River City Youth Ops empowers today's youth

 

By Sofia Sanchez - Intern

Kate Burke, the executive director of the River City Youth Ops, is back, bringing fresh energy to the organization after spending some time in politics. 

Growing up in Spokane, she worked 14 years ago for the River City Youth Ops. Ten years ago, she served on the board. 

Kate hopes River City Youth Ops will lay a foundation for today's youth as it has for so many youth in West Central Spokane. The nonprofit promotes social services and job training such as growing food on small urban farms.

Now she is working with the board and neighborhood to expand it from its focus on summer and fall agricultural programs to include programs that run year-round.

A 2007 graduate of Lewis and Clark High School, Kate received an associate degree from Spokane Falls Community College before working in politics, first as a legislative aide to State Senator Andy Billig and then serving as one of the youngest members of the Spokane City Council.

"I offered a progressive voice in traditionally conservative Eastern Washington," she said.

Kate has worked in various nonprofits, promoting food and agriculture as ways to express her commitment to helping her community and empowering young people. For example, she founded the Spokane Edible Tree Project, a volunteer group collecting fruit from trees in public areas of Spokane that are donated to local food banks.

In addition, she has fought for the rights of homeless people, BIPOC communities and the LGBTQ+ population in Spokane.

Kate brings insights from these involvements to her role now with River City Youth Ops, which has a new office at Salem Lutheran Church, 1428 W. Broadway.

According to its mission, River City Youth Ops creates opportunities for youth enrichment in their neighborhoods through community engagement, job training and education. 

The organization's goal is to create a diverse community of empowered, skilled and capable youth, working to strengthen their local environments. Some of the values are community, hope, purpose and opportunity. 

Their meaning is found in building and maintaining productive relationships with their neighborhoods, the earth and each other. The organization seeks to nurture the full potential of every program participant, recognizing that each resident of Spokane plays a vital role in creating a more peaceful, productive, unified community. The program believes all youth have the ability to make their lives and the world more sustainable and intentional.

"Coming back to Spokane after traveling around the United States, Latin America and Europe, I saw this job opportunity and took it," Kate said.

She is now moving the organization forward with plans to grow by adding fall, winter and spring programming.

Central to her vision is the importance of community involvement and forming partnerships to meet the evolving needs of the West Central neighborhood.

"This fall, we launched our newest program—a West Central bike bus. It's similar to the concept of a walking school bus, but with bikes, riding with kids to and from school," Kate said. "It's a way to reach more kids and promotes new, environmental ways to get to school, along with helping raise attendance rates."

River City Youth Ops had 40 bikes available and gave away 30 bikes, helmets and locks. They set up a route with "bus stops" where students meet them. Usually, six or seven join in the morning, because crossing guards go earlier. In the afternoon with crossing guards, 10 to 12 join them. Fridays they take an extended fun ride.

On Oct. 18, Kate said she expected they would continue perhaps two more weeks until it's too cold.

"We also provided gloves," added Kate, who is a bike rider and rides with the kids, but said a volunteer proposed the idea.

High schoolers had training in skills to ride a bike to school and ride by themselves to school.

"We've traditionally focused on agricultural programs, like teaching kids how to garden in scattered plots throughout West Central and selling their produce at markets," said Kate, "but now, our board wants to create more year-round programming.

"This opens up so many possibilities," she said, asking, "How can we adapt our programs for the fall, winter and spring? We're still excited to keep our agricultural projects going during the summer."

Community engagement is at the core of Kate's leadership philosophy.

She knows that meaningful change can only happen when the community is actively involved, and she's committed to creating partnerships that address the unique needs of the neighborhood.

Kate said her leadership style is grounded in collaboration, with an emphasis on involving the youth in decision-making.

"I believe that young people should have a voice in shaping the programs and services that affect them, and I'm dedicated to creating an environment where their ideas and perspectives are valued," she said.

Kate pointed out that "the most important thing is to figure out what the needs are and how we can support and help the community."

She expects that re-engaging with the community through the bike bus program is going to help build the community and connect in the neighborhood.

"Working with different nonprofits and organizations who focus on West Central Spokane, we seek to help figure out what and where the needs are and where the gaps are, so we can help with the neighborhood," said Kate.

The organization had a reunion over the summer, drawing 45 attendees, including past participants, staff and board members. The program started as Project Hope but was renamed River City Youth Ops in 2019.

"It was great to see everyone gathered in one place, with people who had been involved since the organization's inception mingling with newer members," Kate said.

One observation she made was that many past participants, now in their 20s, expressed a desire for even more contact with their classmates who went through the program to have attended. In response, a plan is underway to establish an alumni group, which will help them connect with others who were part of the organization in their earlier years. It promises to be an exciting initiative, Kate said.

Looking to the future, she has set her sights on several key goals for River City Youth Ops.

The long-term vision includes establishing a safe and welcoming space, specifically for the youth River City Youth Ops serves. She proposes that the space provide food and mentors so the youth can do their homework or just hang out and build community.

"This space would be a place where kids can come to learn, grow and find the support they need in a secure environment," Kate said.

Strengthening the organization's internal structures is a top priority, ensuring that they have the foundation needed to support their growing programs.

Kate is also focused on expanding the range of services.

Her passion for the work is evident in everything she says and does.

She's proud of the impact River City Youth Ops has had on the young people who have been a part of the organization over the years.

As she leads River City Youth Ops into this new chapter, Kate's vision is clear: "to continue building a community where every young person has the opportunity to thrive."

For information, call 703-7433, email kate.burke@youthops.org or visit youthops.org.