The Core Four Partnership is a collaboration established in February 2020 between the City of San Marcos, Hays County, San Marcos CISD, and Texas State University. The partnership is led by Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas through the establishment of Youth Services. The purpose of the partnership is to continue the work of the 2013 Youth Master Plan. In Fall of 2021, Youth Services joined the Texas Youth Action Network Collaborative (TYAN) where education and training were provided to learn about Positive Youth Development Philosophy and how to incorporate PYD throughout the partnership. In doing so, the partnership was selected in June 2023 as the Regional Pod Leader and secured funding for one year through Texas Youth Action Network (TYAN). The partnership was tasked with creating a coalition working group to gather information about the needs of local youth and young adults and to use that information to assist local agencies and organizations to better serve Hays County youth, young adults, and their families. Specifically, the Core Four Partnership was tasked with the following:
1. Establish a working group consisting of 5 Youth Adult Partnerships
2. Complete a Community Needs Assessment
3. Create goals and activities that would meet the goals set by the coalition working group.
The project began in June 2023 and concluded in May 2024. Three phases were established to help meet the benchmarks set by Texas Youth Action Network.
The Youth Coalition Working Group (YCWP) consisted of the following groups:
1) Students Opportunities for Applied Research (SOAR)
2) Student Support Services Association
3) Greater San Marcos Youth Council
4) Star Teens at the San Marcos Public Library
5) San Marcos Housing Authority Teen Program
6) The Core Four Partnership Youth Task Force
This group worked collectively to meet the goals set by Texas Youth Action Network. Members were required to complete the TYAN Collaborative and complete the Youth Development Training Series offered through TYAN. The working group members also completed: MOA, attended biweekly meetings, and assisted the Core Four Partnership with meeting benchmarks set by TYAN.