Providing Education, Job Training, and Other Opportunities to At-Risk Youth I. TOPIC Youth Opportunities Project II. LOCATION Florence County, South Carolina III. SUBJECT Providing Education, Job Training, and Other Opportunities to At-Risk Youth IV. SUMMARY The youth population of Florence County, South Carolina, had a high rate of dropping out of school, exhibited low reading and math skills, and performed poorly on South Carolina's high school exit examination. The Pee Dee Community Action Agency (PDCAA) formed partnerships with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Poyner Adult and Community Education Center, Palmetto Vocational Center, and Florence/Darlington Technical College to provide a center-based program of training and counseling for at-risk youth. The partners received a Demonstration Partnership Project grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish the Youth Opportunities Program (YOP). YOP emphasizes prevention of the at-risk scenario that often consumes young people. The program provides services to both in-school and out-of-school youths. Activities include computer training and keyboarding, reading and language arts instruction, math instruction, employment training and counseling, and job placement services. Youths work with counselors and staff to form productive mentoring relationships. YOP served 93 youths during its two-year DPP grant period. In-school youths improved their attendance records and their performance in all academic areas. YOP's employment counseling and job placement services were successful in finding jobs for 31 youths and apprenticeships for six others. V. SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE Established a partnership among a community action agency, the state department of social services, and three local educational institutions to provide education, training, and employment counseling and placement services to at-risk youths using a developmental model to address all areas of a youth's personal development. VI. CONTACT Freddie L. Williams, Executive Director Pee Dee Community Action Agency (A Community Action Agency) P.O. Drawer 12670 Florence, South Carolina 29505 803-678-3400 803-678-3404 (FAX) VII. CASE STUDY The Problem: The youth population of Florence County, a rural county in eastern South Carolina, had a high rate of dropping out of school, exhibited low reading and math skills, and performed poorly on South Carolina's high school exit examination. The cycle of at-risk youth was perpetuated by a lack of job and counseling opportunities for youths The Approach Adopted: The Pee Dee Community Action Agency (PDCAA) formed partnerships with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Poyner Adult and Community Education Center, Palmetto Vocational Center, and Florence/Darlington Technical College to provide a center-based program of training and counseling for at-risk youth. How They Implemented The Approach: PDCAA received a Demonstration Partnership Project (DPP) grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Community Services to establish the Youth Opportunities Program (YOP). YOP emphasizes prevention of the at-risk scenario that often consumes young people. The program provides services to both in-school and out-of-school youths. Youths who participate in YOP form developmental relationships with staff members and volunteer mentors. The developmental support model created through these relationships addresses four elements of a youth's development: physical, cognitive, social, and emotional. Center-based activities include computer training and keyboarding, reading and language arts instruction, math instruction, employment training and counseling, and job placement services. Working with YOP counselors and occasional travel activities help to seal the mentoring relationships between clients and the staff and counselors. YOP clients reported that the greatest life obstacles they face are associated with transportation, daycare services, lack of respect from others, peer pressure, lack of parental support, poor study habits, need for tutoring, lack of self-discipline, hostility, rejection, teen parenthood, delinquency, and lack of friends. Many of these obstacles fall under the social and emotional realms of development The kinds of developmental support that youths get from their relationships with mentors are in direct response to these expressed needs. Results: YOP served 93 youths during its two-year DPP grant period; 57 youths were in school and 36 were out of school. Participants' self-esteem and disciplinary records improved noticeably. Of the in-school youths, 47 improved their attendance frequencies to become statistically equivalent to other students; 41 youths advanced to the next grade level and three went on the additional adult education. All 36 out-of-school clients received word processing and bookkeeping instruction. Twelve of these clients achieved all of their vocational goals, six were prepared for or had earned their General Equivalency Diplomas (GEDs), and eight opted to pursue the standard state high school diploma. Twelve other clients entered adult education programs, one enrolled in a technical college, and two took courses to qualify for regular college admission. YOP's employment counseling and job placement services were successful in finding jobs for 31 youths and apprenticeships for six others. Despite its success in many areas of youth development, the Youth Opportunities Program ended after the two-year DPP grant because of lack of funding. VIII. KEY WORDS Adult Education Apprenticeships At-Risk Youth Community Action Agency Demonstration Partnership Project Department of Health and Human Services Education General Equivalency Diploma (GED) High School Dropouts Mentoring Office of Community Services Technical Colleges Training Youth ref: yop.doc