Getting Foster Youth Ramp ed Up for STEM Careers California Workforce Association Conference January 13, 2016

Transcription

1 Getting Foster Youth Ramp ed Up for STEM Careers California Workforce Association Conference January 13, 2016

2 Agenda Who are We? Who are You? Why Mentoring? RAMP Model RAMP in Action Resources & Free Stuff

3 WHO ARE WE? Institute for Educational Leadership Center for Workforce Development National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program

4 2 Presenters Curtis Richards Director, Center for Workforce Development Karine Kanikkeberg Resource Teacher Phone: x154 Phone:

5 Institute for Educational Leadership Mission: to build the capacity of individuals, organizations, systems, and communities to work together to prepare all children and youth for post-secondary education, careers, and Citizenship Center for Workforce Development Promote career readiness and successful transitions to adulthood for all youth Special focus on youth with disabilities and other disconnected youth

6 National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth NCWD/Youth assists state/local workforce systems to better serve all youth, including youth with disabilities by: informing state & local policies, building system & organizational capacity, and increasing competencies of youth service professionals to effectively prepare all youth for transition to adulthood Funded by the Department of Labor s Office of Disability Employment Policy

7 Kern High School District Career Resource Department Overview & Mission Career Resource Department, in partnership with the Local Workforce Investment Board, is committed to providing quality education and youth development to both in and out-of-school youth. Multiple programs ensure each young person is provided the right education and training package to meet their individual needs.

8 WHO ARE YOU? ANYONE CAN DO IT! Role: youth, family member, caring adult, social worker, group home manager, Setting: Foster Home, Group Home, School, Work, Independent Living Program, Community-based organization, Goals/Purpose: Work, Education, Training, Youth leadership, Independent living, other Time: Weekly, hourly, during school, after school, weekends

9 WHY MENTORING? Studies have found mentoring improves various youth outcomes: Psychological Higher self-esteem & life satisfaction School Fewer school absences; better school attitudes & behavior; higher high school completion College & Career Higher college attendance; higher employment Reduced Delinquency Lower recidivism; lower offending; less aggressive behaviors; less drug use Social More positive attitude towards helping; Improved parental relationships & support from peers. (Tolan et al, 2008; Dubois & Silverthorn, 2005; Jekielek, Moore, & Hair, 2002)

10 FOSTER CARE STATISTICS Of the more than 500,000 children in foster care, 30 to 40% are also in special education. The employment rate for foster care youth is lower than the general population with no more than 45% of youth employed One-third of former foster care youth have incomes at or below the poverty level earning less than $6,000 per year in wages (Haam, 2003; Pecora, Kessler, Williams, O Brien, Downs, English, et al, 2005)

11 EVIDENCE-BASED MENTORING PRACTICES Outcomes are most positive when programs use practices that promote close, enduring, & developmentally enriching mentor-mentee relationships including: Providing training & ongoing supervision to mentors Frequent contact & long lasting relationship (at least one year) Program sponsored activities that enhance relationship development Family/parent support & involvement Combining mentoring with other enriching programs/ services (Rhodes & Dubois, 2008)

12 READY TO ACHIEVE MENTORING PROGRAM A high-tech, career-focused mentoring program for youth involved with or at-risk of involvement with the juvenile justice system, including those with disabilities Utilizes group, peer, and one-to-one mentoring to promote the successful transition to employment, continued learning opportunities and independent living Funded by the Department of Justice s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

13 FOUNDATIONS OF RAMP RAMP is based on the following 5 publications: Guideposts for Success Transition Framework Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities High School/High Tech Program Guide: A Comprehensive Transition Program Promoting Careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math for Youth with Disabilities Making the Right Turn: A Guide About Improving Transition Outcomes for Youth in the Juvenile Corrections System Plotting the Course for Success: An Individualized Mentoring Program for Youth with Disabilities

14 9 + 1 RAMP SITES RAMP Multi-State Mentoring Grant California Kern High School District Career Resource Department (Bakersfield) Colorado Ability Connection Colorado (Denver) Florida Independent Living Center of NE Florida (Clay & Duval Counties) Maryland Humanim, Inc (Baltimore) Michigan Peckham, Inc (Lansing)

15 9 +1 RAMP SITES New York YOUTH POWER! (Albany) Regional Center for Independent Living (Wayne County) Texas Easter Seals Greater Houston Vermont Youth Services, Inc (Brattleboro) RAMP-DC Second Chance Act Mentoring Grant District of Columbia Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (Washington)

16 THE RESULTS: YEAR 6 OUTCOMES In the first 6 years, RAMP enrolled 2008 youth & recruited 630 mentors. In addition, the RAMP sites developed over 300 partnerships with schools, employers, justice agencies, & community groups. Some of the outcomes included: 96% stayed in school 91% completed program 75% improved school attendance 80% increased social support 91% non-offense rate

17 HOW IT WORKS: Group Mentoring: youth participate in weekly career-focused meetings Peer Mentoring: youth set weekly goals and receive peer support to reach them One-to-One Mentoring: youth create individualized mentoring plans and work with their mentor to update them regularly

18 RAMP COMPONENTS Specific Youth Population Employer Partnerships Education Partnerships Community Partnerships Family Engagement Enrolling and Engaging Youth Training and Retaining Mentors Weekly Career-Focused Meetings Individualized Mentoring Plans and Weekly Goal Setting Transition Planning, Follow-Up, and Support Administrative: Marketing, Data Management, & Professional Development

19 RAMP COMPONENTS Specific Youth Population: RAMP sites adapt to the specific characteristics and needs of the youth engaged and their communities. (**Focus on at-risk youth) Employer Partnerships: RAMP sites partner with local businesses to expose youth to career exploration opportunities they might not have ordinarily had, including guest speakers, industry materials, work site visits, and hands-on internships. (**STEM) Education Partnerships: Educational institutions work with RAMP sites to recruit youth and mentors, collaborate on Individualized Education Programs (IEP), provide meeting space, and connect youth s school experiences with career-focused mentoring.

20 AT-RISK YOUTH Who Are These At-Risk Youth? What populations are participants in the room working with? How RAMP enrolls and engages these various populations

21 RAMP COMPONENTS Community Partnerships: RAMP sites partner with non-profit organizations and government/public departments to recruit youth and mentors, provide services for families, and offer career exploration activities. Family Engagement: In addition to the initial orientation and consent session, sites make sure to involve family members in discussions about upcoming goals, host information sessions on relevant services, and invite family members to join youth at events, field trips, and celebrations. Enrolling and Engaging Youth: Sites collaborate with educational and community partners to identify and reach out to eligible youth. Throughout the program, staff and mentors engage youth s interests in various ways to help them explore their career interests, set and meet their weekly goals, and build self-motivation. ** Focus on hands-on STEM-related activities, including high tech projects (with employer/post-secondary advisors) each year.

22 RAMP COMPONENTS Training and Retaining Mentors: RAMP recruits and trains caring adults with or without disabilities to serve as one-on-one mentors for youth. Sites make sure to provide helpful resources for mentors, coordinate transportation and scheduling, and provide professional development opportunities. Weekly Meetings: RAMP youth attend weekly meetings focused on career preparation, employment, and independent living skills. Youth work one-on-one with mentors and in small groups to set goals, reflect on progress, and participate in career-focused activities.

23 RAMP COMPONENTS Weekly Goal-Setting and Individualized Mentoring Plans (IMP): Youth work with mentors to create their own IMPs, focused on five areas of development: working; learning; thriving; connecting; and leading. In harmony with IMPs, youth set important personal goals related to school, home life, disability, and career interests. Transition Planning, Follow-Up, and Support: In the last quarter, RAMP prepares youth to successfully transition into another program, the next school year, a job, another year of RAMP, or a post-secondary learning opportunity. Sites also maintain records and establish ways to stay in contact with RAMP alumni after they ve transitioned. Administrative: To run efficiently and effectively, staff must carry out important tasks including marketing, data management, and professional development.

24 KERN COUNTY MODEL: RAMP & FOSTER CARE Partnerships Department of Human Services Department of Mental Health, (TAY) Transition Aged Youth Program Kern County Superintendent of Schools Kern County Network for Children, The Dream Center Funding RAMP through IEL United Way of Kern County WIOA County of Kern, Human Services and Mental Health Medical Billing School District - LCAP

25 KERN COUNTY MODEL: RAMP & FOSTER CARE How It Works Peer Support Workers Summer Camp Leadership Development Goal Setting Financial Literacy STEM - Robotics School Year Activities Field Trips Goal Setting Job Shadowing Summer Work Experience

26 RAMP RESOURCES Individualized Mentoring Plans (IMPs) Career-Focused Mentoring Guide Guideposts for Success Making the Right Turn High School/High Tech Guide

27 RESOURCES Center for the Advancement of Mentoring Provides training and technical assistance to the national and local mentoring program grantees of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. MENTOR - National Mentoring Partnership Helps children by providing a public voice, developing and delivering resources to mentoring programs nationwide and promoting quality mentoring. National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth Assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve all youth, including youth with disabilities and other disconnected youth. National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth Serves as a national youth-led information, training, and resource center, focused on working on developing leaders, the capacity of centers for independent living and staff and supporting youth with disabilities-related organizations. National Mentoring Center at Education Northwest The National Mentoring Center at Education Northwest is a training and technical assistance provider for youth mentoring programs and initiatives.

28 PRESENTER CONTACT INFORMATION Curtis Richards Director, IEL Center for Workforce Development (202) x163 Karine Kanikkeberg Resource Teacher Kern High School District, Career Resource Department (661)

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