Community Participation/Collaboration with HOME BASE
In the 2001-2002 program year, community adults were brought into the work of HOME BASE in a variety of ways. HOME BASE continued its "community build" process to further develop the physical infrastructure for its Alameda Point facility and to construct the Alameda Point Community Garden. Over 125 adults participated in monthly "Community Builds," dedicating over 400 hours to the renovation and maintenance of the HOME BASE building. In addition, 15 youth and 9 adults made a six-month commitment to participate once a month in the work of HOME BASE's "Seismic Build Teams," charged with the seismic retrofit of HOME BASE's headquarters. Seven Alameda Point community members, five U.C. Berkeley graduate students, and fifteen members of the Alameda Point Collaborative, a local nonprofit organization, worked with HOME BASE youth and staff on the Alameda Point Community Garden Task Force to plan the garden's construction.

Throughout the year, community members provided architectural expertise, public relations advice, and college counseling services to HOME BASE youth. Ten Bay Area artists volunteered their services at a discounted rate during two "Art Days" skill seminars that exposed youth to creative means of expression through spoken word, improvisational theater, painting, drawing, drumming and photography. HOME BASE youth also benefited from partnerships formed with other organizations within the Alameda community, including Tri-High Health Center, which provided counseling and health information, and the Bladium, which provided physical education facilities and instruction.

HOME BASE staff also made efforts to include community members in the decision-making processes that directly affected HOME BASE's administration and organization. Parents of HOME BASE and HOME Sweet HOME youth and children attended community meetings to build relationships, receive updates on their children's progress, and become involved in decisions about future organizational plans. Alternatives in Action, HOME BASE's parent organization, expanded its Board of Directors to include a OME BASE parent, a representative from the local developer Catellus, an employee of the City of Alameda, and a businesswoman with financial expertise. The BASE Charter Governing Board included a staff representative, a youth representative and a representative of the Alameda Unified School District. In ten formal panel presentations, 70 community adults reviewed BASE youth's individual learning plans and assisted the youth in examining their goals for social enterprise projects. Community members also provided feedback on plans for the development of HOME Sweet HOME and assessment of the accomplishments of the first class of graduating seniors.

Awareness of HOME BASE Projects and Activities In general, community adults reported awareness of only the HOME BASE activities in which they (or their children in the case of parents) have participated. A few community adults had a broader appreciation and knowledge of the scope of activities going on at HOME BASE.

They're mobilizing high school-age people to take on issues that have a collective significance for some community. It could be the community of East Bay skateboarders, as in the skate park; or it could be the community of Alameda, when it comes to building a community garden there; or it could be the community of child care providers that may be getting some benefit from what's being modeled at HOME Sweet HOME.

Most parents reported having attended a variety of events, taking on roles such as security, clean-up, painting and making phone calls. Several community adults worked with HOME BASE in their job or expertise area, as an extension of their regular work. In these cases, adults had a more difficult time commenting on the time they worked with HOME BASE as it was over a longer term and was integrated into their regular work.

Eighteen months. It was mostly just I was in charge of charter schools in Oakland. They would call me and ask me questions around strategy, thinking about being state-funded as being locally-funded, questions about the union, should they go and pursue . Shoud they be a union charter or non-union charter, so stuff like that... So that was mostly my involvement.

In addition, while many community members had become more aware of HOME BASE projects and activities, one of those interviewed mentioned barriers to participation, such as its location and transportation difficulties.

Adult Attitudes about Youth
Responses from community adults when asked if their participation in HOME BASE activities or projects had influenced their attitudes about youth were mixed. Two parents, who reported excellent relationships with their children, were not surprised by how capable youth can be. Other adults were impressed with youth's capacities as seen in the projects they undertook at HOME BASE.

As they always say in New York "yutes" had put this whole thing together, with guidance, naturally. But they had done the foot soldier work and gotten it done and that was impressive.

One adult member of the community went to several community meetings over at HOME BASE School, and the way that the students over there handled themselves., I think they did a commendable
job in dealing with the residents....What, I learned, basically learned, is that when students put their
minds to doing something, and they can accomplish it.

One other community adult noted that youth went through cycles of motivation and sometimes needed to be pushed to do the work. Nonetheless, she was impressed with their work.

Super enthusiastic and then... Yeah, they became real. They became real - grumpy, tired teenagers, who weren't, like, necessarily in the mood to do something. It was kind of like pulling teeth. Yeah, I mean, they became real, but they pulled through.

Overall, HOME BASE youth impress adults with their project work, but many of the adults who became involved already believed youth could do more than normally asked in school, and, therefore, their
attitudes did not change much.

Sense of Community
This outcome area was designed to evaluate how effective HOME BASE activities were in creating a "feeling of community" among Alameda Point residents and their families. Most adults who participated in HOME BASE activities, whether through "Community Build" events, HOME Sweet HOME parent meetings or the school's charter development process, agreed that HOME BASE was successful in bringing together community.