Rise Above

NATIVE YOUTH RISE ABOVE - RISE ABOVE, A NATIVE-LED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN WASHINGTON STATE, PROPOSES A 12-MONTH PROJECT TO STRENGTHEN ITS ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND DEVELOP A SCALABLE, REPLICABLE MODEL FOR DELIVERING CULTURALLY COMPETENT, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO NATIVE YOUTH AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THE PROJECT AIMS TO PREVENT AT-RISK INDIGENOUS YOUTH FROM ENTERING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM BY PROVIDING PRO-SOCIAL, MULTIGENERATIONAL, AND CULTURALLY ORIENTED PREVENTION PROGRAMS. THE PROJECT WILL BUILD UPON RISE ABOVE'S EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, URBAN NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS SERVING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. KEY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1. RECRUITING AND TRAINING 4 REGIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTORS TO OVERSEE PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION ACROSS VARIOUS LOCATIONS 2. DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A COMPREHENSIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR ALL STAFF MEMBERS 3. CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT PROGRAMS TO IDENTIFY CORE COMPONENTS, BEST PRACTICES, AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT 4. CREATING A PROGRAM MANUAL AND TRAINING CURRICULUM THAT OUTLINES THE KEY ELEMENTS OF RISE ABOVE'S INTERVENTION MODEL, INCLUDING CULTURAL ADAPTATIONS, IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES, AND EVALUATION PROTOCOLS 5. PILOTING THE INTERVENTION MODEL IN AT LEAST 2 NEW COMMUNITIES, DIRECTLY SERVING A MINIMUM OF 2,000 YOUTH (1,600 NATIVE YOUTH AND 400 YOUTH FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR) 6. ESTABLISHING FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH AT LEAST 5 TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, 3 URBAN NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, AND 2 COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS SERVING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR RISE ABOVE'S APPROACH TO CHANGE IS BASED ON THE CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF THE EVIDENCE-BASED BEHAVIOR-IMAGE MODEL (BIM), WHICH INCORPORATES ART, CULTURE, MUSIC, AND SPORTS MENTORING TO PROMOTE HEALTHY BEHAVIORS. BY BUILDING RISE ABOVE'S CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE CULTURALLY ADAPTED BIM MODEL IN A REPLICABLE AND SCALABLE MANNER, THE PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE ORGANIZATION'S ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY SERVE NATIVE YOUTH AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTING TO THE EVIDENCE BASE ON CULTURALLY COMPETENT, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR THESE POPULATIONS. BY THE END OF THE GRANT PERIOD, RISE ABOVE EXPECTS TO HAVE A ROBUST, SCALABLE, AND REPLICABLE MODEL FOR DELIVERING CULTURALLY COMPETENT, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS THAT CAN BE ADAPTED TO SERVE DIVERSE NATIVE YOUTH POPULATIONS AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE PREVENTION OF JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT, THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH EQUITY, AND THE OVERALL WELL-BEING OF NATIVE YOUTH AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.