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Journey Forward Strategic Plan (Draft) 2026–2030

Journey Forward Strategic Plan (Draft) 2026–2030

Vision and Mission

Vision: A safer Jacksonville where youth, families, and neighborhoods thrive through coordinated investments in prevention, opportunity, and community trust.

Mission: Journey Forward mobilizes data, community voice, and cross-sector partnerships to reduce violence and strengthen neighborhoods through strategic investments in prevention, youth development, and reentry support.

Guiding Principles

  1. Prevention First: Prioritize strategies that address root causes of violence.
  2. Data-Driven Decisions: Align investments with measurable outcomes and shared indicators.
  3. Community Voice: Engage residents and youth in planning, implementation, and evaluation.
  4. Place-Based Focus: Concentrate investments in priority ZIP codes (TBD) with highest needs.
  5. Cross-Sector Collaboration: Align efforts across city agencies, nonprofits, schools, and community partners.

Strategic Priorities (2026–2030)

Strategic Priority 1: Youth Development and Early Prevention

Overarching Goal: Increase youth engagement, school attendance, and academic success in priority neighborhoods to reduce long-term risk factors associated with violence, setting up youth for future success and well-being.

Objectives for Strategic Priority 1: Youth Development and Early Prevention
ObjectivePerformance MeasureStrategyActivityTimeframeResponsibility
Objective 1.1
Improve VPK and K–12 attendance rates in priority ZIP codes.		Improve by 20% by 2029 through the citywide attendance campaign and coordinated support services.
  • Partner with Duval County Public Schools and community partners to identify chronically absent students.
  • Expand family outreach and attendance intervention services.
  • Implement targeted marketing campaign.
  • Provide support services to high-risk students and families.
June 2029KHA, DCPS, out-of-school partners
Objective 1.2
Expand after-school programming.		Increase access and the number of available after-school program seats in priority neighborhoods by 50%.
  • Invest in nonprofit and community-based providers.
  • Align after-school programming with literacy, STEM, mentorship, and career exposure.
  • Review and revise current program scopes and deliverables.
  • Review funding models and requirements for efficiency.
September 2028JF/COJ/KHA
Objective 1.3
Expand youth literacy support.		Improve third-grade reading proficiency in priority ZIP codes through support for literacy initiatives and campaigns by 15%.
  • Expand out-of-school reading campaigns.
  • Align literacy messaging with attendance initiatives.
Partner with providers to offer supplemental reading enhancement opportunities to students and families.June 2030JF/KHA

Strategic Priority 2: Safe Spaces and Community Anchors

Overarching Goal: Create accessible and safe environments where youth and families can access educational, social, and prevention services.

Objectives for Strategic Priority 2: Safe Spaces and Community Anchors
ObjectivePerformance MeasureStrategyActivityTimeframeResponsibility
Objective 2.1
Develop community safety hubs.		Establish five neighborhood-based youth and family centers in priority ZIP codes by June 2029.
  • Partner with Parks and Recreation to expand safe spaces and youth centers.
  • Activate community centers as “one-stop shops” for youth safe spaces and family services.
Develop a public-private partnership to activate “Centers of Hope.”August 2026COJ
Objective 2.2
Increase youth engagement in safe spaces.		Increase youth and volunteer participation in city-supported youth programs in priority neighborhoods by 25%.
  • Coordinate programming among Parks, schools, and community organizations.
  • Offer academic enrichment, mentoring, and recreational programming.
  • Review and revise current program scopes and deliverables.
  • Review funding models and requirements for efficiency.
September 2028JF/COJ

Strategic Priority 3: Reentry and Second Chances

Overarching Goal: Reduce recidivism by strengthening support systems for individuals returning from incarceration.

Objectives for Strategic Priority 3: Reentry and Second Chances
ObjectivePerformance MeasureStrategyActivityTimeframeResponsibility
Objective 3.1
Strengthen reentry service coordination.		Establish a coordinated system of care connecting the Jacksonville Reentry Center with community providers by June 2027.
  • Develop shared referral systems and service coordination protocols.
  • Align services across housing, employment, health care, and counseling.
  • Convene reentry partners for planning and coordination.
  • Develop a strategic plan for a reentry system of care.
April 2027JREC
Objective 3.2
Expand employment opportunities for returning citizens.		Increase employment placements for returning citizens by 20% by 2029.
  • Fund workforce training programs.
  • Partner with local employers to create second-chance hiring pipelines.
  • Identify opportunity sectors and employers.
  • Target education and training opportunities for ex-offenders and high-risk individuals to meet community needs.
September 2028—
Objective 3.3
Expand reentry support services.		Increase access to housing, mental health care, and substance use treatment for returning citizens by 30% by 2029.Partner with local providers to create second-chance housing pipelines.Create a system-wide portal for second-chance and affordable housing.September 2028—

Strategic Priority 4: Data, Governance and Community Engagement

Overarching Goal: Strengthen accountability, transparency, and community engagement to guide violence reduction investments.

Objectives for Strategic Priority 4: Data, Governance and Community Engagement
ObjectivePerformance MeasureStrategyActivityTimeframeResponsibility
Objective 4.1
Develop a citywide violence prevention dashboard.		Launch a public data dashboard tracking key safety and prevention indicators by 2027.Develop universal metrics for violence reduction through performance and social determinants indicators.
  • Review program and community metrics.
  • Develop alignment indicators.
  • Activate a public-facing dashboard.
April 2027COJ
Objective 4.2
Strengthen community engagement.		Conduct at least 10 community town halls and listening sessions annually beginning in 2026.
  • Prioritize engagement in neighborhoods most impacted by violence.
  • Establish youth advisory input mechanisms.
  • Identify locations to host two JF Board meetings.
  • Identify locations to host eight meetings.
  • Engage at least six community organizations to assist with community feedback.
September 2026COJ
Objective 4.3
Establish a data and evaluation committee.		Form a Journey Forward data committee by July 1, 2026, to collect, track, and communicate data about violence reduction and community needs.
  • Work with data partners to analyze trends in priority ZIP codes.
  • Integrate community data insights into policy decisions.
Identify external talent and partners.September 2026COJ