AirAired: November 2, 2009 – 11:00 AM PST
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http://www.ymcasf.org/Bayview/index.html
TITLE: YMCA’S C.A.R.E PROGRAM MAPS THE WAY TO GRADUATION FOR TRUANT YOUTH!
SPECIAL GUEST: Special Guest: Allen Joyce, Content Manager, Wolfram Research
Eason Ramson joins Allen this week to discuss the first of its kind CARE program created by the Hunter’s Point YMCA. CARE is designed to support the San Francisco Unified District by deploying a “circle of care” that re-engages truant youth who live in the Bayview Hunters Point Community ages 13-17, their families, and the community. Youth who complete the nine-week program will be given a map to graduation and the supports needed to make it there. This is accomplished by a collaborative team approach, involving parents, schools, community based organizations and public safety entities
Truancy is a community problem, not just a school district or probation issue. At the Bayview YMCA where we build Strong Kids, Strong Families, and Strong Communities, we believe it will take an entire community effort, working together, to accomplish. As a community, we must remain cognizant that if our kids do not show up in our classrooms, they will surely show up in our juvenile halls, prisons and funeral homes.
To that end, we determined that it was imperative to further develop and/or redefine our approach by designing and implementing the Center for Academic Re-entry and Empowerment (CARE) here at the Bayview Hunters Point YMCA. The mission of the CARE Center Program is to provide youth a safe and supportive place to re-engage with the San Francisco School system. This is accomplished by a collaborative team approach, involving parents and caretakers, schools, community based organizations and other public entities.
The CARE Center Program is a comprehensive truancy-intervention agenda designed to support our school system and parents by providing mechanisms that help to re-engage students and promote academic achievement for the youth in the Bayview Hunters Point Community.
Goals:
1. Engage youth between the ages of 13-17 who have been truant
2. Reduce number of truant youth on the street corners and other potential “hot spots unsafe areas);
3. Increase the chance of successful completion of school among youth at the Center
With the ongoing support of our local merchants, businessmen, SFUSD, DCYF, MOCD, CRN, JPD, faith base organizations, parents, volunteers, SFPD, and all of you here today, we will achieve our mission to build Strong Kids, Strong Families, and Strong Communities.
Components of the CARE Center Program (Circle of CARE)
• Parent/guardian involvement or whole family involvement.
• A continuum of supports, including meaningful incentives for good attendance and consequences for poor attendance.
• Need and Risk Assessments provided to tailor services to the “Whole Childs” needs , strengths, and challenges
• Map to Graduation
• Academic Skill Set Assessment
Furthermore; we are convinced that this community-wide intervention effort will demonstrate that our community is taking a stand that says “no” to truancy and “yes” to Education.
