Friends For Youth Inc

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT `O KE ALA MALUHIA (THE PEACEFUL WAY) IS TO CREATE SAFER COMMUNITIES BY TARGETING THE HIGHEST-RISK YOUTH WHO ARE PRONE TO EXTREME VIOLENCE AND GANG ACTIVITY IN TARGETED DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN OAHU. OVER 90% OF THE YOUTH THE AGENCY WORKS WITH COME FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THAT INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO NATIVE HAWAIIAN, MICRONESIAN/CHUUKESE, SAMOAN, AND ASIAN/FILIPINO. HIGH-RISK YOUTH ARE DEFINED BY THEIR HISTORY AND POTENTIAL FOR EXTREME VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE GANG-AFFILIATED. TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT, THE AGENCY WILL UTILIZE FOUR PROGRAMS THAT COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER WHICH ARE BOTH INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION-BASED. THE REDIRECTIONAL THERAPY COUNSELING PROGRAM ADDRESSES THE MENTAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH NEEDS OF THE HIGHEST-RISK YOUTH TO REDUCE/TERMINATE THEIR VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIORS. THE MOBILE ASSESSMENT CENTER DIVERTS HIGH-RISK YOUTH FROM ENTERING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IT ALSO ADDRESSES THE ROOT CAUSES OF THEIR DESTRUCTIVE AND RISKY BEHAVIOR. THE MOBILE EDUCATION CENTER IS USED TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST-RISK YOUTH WITH EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO PREVENT ACADEMIC FAILURE AND PROVIDE THEM WITH A CONSTRUCTIVE OUTLET, AS WELL AS HELP TO BUILD THEM A PATHWAY TO A BETTER FUTURE. THE STUDENT ANTI-VIOLENCE CONVENTION IS AIMED AND YOUNGER STUDENTS AND HELPS PREVENT SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE SAFER SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES FOR ALL RESIDENTS. KEY PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: 1) STREET OUTREACH; 2) YOUTH ENGAGEMENT; 3) ASSESSMENT; 4) COUNSELING SERVICES (INCLUDING 24/7 CRISIS INTERVENTION, AND MEDIATION SERVICES), 5) EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES; AND 6) EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES.

ADULT FRIENDS FOR YOUTH (AFY) IS PROPOSING THE EMPOWERING SCHOOLS: AFYS APPROACH TO ADDRESS YOUTH VIOLENCE PROJECT. THE PURPOSE IS TO BRING ABOUT SYSTEMIC CHANGE THAT ADDRESSES YOUTH VIOLENCE AND CREATES A SAFER ENVIRONMENT AT KEELIKOLANI MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ITS SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO HELP TO REDUCE TRUANCY AND ACADEMIC FAILURE THAT PLAGUE THIS SPECIFIC COMMUNITY. THIS PROJECT WILL TARGET YOUTH WHO COME FROM DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE VIOLENCE, CRIME, AND DRUGS ARE A NORMAL PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE. THE MAJORITY OF YOUTH THAT AFY SERVES COME FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED POPULATIONS WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING ETHNICITIES: MICRONESIAN/CHUUKESE, NATIVE HAWAIIAN, OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER, AND ASIAN/FILIPINO. THIS PROJECT WILL SERVE A POPULATION AND COMMUNITY THAT IS PREDOMINANTLY MICRONESIAN/CHUUKESE. WHILE PROJECT DELIVERABLES WILL SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF KEELIKOLANI MIDDLE SCHOOL, AFY WILL PROVIDE ANCILLARY SERVICES TO THE ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL THAT ARE FEEDERS TO KEELIKOLANI TO MAXIMIZE PROJECT IMPACT OVER TIME. PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING YOUTH AND FAMILY MEMBERS, WILL COLLABORATE TO FIND THE PROGRAM(S) THAT PROVIDE SERVICES WHICH BEST FIT THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, PROVIDING THEM WITH A DIVERSE BACKPACK OF SERVICES THAT TAKES THE WHOLE INDIVIDUAL INTO ACCOUNT. KEY STEPS INVOLVED IN PROJECT EXECUTION: 1) PLAN AND BUILD, 2) ASSESSMENT, 3) EVALUATION, 4) ADJUSTMENTS/IMPROVEMENTS, AND 5) SUSTAINMENT. PRIMARY ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: 1) REFERRALS, 2) YOUTH/FAMILY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT, 3) ORIENTATION, 4) ASSESSMENT, 5) INDIVIDUAL SERVICE PLAN, 6) MONITORING, AND 7) DATA ANALYSIS.

MENTORING PROGRAM GRANTS

YOUTH GANG PREVENTION MENTORING INITIATIVE

ADULT FRIENDS FOR YOUTH (AFY), IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT, PROPOSE AN EARLY MOBILE ASSESSMENT CENTER (MAC) INTERVENTION PROGRAM, THAT DIVERTS STATUS OFFENDING YOUTH AGES 8-17, FROM ENTERING THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM COURT PROCESS. THE GIRLS DIVERSION PROJECT WILL SPECIFICALLY TARGET FEMALE YOUTH FROM HPD DISTRICT 8 WITH THE GOAL OF SERVING BETWEEN 100-150 FEMALE YOUTH BY THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR PERIOD. THE FOUNDATION OF THE MAC, AND AFY IS RE-DIRECTIONAL THERAPY (RT) WHICH INCLUDES TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, AND A SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM THAT IS AIMED AT IMPROVING COPING SKILLS THAT INVOLVE YOUTH RECOGNIZING PAST ACTIONS/BEHAVIORS, ASSESSING CONSEQUENCES TO ACTIONS, REGULATING EMOTIONS, AND ESTABLISHING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE AROUND THEM.

AFY RT COUNSELING PROGRAM AND THE PEARL (PROMOTING PEACE, EMPATHY, ACCEPTANCE, RESPECT, AND LOVE) CONVENTION

MENTORING CHILDREN OF PRISONERS