Final Letter Report on the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development’s Compliance with Local Law 25 Regarding Translation of Agency Websites

The audit determined whether the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) is complying with Local Law 25, which is intended to make City agencies, and ultimately the City as a whole, more accessible to foreign-born residents whose primary language is not English.  This audit of DYCD is one in a series of audits we are conducting of the City’s compliance with Local Law 25.

New York is home to one of the most diverse populations in the world, with more than four million foreign-born residents from more than 200 different countries.  More than 75 percent of all New Yorkers speak a language other than English at home, and almost 46 percent, or 1.8 million people, are limited in English proficiency.  For New Yorkers with limited English proficiency, interacting with City government and receiving access to City services can be a challenge.

Most City agencies have a significant presence on the internet and rely on agency websites to both provide information and to interact with the public.  Accordingly, in 2016, Mayor de Blasio signed Local Law 25, amending the City’s Administrative Code in relation to citizens’ ability to access translation of City websites.  Local Law 25 requires that every website maintained by or on behalf of a City agency include a translation service enabling users to view the text of that website, wherever practicable, in languages other than English.  It also requires that the translation service be identifiable in a manner that is comprehensible to speakers of the seven most commonly spoken languages in the city.  As determined by the Department of City Planning, the seven most commonly spoken languages in New York City amongst residents with limited English proficiency are:

1) Spanish

2) Chinese (includes Cantonese, Mandarin, and Formosan)

3) Russian

4) Bengali

5) French Créole (also called Haitian Créole)

6) Korean

7) Arabic

Results

The audit found that DYCD generally complies with Local Law 25.  DYCD’s website, found at http://www1.nyc.gov/site/dycd/index.page, includes a translation feature for viewing text and essential information in various languages, including the top seven languages spoken by residents with limited English proficiency.

DYCD’s website also provides information on its efforts in youth and community development including the agency’s Youth Connect, which is a web-based platform that serves as a resource and referral service.  Youth Connect’s mission is to increase access to and visibility of opportunities for young people by serving as a one-stop shop for all youth-related resources in New York City.  In addition, DYCD’s website provides information on how residents can participate in community efforts through Community Action Boards or Neighborhood Advisory Boards.  All information can be translated and viewed in the top seven noted languages.

DYCD defines its essential public documents as agency brochures, standardized program applications distributed by DYCD, enrollment forms and consent forms.   Two forms were provided on the website: the “Transportation Application” and the “Helping Hand” brochure. Both of these forms could be translated into the top seven noted languages.

The audit recommends that DYCD continue to maintain its compliance with Local Law 25 to ensure it effectively meets the needs of residents with limited English proficiency when accessing city services online.

In its response, DYCD agreed with the report’s findings and stated, “[t]he Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) is pleased to acknowledge the conclusions of the Draft Letter Report that ‘DYCD generally complies with Local Law 25’ by maintaining a website, which ‘includes a translation feature for viewing text and essential information in various languages, including the top seven languages spoken by residents with limited English proficiency’ and . . . DYCD agrees with the sole Recommendation that it should continue to maintain its compliance with Local Law 25 to ensure that it effectively meets the needs of residents with limited English proficiency when accessing city services online.”