susana martinez, licsw - the promotor pathway: an innovative client management model for...

Latin American Youth Center’s Promotor Pathway

A New Model for Youth Development

LAYC’s Promotores reconnect disconnected and disengaged youth to services that enable

them to succeed academically, obtain long-

term employment, and to live healthy and productive lives.

Susana Martinez, LICSWPromotor Pathway Director

Copyright ©2014 Latin American Youth Center Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC)

Multi-service organization serving the DC region for over 40 years

Focus on positive youth development Service areas include:

Educational Enhancement Workforce Housing Mental Health and Substance

Abuse Treatment Intensive Case Management

Serving DC, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Maryland

Disconnected Youth / Opportunity Youth: Who are they?

Source: Measure of America, Social Science Resource Council, 2012

Promotor Pathway: Addressing the needs of our most At-Risk Youth

There are an estimated 9,000 low income disconnected youth in the DC area, lacking a high school credential, stable employment, and facing multiple obstacles in their transition to adulthood.

In 2007, LAYC began to explore and research the best way to serve these high need youth in a lasting and impactful way.

We discovered a common thread; a lasting relationship with a caring adult.

“I can go to Jasmin with anything. I trust her completely to help me with whatever I need” -Current LAYC youth, age 14

“I would be on the streets if it wasn’t for Pibe at the

LAYC”- Former LAYC youth, age 24 “The LAYC is a place

where people can find someone like themselves who can inspire them to

make something of themselves”

-Current LAYC youth, age 19

Promotor Pathway: Key Components to working with Disconnected Youth

With Ties to the Community

Provide consistency across services and programs

Commitment to the work (min 2 years)

Expertise in youth development and case

management

Relationship with a Caring Adult

Target Youth• Low-income youth, ages 16-24, who live in

neighborhoods that are substantially Latino and African-American and exhibit a substantial combination of risk factors

Service Description

• LAYC will match high-need youth with a “Promotor”

• Promotores will focus on relationship building and will be expected to work with youth long term, approximately 4-6 years.

• Promotores will be generalists, providing service coordination across various programs to address multiple needs

Expected Benefits

• Achieve positive outcomes – across academics, employment, and healthy behaviors

• A powerful model for other youth-serving organizations to learn from and replicate

• Significant return on investment for government and other funders

Promotor Pathway: Addressing the needs of our most At-Risk Youth


Promotor Pathway: Who We Serve

LAYC developed a measurement tool of 30 Yes or No questions to screen youth for risk factors

Primary risk factors for youth: No diploma/GED Housing issues or homeless Unsafe home environment Substance abuse issues Mental health issues Criminal justice involvement

Secondary risk factors for youth: Has IEP or 504 Held back a grade or failing classes Has recently been suspended Unemployed or existing job does not support self or family Ongoing childcare responsibilities within the family Has child or is expecting Close friend or family member convicted of a crime or in a gang Exhibits some mental health concerns (e.g. depression, anger)

Youth with thesecharacteristics will definitely

receive a Promotor

Youth with thesecharacteristics

will likely receive a Promotor


IDENTIFY BUILD SUPPORT

•Risk Screening•Outreach•Voluntary Consent •Match with Promotor

•Relationship Building•Needs Assessment•Small Wins

•Relationship Building•Youth Driven Goals•Re-assess•Monitor progress

Promotor Pathway: What We Do


Our Approach: *Non-judgmental *Focus on Relationship and Trust Building

* Youth Directed Goals *Work Alongside youth

Promotores are experienced youth workers with various educational backgrounds, but all with extensive knowledge of community resources.

Match the diversity of our

youth and undergo initial and ongoing training (approx 25 hrs per year)

Six Promotores are former LAYC participants

Maintain a max ratio of 1:25 to ensure quality services for youth

Promotor Pathway: Role of the Promotor

“I’ve Got Connections”


Build Relationship

Small Wins

Support through Crises

Ongoing Case Management & Mentoring

Promotor Pathway: What We Do – Short-term Goals

Assessment & Youth Driven Goals


Promotor Pathway: What We Do – Long-term Goals

The Promotor Pathway supports youth in making a successful transition to adulthood. We focus on long-term goals including:

High School/GED Completion Post-secondary enrollment Vocational / Technical Training Completion Employment Placement and Retention Healthy Behaviors

Needs Assessment & Tracking includes a total of 12 non-academic Outcome Areas :

Ready for Employment Behavior & Communication Risky Sexual Behavior Substance Use Housing Status Ability to Access Community Resources

Mental Health Violence Domestic Violence Preventative Health Legal/Court InvolvementParenting


Promotor Pathway: What We Do – Services Most Provided


On average, each youth in the Pathway works on 4 outcome areas at any given time.

From 2008-2014, a total of 351 youth were served and achieved the following outcomes:

Academic Outcomes: 59 out-of-school youth re-enrolled into school

77 youth completed High School or High School Equivalency 29 graduated from High School or Charter School 48 obtained their GED

33 youth enrolled in post-secondary education

10 youth enrolled in vocational programs

Healthy Behaviors Outcomes: 183 youth obtained stable housing

99 youth increased their knowledge of safe sexual behavior

193 youth obtained employment experience

Promotor Pathway: What We Do - Measuring Outcomes


External Evaluation

• The Urban Institute has conducted an impact evaluation of the Promotor Pathway. The evaluation assesses, via a random control trial, the impact of the Promotor Pathway Program relative to all other LAYC services.

Roughly one-third of eligible clients received a Promotor (treatment), with the remainder of youth or young adults assigned to the control group.

Over 470 applicants were enrolled in the study from April 2010 through March 2013. In addition to a baseline survey, study participants complete outcome surveys at six, 12, and 18 months.

Promotor Pathway: What We Do - Measuring Outcomes

Preliminary Results

• The Pathway appears to have had a sizable impact on the following outcomes:

• School Engagement: treatment group was in school at rates roughly one-third higher at 18 months than the control group, a sizable difference

• Parenting Rates: The treatment group was roughly one-third less likely to have a child than the control group

• Safe Housing: Treatment group youth were roughly 60 percent less likely than control group youth to have slept in a shelter at some point during the six months prior to the 18 month survey.


Promotor Pathway: What We Do – Youth Voice


https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=5BsR_YLJT8w

