCYF community centersResident asks for BCYF centers to open on weekends so youth and families can use them, saying current programming skews toward seniors.2024–25City-wide
- Fund youth hockeyResident asks for funding for youth hockey to make the sport more accessible and inclusive for underrepresented communities.2024–25City-wide
- Supervised evening socials for young teensResident asks community centers to host early evening supervised social events with music and activities for young teens, since schools offer few and suburbs provide them.2024–25City-wide
- TUMO creative technology center for Boston teensResident asks the city to create a free TUMO Center for Creative Technologies, as in other cities, giving teens self-directed learning in tech and arts, especially where school performance is low.2024–25City-wide
- Youth multi-use space in Fields CornerResident asks for a multi-use space with a gym, classrooms and teaching kitchen in Fields Corner so nonprofits can offer youth programming, as the area near Town Field Park lacks resources.2024–25Dorchester
- Advocate for BPS school bus problemsResident asks the City to hire a community advocate to help BPS students without a walk-zone school navigate persistent yellow school bus problems that cause missed learning and meals.2024–25West End
- Accessible sex ed for students with disabilitiesResident asks for an accessible sex education policy in BPS for students with disabilities and their families, since young women with disabilities face higher assault risk.2024–25City-wide
- More school electives, staff and schoolsResident asks for more electives and staffing in public schools, additional schools to reduce crowded classrooms, and more student education on DEI through classes and speakers.2024–25City-wide
- Fund community centers and school-partnered mentoringResident wants more money for community centers and neighborhood programs that partner with schools, with a focus on mentoring opportunities for youth.2024–25City-wide
- Teen centers with therapists in every neighborhoodResident wants more engagement opportunities for teens and young adults, including field-day style activities and teen centers in all neighborhoods that include therapists for kids.2024–25City-wide
- Fund Mattapan teens and a teen info appResident asks for funding for Boston teens, especially in Mattapan, including an app that advertises teen jobs, mental health centers, news, safety alerts and teen projects.2024–25Hyde Park
- Expand youth mentorship programsResident says Boston children and teens need more mentors to offer advice, food and connection, noting that programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters exist but are not enough.2024–25City-wide
- Teen Empowerment-style programs for younger kidsResident wants programs like Teen Empowerment opened to younger children, held in community centers, to guide them toward a brighter future.2024–25Dorchester
- Youth hobby development centerResident proposes funding a hobby development center where youth of all ages can build talents and skills useful for future jobs.2024–25Mattapan
- Family campaigns on healthy technology use for babiesResident asks for campaigns teaching families to use technology wisely with babies, because uncontrolled use can harm cognitive and social development.2024–25City-wide
- Renovate ventilation at Umana schoolResident asks to renovate the ventilation system at the Mario Umana school.2024–25City-wide
- Software programming classes in East BostonResident asks for programs that teach software programming in East Boston.2024–25City-wide
- Youth sports program for healthier livesCreate a sports program for young people of all ages, regardless of status, to promote healthier habits.2024–25East Boston
- Free day care for single mothersEstablish free day care for single mothers who need to work and cannot afford a private babysitter.2024–25City-wide
- More programs for young peopleCreate more programs for all young people in Boston.2024–25City-wide