promoting postsecondary success of court-involved youth sophia morel, cases hector rivera, our piece...
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PROMOTING POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS
OF COURT-INVOLVED YOUTH
Sophia Morel, CASESHector Rivera, Our Piece of the Pie, Inc.
Yelena Nemoy, National Youth Employment Coalition
The Corps Network 2014 National Conference ▪ February 11, 2014 ▪ Washington, DC
ABOUT THE NATIONAL YOUTH EMPLOYMENT COALITION
NATIONAL MEMBER NETWORK established in 1979.
MISSION: improve the effectiveness of organizations that help youth become productive citizens.
MEMBERS: direct service providers, researchers, policymakers, advocates, intermediaries and technical assistance providers from across the nation.
OUR WORK: NYEC promotes youth centered quality standards; monitors, proposes and influences policy decisions, and convenes professional development opportunities.
POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS INITIATIVE
PILOT initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations.
SUPPORTS a network of CBOs in engaging disconnected youth onto a path leading to postsecondary attainment and employment at a living wage.
PARTNERS: Jobs For The Future, YouthBuild USA, The Corps Network, and Brandeis University Center for Youth and Communities.
REPORT: Promoting Postsecondary Success of Court-Involved Youth: Lessons From the NYEC Postsecondary Success Pilot. http://nyec.org/content/documents/NYEC_Court_Involved_Youth_Postsecondary_Final_May_2013.pdf
FEATURED SITES: CASES (New York, NY); College Initiative (New York, NY); ISUS, Inc. (Dayton, OH); Los Angeles Conservation Corps (CA); My Turn, Inc. (Brockton, MA); Our Piece of the Pie, Inc. (Hartford, CT); X-Cel, Inc. (Boston, MA).
CONTEXT: MASS INCARCERATION
TOTAL: 1 in 34 Americans under correctional control in 2011.1 YOUTH: 70,792 in juvenile facilities in 2010.2
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT: African American youth are five times more likely, and Latino youth are twice as likely, to be confined than White youth.3
DISCONNECTION: Only 30% of youth exiting residential facilities are working or in school within 12 months of release. 4
1. Glaze, L. and Parks, E. (2011). Correctional Population in the United States 2011. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.2, 3 . The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2013). Kids Count Data Snapshot: Reducing Youth Incarceration in the United States. Baltimore, MD.4. Altschuler, D., Stangler, G., Berkley, K., and Burton, L. (2009). Supporting Youth in Transition to Adulthood: Lessons Learned from Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice.
IMPACTS OF INCARCERATION
INDIVIDUAL▪ Loss of opportunity▪ Psychosocial impacts
COMMUNITY▪ 93% will return to their communities1
SOCIETY▪ $75 billion spent on corrections in 20082
▪ 50% will return to prison within 3 years3
1. New York State Bar Association. (2006). Re-Entry and Reintegration: Report and Recommendations of the Special Committee on Collateral Consequences of Criminal Proceedings. New York, Albany. 2. Schmitt, J., Warner, K., and Gupta, S. (2010). The High Budgetary Cost of Incarceration. Washington, D.C.: Center for Economic and Policy Research. 3. Gorgol, L.E. and Sponsler, B.A. (2011). Unlocking Potential: Results of a National Survey of Postsecondary Education in State Prisons. Washington, D.C.: Institute for Higher Education Policy.
WHY EDUCATION?
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT▪ Future options▪ Diversion▪ Transformative power of education
ECONOMIC MOBILITY▪ By 2018, 63% of new jobs will require postsecondary credentials1
PUBLIC SAFETY▪ College enrollment, higher education spending associated with reduction in violent crime2
1. Carnevale A. P., Smith, N., Strohl, J. (2010). Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Retrieved from http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf. 2. Page, A., Petteruti, A., Walsh, N., and Ziedenber, J. (2007). Education and Public Safety. Washington, D.C.: The Justice Policy Institute.
PSI FRAMEWORK
BACK ON TRACK THREE-PHASE MODEL (JOBS FOR THE FUTURE)
Enriched PreparationIntegrates high quality college-ready instruction with strong academic and social supports
Postsecondary BridgingBuilds college-ready skills and provides informed transition counseling
First Year SupportsOffers appropriate supports in first year to ensure postsecondary persistence and success
BARRIERS TO SUCCESS & INTERVENTIONS
INTERNAL BARRIERS Psychosocial impacts of stigmatization “College is not for me” Gaps in academic readiness, college knowledge
PROMISING PRACTICES & INTERVENTIONS Peer Mentoring: connect to positive peer models and networks College Going Culture: reinforce belief in possibility of success Social Capital: build personal assets, resources, networks, relationships Academic Support & College Navigation: provide tutoring, assist with
college-related tasks
BARRIERS TO SUCCESS & INTERVENTIONS
EXTERNAL BARRIERS Lack of resources, employment Criminal records Supervision requirements Financial aid eligibility
PROMISING PRACTICES Intensive Case Management: provide adult support, interventions Sealing and Expunging Juvenile Records: improve employment prospects Hands-on Learning and Work Experiences: develop workforce skills Partnerships: increase resources available to students
PROMISING PRACTICES: EXAMPLES
ACADEMIC SUPPORTS: LA Corps: academic coaching / tutoring program CASES, College Initiative: college prep program X-Cel: Accuplacer prep and testing
CASE MANAGEMENT: Our Piece of the Pie: positive youth development
approach CASES: education-focused
COLLEGE GOING CULTURE: All sites: early conversations about college;
exposure to college materials and information; college tours; and college and career panels
HANDS-ON LEARNING: LA Corps: internships, workforce training programs ISUS: stackable credentials
PARTNERSHIPS: All sites: community colleges LA Corps: providers of mental health, housing,
legal aid College Initiative: NY Department of Corrections
PEER MENTORING: College Initiative: CI Mentors X-Cel: cohorting
SEALING JUVENILE RECORDS: ISUS: court advocate X-Cel: CBO partner can check, seal records
SOCIAL CAPITAL: College Initiative: mentors provide connections to
resources, networks
Sophia Morel, DirectorYouth Education Services, CASES
Shared
Services
Voluntary Programs
CASES Youth Programs
Career Exploration
• provides job-readiness training and subsidized internships in the community
Choices ATD• an alternative to juvenile detention
• participants have Family Court cases in Manhattan
Court Employment Project• a six-month alternative to incarceration
• participants have Supreme Court cases in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx
Civic Justice Corps• serves youth with previous
juvenile justice system involvement
• provides case management, education services, and service learning opportunities
Justice Scholars• serves previously court-
involved youth annually
• provides case management, education services, and community referrals
Diversion
Programs(court-mandated)
Next Steps Post-secondary Initiative
• Enroll, retain and support participants in college
Queens Justice Corps• serves previously court-
involved youth from Southeast Queens annually
• provides case management, education services, internships and service learning opportunities
HSE Preparation Program
• Instruction in preparation for HSE exam
NEXT STEPS SUPPORTS
Financial Supports
Monthly car fare, cafeteria vouchers, books, debt relief, tuition assistance
Social Supports
On-going case management, recreational activities, leadership workshops, celebratory events
Academic Supports
On-site tutoring, registration advisement, on-site computer lab w/ printer, academic counseling
NEXT STEPS PROGRAM MODEL
College Enrollment
Applications
Admissions FAFSA/TAP
Academic preparation Pre CollegeCollege Prep Class Individual sessions
Diploma attainment
HSE HS
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
On-going Employment services:
School Year: as needed employment counseling and job placement
Winter Break: Work Readiness workshops, preparing for Work Study, planning for coming semester
Summer Break: SYEP and other summer internship opportunities
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)
Next Steps students participated were placed in individual placements rather than the traditional group placement.
This was a summer retention strategy
15 of the 18 Next Steps students enrolled in college from Fall 2013
Largest group to persist from Spring to Fall semester
SYEP Job Profiles of Next Steps Participants
Tyrell: GrowNYC
Led Tours of Green Markets
Gave hands-on
demonstrations to student
groups
Shaquanna: CCA “Soul Sisters”
Interest in obtaining MSW
Participated in training to learn how to mentor at-risk girls
Was a counselor at the summer institute for girls
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Hector RiveraChief Operating Officer, Our Piece of the Pie
OUR PIECE OF THE PIE (OPP) OVERVIEW
Mission: To help urban youth become economically independent adults
The OPP Model:
Youth Development
Workforce DevelopmentAcademics
OPP Priority Populations:Foster Care Juvenile Justice/ Court InvolvedOver Aged/Under Credited
OUR PIECE OF THE PIE (OPP) OVERVIEW
OPP Service Settings Communities:
Central CT
Eastern CT
High Schools:Opportunity High School (Hartford, CT)
The Learning Academy (Bloomfield, CT)
Briggs High School (Norwalk, CT)
PATH Academy Charter School (Opening August 2014, Windham, CT)
Community Colleges:Capital Community College (Multiple Career Tracks, Hartford, CT)
Asnunutck Community College (Manufacturing Track, Enfield, CT)
OUR PIECE OF THE PIE (OPP) OVERVIEW
Our Piece of the Pie Historical Performance: 82% of our In School Youth (ISY) graduate on time
77% of our High School graduates enroll in Postsecondary Ed.
61% of those who enroll in Postsecondary Ed. obtain a Postsecondary credential
81% of those place in employment retain employment for 12 months or more
Additional Our Piece of the Pie’s Organizational Capacity: Research & Evaluation
Performance Management
Data Mapping & Metrics
Talent Development
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM DESIGN & PRACTICE
PROGRAM DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION Integrate secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce
development Identify service gaps and comprehensive service approaches (State, local, and
other CBO) Identify and retain the right staff to work with this population (staff development)
PRACTICE Set expectations Programmatic consistency and flexibility Programmatic dosage Support academic and college readiness and career planning Provide legal resources and support Promote peer mentoring
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY & SYSTEMS CHANGE
POLICY & SYSTEMS CHANGE Support multiple pathways to and through secondary and
postsecondary Support comprehensive programs that serve court-involved youth
but do not exclusively focus on this population Maintain and increase investment in programs Facilitate cross-system communication (strategic partnering)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Sophia Morel, Director, Youth Education Services, CASES
Hector Rivera, Chief Operating Officer, Our Piece of the Pie, Inc.
Yelena Nemoy, Project Manager, NYEC