Youth at Promise Challenge Program

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Youth at Promise Challenge Program

• Beyond the Street
• Youth and Communities Taking
• Action on Homelessness
• September 29, 2006

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Presenters

• Paul Donovan
• Community Support Coordinator
• Community Youth Network St. Johns
• [phone]
• Sheldon Pollett
• Executive Director
• Choices for Youth
• [phone]

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Where we started

• the Youth at Promise Challenge Program grew out
  of a pro-active collaboration among youth-serving
  agencies in St. Johns (2003)
• program partners identified a significant gap in
  employment and educational services for youth
  with multiple barriers
• as of spring 2005, 44 of youth assessed for
  Skills Link programs were ineligible due to a
  combination of barriers such as low literacy,
  addictions, and mental health issues
• focus of the initiative quickly sought to begin
  reintroducing learning into the lives of youth
• from the beginning the partners understood that
  the approach would have to extremely flexible and
  not based on rigid guidelines and expectations
• harm reduction approach

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• Lessons Learned (and what we didnt know)
• January to June 2004
• the program offered learning sessions to 10 youth
  referred by program partners
• project targeted youth 16-18 with below grade 7
  literacy level
• sessions were offered in a group setting using
  materials assembled by the instructor
• efforts were made to provide nutritional snacks
• a heavy emphasis was placed on supporting youth
  around issues which impacted on their
  participation
• as June 2004 approached, youth expressed
  frustration with uncertain future availability of
  the program

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• September 2004 to Present
• the program offered learning sessions to a total
  of 21 youth (year 2) and 37 youth (year 3)
• age range increased to 16-25
• Laubach Literacy materials were purchased
• a 11 or 12 student - teacher ratio was adopted
• a more organized approach was taken to the
  provision of nutritional snacks
• operating the program out of the Youth Services
  Centre has meant an even stronger ability to
  provide holistic supports to youth
• stable learning environment and emphasis on
  transition to employment and educational
  opportunities

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At Promise Youth

• have become isolated from the supports which
  would enable them to succeed
• have negative associations with learning
  environments
• have substantial gaps in their learning and
  perceive themselves to be further along in their
  educational abilities than they are
• do not trust the adults in their lives
• have not had consistent periods of stability and
  structure in their lives
• have drug and alcohol issues and are street
  involved
• have experiences with the justice system
• continue to struggle with issues of poverty and
  housing crisis
• have a desire to work but are not ready to fully
  meet employer expectations

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What success looks like.

• Shelleys Story

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2004 Evaluation - Highlighted Findings

• flexibility and unconditional nature of program
• positive responses of youth
• One on one is excellent. I was nervous about
  coming, but the teacher is really helpful, he
  explains in a way you understand, shows you how
  to do it.
• Its really good. I used to be afraid to read in
  school - now I can do it OK. You can work at your
  own pace, you dont have to rush. They actually
  sit down with you and help you.
• They wont give up because they dont want you
  to give up.
• It makes you feel good when Paul checks up on
  you. It shows they care.
• I feel better about myself I dont feel
  stupid, dumb. This is my second chance.

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2004 Evaluation - Highlighted Findings

• I wanted to learn and couldnt, I got stressed
  out. This program is everything I missed in high
  school. Its giving me a chance to learn. It
  gives you back your self-esteem.
• Im going into a Skills Link program, then Ill
  go to college to do Adult Basic Education. Id
  like to be a psychologist.
• I want to make a life, get a job, not live off
  welfare. You need an education for that.
• those who work with youth see positive impact
• a significant need for the program
• small scale, non-institutional nature of the
  program
• cost effectiveness of targeting high risk youth

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Formalizing the Model

• feedback from participants and instructors
  continues to be incorporated into the design of
  the Youth at Promise Challenge Program
• proposals for the long term sustainability of the
  program has been developed
• the program is one element of a vision for a
  comprehensive approach for youth with multiple
  barriers to employment and education

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• FACT
• Youth Skills Zone (1999) and the Youth at Promise
  Challenge Program (2002) were developed in
  isolation from one another.
• FACT
• There are significant differences in program
  activities and the communities in which they
  operate.
• FACT
• Despite these differences, these programs share a
  common philosophy on what works with street
  involved youth.

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Youth at Promise and Skills ZoneCommon Themes

• Both programs
• arose out of clear identification of community
  needs
• use a harm reduction approach to working with
  youth where they are
• emphasis on transition into other employment or
  educational opportunities
• program design includes addressing other issues
  and barriers in the lives of youth
• ongoing program modification based on our
  experience with youth