Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.: School-Based ServiceS A PARTNERSHIP WITH yap AND FORT WORTH ISD

1. YouthAdvocate Programs, Inc.: School-Based ServiceSA PARTNERSHIP WITH yap AND FORT WORTH ISD

2. Mission Statement Our mission is to provide individuals who are, have been or may be subject to compulsory care with the opportunity to develop, contribute and be valued as assets so that communities have safe, proven effective and economical alternatives to institutional placement.

3. Five Guiding Principles • No refusal policy • Individualized service plan • Family focused • Strength based • Neighborhood based recruitment

4. 18 States

5. Zero Tolerance

6. “…the transformations that YAP’s Advocates were able to inspire in their clients were often stunning.” – Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed

7. YAP School-Based Programs • Allegheny County/Pittsburgh, PA • Chicago, IL • Fort Worth, TX • Arlington, TX • San Angelo, TX • Williamson County, TX

8. YAP Advocate Model and the Wraparound Process

9. Advocate Model

10. Wraparound planning process 130 worker competencies based on high fidelity wraparound • Partner with Families • Emphasis on Building Strengths, Competencies and Relationships while reducing risks • Incorporate Mandates into Planning • Needs, Strengths, and Cultural Assessment Tools • Crisis and Safety Planning • Structured Weekly Schedule • Develop Family Team • Develop & Implement an Individualized Service Plan

11. Advocate Model Paid “natural helpers” recruited from the same communities as the youth and families • Caring, Positive Adult Role Models • Work with youth 5-30+ hrs/wk • Implement the Individualized Service Plan • Work in the home, school, community • Coach, Mentor, and Model through real-time experiential learning • Help youth build competencies and connections • Available 24/7

12. AdvocateSas caring adults Mentoring can have positive outcomes on: • Social Competence • Reducing Risk Behaviors • Academic Achievement and Engagement • Career Development/Employment • Parental Relationship • Self-Worth and Future Expectations *Theokas & Lerner, 2006; **Rhodes, Spencer, Keller, Liang, & Noam, 2006; DuBois, Holloway, Valentine, and Cooper, 2002

13. PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT • Parents are involved in the Individualized Service Plan development. • Parents are contacted face to face 2-3 x per week. • Advocate assists with navigating the communication systems between schools and families. • Have more participation in their child's education. • Transportation provided as needed. • Family and Team meetings. • Inform and educate parents as it relates to their child's education.

14. Peaceful Alternatives to Tough Situations (PATTS) Peaceful Alternatives to Tough Situations (PATTS) is a school-based aggression management program designed to help students increase positive conflict resolution skills, increase the ability to forgive transgressions, and reduce aggressive behavior. PATTS Curriculum Outline • Session #1 : Orientation & Nonviolent Role Models • Session #2 : Expressing Emotions & Seeking Support • Session #3 : Anger Cues & Ways to Calm Down • Session #4 : Responsibility & Self Control • Session #5 : Soothing & Stinking Thinking • Session #6 : Conflict Resolution Skills • Session #7 : Forgiveness • Session #8 : Violence & Your Future or Peer Refusal • Session #9 : Review & Graduation • Elementary, Middle School and High School tracks • Serving ages 8-18

15. What Makes YAP Unique?

16. Benefits of YAP to Schools

17. Allegheny County SchoolsTruancy Program • Services provided: Holistic Advocacy • Goal: Permanent Truancy Elimination • Target population: Currently serving approximately 36 school districts within Allegheny County, including all inner-city schools.  However, our contract is open to serve all school districts throughout Allegheny County. • Average Hours Per Week Per Client: 8-12 • Referring Authority: Children, Youth, and Families (CYF); Montour School District • Number Served Annually: 350-400

18. Chicago Public Schools PROGRAM • Services provided: truancy, gang intervention, advocacy, family support, in classroom support, programming is very specific to each school and the Principal’s needs. • Goal: The goals of our services reflect the needs of the student population. We work closely with students, their families and school administrators to develop quality service plans for each student in our traditional advocate program. • Schools: 63 Chicago Public Schools, grades K-12. • Students served:average 10 hours per week in our traditional advocate programs, our truancy and in-school support programs vary based upon the school and students needs. • Number served annually:300 students via various contracts with CPS.

19. Fort Worth ISD PROGRAM Services Provided: Wrap-around advocacy/mentoring. Goal: To minimize disciplinary and truancy issues while increasing academic performance and parental engagement. Target Population: Middle and high school students with chronic absenteeism, disciplinary problems, academic problems and lack of parental support. Schools: J.P. Elder, Meacham and Kirkpatrick Middle Schools and Diamond Hill-Jarvis and North Side High Schools. Students served: 25 students at any given time for 5 hours per week at the home, school and community settings. Number Served Annually: 100 students per year. Average length of stay in YAP is 90 days. The program is year round.  

20. Fort Worth ISD program Service Delivery Process: • Strength-Based Assessment • Assign advocate (5 or more hours per week) • Develop Individualized Service Plan (ISP) • Advocate carries out ISP goals   • Attend weekly PATTS groups • School visits as needed • Family Team Meeting • Ongoing community resource development/linkages • Plan for termination from YAP • 90 day termination • Follow up (3 and 6 month)

21. LIFE DOMAIN AREAS • Employment/ Community Svc.

22. ADVOCATE PROGRAM Staffing

23. staff training • All staff receive 20 hrs of annual training • 9 course Orientation Basic Advocacy Training certified by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey • Engaging Families • Boundaries • Promoting Safety through Planning • Setting and Achieving Goals • Challenges to Change • Individual and Family Development and Dynamics • Positive Youth Development • Conflict Prevention and Intervention (Mandt)

24. staff BACKGROUND CHECKS • IntelliCorp Background Checks • Character References ( 3 professional and 2 work) • Department of Motor Vehicles • Sex Offender Registry

25. external accolades • YAP is recognized as a Promising Practice • Annie E Casey Foundation • OJJDP • National Council on Crime and Delinquency • YAP is COA accredited, which means services are: • Accessible • Appropriate • Culturally Responsive • Evidence based • Outcomes oriented

26. YAP Endowment Fund for Continuing Education "Since Elementary school I have had a clear vision of what I wanted to do with my life. That vision, coupled with my own struggles and experiences, has given rise to a deep passion for helping at-risk youth…" -excerpt from Scholarship winner Malcolm Robertson’s Application letter • The Fund started awarding scholarships in 2007 • As of July 31, 2014 YAP has awarded 68 scholarships • Through the generosity of YAP staff donations and fundraisers we have raised over $1 million dollars! • Available to current and former YAP clients and their parents. • Scholarships can be used for tuition, but also for concrete needs. For example, we have paid for books, bought cutlery for a recipient going to culinary school, paid for tools and a tool box for a student learning a trade, and purchased a computer for a student. • Recipients may reapply annually as many times as necessary

27. OUTCOMES Chicago Public Schools 2012 Outcomes: • 85% attended school weekly between 3.0 days and 5.0 days • 75% involved with the YAP Truancy Program were promoted to the next grade level • 5.59% Graduated from High School • 8.6% earned a GED • 20% honor roll achievement • 41% of Seniors enrolled graduated and went on to college • 9% of Seniors enrolled earned a GED • 8% of all enrolled graduated (not attending higher ed) • 9% of all enrolled went on to college • 32% re-enrolled in school Allegheny County, PA Truancy Program 2012-2013 Outcomes:

28. For more information Mary Merino, Director, TCAP NFW mmerino@yapinc.org 817.505.7401 Gary Ivory, Southwest President National Director of Program Development givory@yapinc.org 214.417.7614 www.yapinc.org