Student Assistance Services Corporation

PROJECT P.A.V.E PROPOSAL ABSTRACT      STUDENT ASSISTANCE SERVICES CORPORATION (SAS), A COMMUNITY BASED NONPROFIT BULLYING PREVENTION, MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, AND SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AGENCY PROPOSES TO PARTNER WITH THE YONKERS PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MY BROTHER’S KEEPER (MBK) TO IMPLEMENT PROJECT P.A.V.E. (PREVENTION, ANTI-VIOLENCE, EMPOWERMENT) BY COMBINING EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES TO PREVENT AND REDUCE YOUTH VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF YONKERS, NY. MBK, THE SUB RECIPIENT, ADDRESSES PERSISTENT OPPORTUNITY GAPS IMPACTING BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLOR, AND WILL PROVIDE JOB READINESS COACHING, MENTORSHIP, AND INTERNSHIPS FOR MALE STUDENTS OF COLOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT'S SELECTIVE AND INDICATED STRATEGIES.     SAS WILL EMPLOY A COMMUNITY COORDINATOR AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS OR SOCIAL WORKERS (PREVENTION SPECIALISTS) TO PROVIDE TIERED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AT 10 HIGH NEEDS SCHOOLS AND PARTICIPATE IN REGULARLY HELD EXISTING COMMUNITY COALITION AND NETWORK MEETINGS OF YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES.  THESE AGENCIES AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS PROVIDE A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SERVICE NETWORK TO REACH DIVERSE YOUTH AND PROVIDE A SEAMLESS CONTINUUM OF INCLUSIVE PROJECT ACTIVITIES.     THE UNIVERSAL PROGRAM PREVENTION ACTIVITIES WILL TARGET SCHOOL CLIMATE CHANGE AND INCLUDE CLASSROOM MEETINGS TO REINFORCE REGULAR AWARENESS MESSAGING FOR STUDENTS AND ADULTS ON RISK FACTORS FOR BULLYING AND VIOLENCE, OPTIONS IF THEY ARE AWARE OF STUDENTS WHO ARE TARGETS, PERPETRATORS, OR BYSTANDERS, AND TRAINING FOR SCHOOL STAFF, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL, AND FAMILIES. SELECTIVE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ASSESSMENT AND TRAUMA INFORMED COUNSELING FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN THE TARGET OR BYSTANDER OF BULLYING OR OTHER VIOLENCE, AND CONSULTATION FOR THE ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES. INDICATED ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE ASSESSMENT, TRAUMA INFORMED COUNSELING, AND WHEN NECESSARY, REFERRAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BULLIED, THREATENED, OR BEEN VIOLENT WITH OTHER STUDENTS. APPROXIMATELY 7,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS COMBINATION OF ACTIVITIES MANY OF WHICH DRAW FROM THE OLWEUS BULLYING PREVENTION PROGRAM AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE/RECONCILIATION PRACTICES.   THROUGH EACH SCHOOL'S SADD (STUDENTS AGAINST DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS) CLUBS, AND COALITION PARTICIPATION, STUDENTS WILL PLAN AND IMPLEMENT SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECTS INCLUDING CREATING SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY WIDE VIOLENCE PREVENTION MESSAGING CAMPAIGNS USING THEIR OWN VOICES.    BASED ON WELL-ESTABLISHED STUDIES, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT OUTCOME DATA WILL DOCUMENT A 15% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF BULLYING AND VIOLENT INCIDENTS AMONG STUDENTS AND AN 8% DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO BULLY, THREATEN, OR ARE VIOLENT TOWARD OTHERS. PROCESS DATA WILL DOCUMENT PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND BE REGULARLY SHARED WITH STAFF AND STAKEHOLDERS TO ADJUST PROJECT ACTIVITIES AS NEEDED.

YONKERS COALITION FOR YOUTH

YONKERS COALITION FOR YOUTH

NEW ROCHELLE PROJECT FOCUS

YONKERS 4 YOUTH - THE YONKERS 4 YOUTH COALITION SERVES THE FOURTH PRECINCT IN THE CITY OF YONKERS NEW YORK 10703 IN ORDER TO REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH AND CREATE POSITIVE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. OUR PRIMARY GOALS ARE TO INCREASE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND TO PREVENT AND REDUCE SUBSTANCE USE AMONG YOUTH IN GRADES 7-12. MISSION STATEMENT: YONKERS 4 YOUTH IS A COALITION OF LOCAL COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SCHOOLS, AND INDIVIDUALS THAT SERVE THE FOURTH PRECINCT IN YONKERS NEW YORK WHO ARE COMMITTED TO PROMOTING LONG-TERM HEALTH AND WELLNESS BY INSPIRING YOUTH, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO FOSTER HEALTHY BEHAVIORS AND REDUCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE USE. BORDERING NEW YORK CITY TO THE SOUTH AND THE HUDSON RIVER ON THE WEST, YONKERS IS OFTEN CALLED NEW YORK CITY’S “SIXTH BOROUGH.” THE FOURTH PRECINCT ENCOMPASSES THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE CITY OF YONKERS. LOCATED WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES ARE IN EXCESS OF 57,000 RESIDENTS. MUCH OF THE 4TH PRECINCT IS COMPRISE OF THE LOWEST INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS AND IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPOVERISHED SECTIONS OF YONKERS. THE YONKERS 4 YOUTH COALITION WILL EMPLOY MULTIPLE EVIDENCE BASED STRATEGIES UTILIZING THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK (SPF) ACROSS VARIOUS DOMAINS. THESE INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: EDUCATING ABOUT EFFECTIVE PREVENTION POLICIES, TRAINING PROFESSIONALS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT REPRESENT ALL 12 SECTORS IN ORDER TO REACH OUR GOAL OF CHANGING THE CULTURE AND CONTEXT IN WHICH YOUTH MAKE DECISIONS THROUGH OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT TO YOUTH AND PARENTS. THE COALITION WILL EMPLOY THE FIVE STEPS (ASSESSMENT, CAPACITY, PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION) WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE TWO GUIDING PRINCIPLES (CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY). THE SPF WILL BE THE FOUNDATION FOR THE COALITION ACTION PLAN THE COALITION INITIATIVES AS WE FRAME OUR COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THE DRUGS OF ABUSE AND RELATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROBLEMS FACING OUR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY. THE COALITION WILL BUILD LOGIC MODELS IN ITS EFFORTS PRIORITIZE RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS, IDENTIFY PROBLEMS AND RELATED BEHAVIORS, SELECT APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO ADDRESS EACH PRIORITY FACTOR AND COMBINE PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES TO ENSURE A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH. THE COALITION WILL ALSO BE INTENTIONAL IN ITS ENSURE THE CULTURAL RELEVANCE OF OUR PREVENTION EFFORTS.

FOCUS STOP UNDERAGE DRINKING PROGRAM

NEW ROCHELLE FOCUS STOP UNDERAGE DRINKING PROJECT

YONKERS COALITION FOR YOUTH MENTOR PROJECT

PROJECT FOCUS MENTORING PROJECT

YONKERS COALITION FOR YOUTH

PROJECT FOCUS MENTORING PROJECT

PROJECT FOCUS MENTORING 2007

NEW ROCHELLE FOCUS STOP UNDERAGE DRINKING PROJECT

YONKERS COALITION FOR YOUTH MENTOR PROJECT