SALEM — The city of Salem has officially started its estimated three-year journey toward recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly City and becoming the first city in the Northeast to earn the designation.
Through the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI), Salem will build upon its work to elevate youth voices and strengthen support for children and families across the city.
UNICEF’s CFCI, created in 1996, is designed to develop policies that protect, support and empower children and young people by providing them with the necessary resources to shape their futures.
Last Friday, city officials and UNICEF held a news conference at the Peabody Essex Museum, to announce the partnership.
Over the next three years, the city is expected to conduct a situation analysis to gather stories, feedback, and perceptions on the state of Salem’s children and families. The analysis will assess child well-being data and engage residents through a series of community conversations to create a local action plan for youth, with the goal of ensuring city leaders and community stakeholders can collaborate on the goals and aspirations identified by the community.
CFCI is a global UNICEF program operating more than 3,500 municipalities across 40 countries, CFCI at UNICEF USA Managing Director Danielle Goldberg said Friday.
“So you’re part of something much larger than the city of Salem, the state of Massachusetts, and the United States — we’re part of a global movement,” she said.
“Its mission is simple, but profound; to put children and young people at the heart of global decision making. And in practice, that means safer streets, healthier neighborhoods, and more inclusive communities where every single child’s rights are respected and they can thrive.”
After the implementation of the local action plan, an independent third-party evaluation will determine if the city of Salem meets the global criteria to receive UNICEF Child Friendly City recognition, potentially by late 2028.
U.S. cities that have earned such recognition include Houston, Minneapolis, and Decatur, Georgia, with more cities anticipating recognition in the coming years.
“This shoulder tap that we do for our young people is incredibly important,” School Committee member and state Rep. Manny Cruz said. “Whether they attend Salem Public Schools, Salem Academy Charter, or Salem State University, our children are the future, but they are also our present. Their perspectives, right now, matter.”
The city has taken steps in recent years to support the growth and success of youth across the community. This includes bringing City Hall to Go and the Mobile Mayor’s Office into schools and youth-centered spaces, and the expansion of the city-wide Pre-K Partnership, with a $1 million grant from Salem Public Schools enabling the district to add two more Salem-based preschool programs to its partner cohort.
“I’m proud of the work that has been done to make our community a welcoming and supportive place for our youth, including establishing the Salem Children’s Alliance and re-launching the Youth Commission and Children’s Cabinet,” Mayor Dominick Pangallo said during Friday’s partnership announcement.
“This partnership with UNICEF USA and the work toward achieving the CFCI designation are a reflection of our continuous commitment to make Salem a city where every child’s presence and voice are valued.”
The city has also recently extended the Reimagining Middle School model to all 8th graders in Salem Public Schools, a program that works with community organizations to add experiential learning to a school and reach students where they want to be.
Salem has also strengthened the City Connects program that links students with unique sets of services and enrichments that address their specific strengths and areas of need. Additionally, the city launched a Summer Youth Jobs pilot in partnership with MassHire, and worked with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office to revive youth intervention programming at Palmer Cove Park.
“It’s so important that we not only develop strong youth voices, but their ability to mobilize that into collective action,” Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said on Friday. “And having this designation is really going to help us build a brighter future, not just for Salem, but for the generations of young people that are going to be influenced and feel like they and their voices matter.
“Salem is taking a giant step with this accreditation, not just to talk about and invest in it in a little way, but really to say that we are going to put all our activities towards making this a priority.”
To stay up-to-date on Salem’s progress toward recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly City and to learn more about how to get involved, follow the Salem Children’s Alliance on social media and visit the Salem Children’s Alliance on the salemma.gov
Michael McHugh can be contacted at mmchugh@northofboston.com or at 781-799-5202