On Friday January 13, 2012, TAYSF had its fourth Young Adult Advisory board meeting of the 2011-2012. Jess Lin, Project Coordinator for the Youth Count! Study and Coco Auserwald, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF, conducted a focus group to gather input from young people about how best to conduct the study.  The Youth Count! Study is a UCSF study with homeless and unstably housed youth in San Francisco.

First, Jess began by providing an overview of the study and why they are doing it. The goal of this study is to understand how many youth in San Francisco are homeless and unstably housed and to find out what issues these young people face and how to support their health. Next she talked about the way in which we currently count the homeless in San Francisco and other cities. She explained that the “head count” method misses youth who are not literally homeless, youth who do not access services, and people who are not visibly unstably housed. She explained how this is not an effective way to count homeless youth and that Youth Count! Study will include all young people who are unstably housed.

 Next, Coco explained how the survey would be conducted and recruitment strategies. She led a discussion with the group to find out what would be the most effective strategy to get young people to participate in the study and what would make it worth their time.

 After discussing recruitment strategies, Coco presented their definition of homelessness and asked for the group’s feedback. The group provided input about who should be considered as homeless that was not captured in the original definition.

 Our Advisory members had great feedback that will be reviewed and taken into account when conducting the research. One of the key points that the majority of Advisory members mentioned was ensuring that youth are compensated with items that will be useful to them such as care packages containing personal hygiene products and gift cards for grocery stores. There was also a general consensus that programs should be evaluated from the youth perspective as opposed to the staff perspective, because youth are the ones will are impacted by programs and services.  Another important point that was discussed was the safety of undocumented youth who participate in the study.

We ended the meeting by presenting the Advisory members with opportunities to get involved in upcoming TAY-related events.

Related posts:

1. Notes from Nov. 4th Young Adult Advisory
2. Notes from May 13th Young Adult Advisory
3. Notes from Dec. 2nd Young Adult Advisory

Interview w/ Kaina Walker,
Mentoring Program Director,
Youth Justice Institute
by Justin Slaughter, TAY AmeriCorps VISTA

What is your program? Who does it serve and what are its goals?
The Youth Justice Institute (YJI) offers direct services—including mental health, advocacy & mentoring—for youth directly involved in the juvenile justice system, ages 11-24. Housed at the S.F. Probation Department, we do an intake and assessment on every girl that comes to S.F. Juvenile Justice Center (JCC) and we are contracted to work with the youth (girls & boys) that enter this facility to provide them with our services & link them to other community organizations as they are exiting back into the community.

The Advocacy Program at YJI works primarily with youth detained in Juvenile Justice Center, with the goal of supporting them through detention and linking them to supportive services (other CBOs and our own Mentors and Therapists) to insure that these youth don’t return into custody. Our court advocacy work is grounded in best practice principles of cognitive development, trauma-informed and strength-based strategies. Based on identified youth needs, we develop an individual case plan in which the client and YJI staff set short and long term goals which can follow the youth back into the community and continue to work with us in After Care. We have a high retention of youth in this program who begin their work with us voluntarily, stay connected with us while out of detention and succeed in achieving their personal goals as well as completing probation.

YJI’s Mental Health Program also begins the clinical work with most of our clients while they are in detention at JJC and then continues to follow them on their transition back to the community. Our program recruits and supervises clinical trainees, completing their graduate level work in psychology with an emphasis in youth-centered therapeutic approaches and theories focused on meeting youth where they are and assisting them in developing their mental health skills.

What makes you special from others doing similar work?
Beyond direct services, our agency also focuses on research & policy.  We always strive to improve data collection to evaluate our internal services.  YJI is a lead in taking up juvenile justice policy issues which we constantly inform the community and our partners through our newsletter & other means.

What are some notable successes in your program?
We have a very successful mentoring program.  We recently had our 10 year anniversary in June where we celebrated having served over 800 youth & over 400 mentors in the last 10 years.  We have a high success rate in providing great mentors to the youth in detention.  We meet the kids needs when they ask for African-American & Latino male mentors whereas most mentoring programs struggle with this population & often times are only able to provide Caucasian females as mentors.  We work hard to bring in a huge diversity of mentors in culture, education, community, etc.  In a recent evaluation for the fiscal year 2010-2011, 84% of the youth we mentored were happy with their mentor. YJI Mental Health has an impressive success rate in keeping clients for an average of 11 sessions which is a significantly higher rate of retention for treatment than even adult clients.

What motivates you personally to continue the work that you do?
What motivates me personally is the youth. I grew up in the Mission neighborhood in San Francisco. I had friends in the juvenile justice system and I know what sucks young people into this lifestyle, so it is something I grew up with. In general, I work for a great organization, everyone is really dedicated and loves what they do. But I continue to do this work because I really believe in the youth, who often face countless barriers but overcome them.

What should the community expect from YJI in the future?
Our community should expect that YJI will continue to work with our highly in-risk youth entering the juvenile justice system and that we will continue to provide them with gender-specific services either directly, through our community partners or through our policy efforts to ensure that they successfully exit the juvenile justice system & enter into a productive adulthood.

How can others get involved at YJI?
We are currently recruiting mentors to volunteer in our mentoring program to mentor youth currently in the detention facility. We are seeking & strongly encourage men of color to apply but all are welcome!  Please visit our website to applyonline:  http://yjinstitute.org/programs/mentor_application.php
Visit our website www.yjinstitute.org & “DONATE NOW”.  We will also have fundraising events in September, so to get updates follow us on Facebook or sign up to receive our newsletter.

To learn more, contact

Youth Justice Institute,
375 Woodside Ave. W2 SF Ca 94127,
Kaina@yjinstitute.org/415-753-7625

Related posts:

1. Know Justice Conference 2012 to convene service providers and youth involved with justice system to give them free access to tools and resources
2. Interview w/ Martha B Acacio of TAY Mental Health Clinic
3. Interview w/ Jodi Schwartz, Director of Community Partnership for LGBTQQ Youth

Interview w/ Martha B Acacio, Director of TAY Mental Health Clinic
By Justin Slaughter, TAYSF AmeriCorps VISTA

1.)    What is your TAY program? Who does it serve and what are its goals? Under the City of San Francisco’s Department of Public Health, the Transitional Age Youth Mental Health clinic provides 16-25 year-old with comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment. The program started fifteen years ago as a pilot program with my Director, Jack Rabin,LCSW and myself. Five years later, Adult System of Care hired Bethany Brown, LCSW to work with me. However with the passage of California’s Mental Health Service Act in 2004 and the money that the State was able to allot to mental health, out TAY Mental Health Clinic became an official program in 2007. The clinic’s mission is to foster the independent living skills of the youth that we serve and provide them with strength-based services to get them to be successful at this pivotal age.

The clinic provides all its services in-house, including individual and group therapy, drop-in center, public outings, and intensive case-management. Youth are referred to the clinic from all over San Francisco, including Seneca, Foster Care/Independent Living Skills Program, San Francisco Unified School District, hospitals, San Francisco Youth Guidance Center, Adult Probation, and residential treatment programs. The clinic has a counterpart with SF Family Services Agency where we send out referrals. As part of general outreach that we conduct, we also meet youth in community, to decrease the stigma of mental health and to make it easier for the youth to connect with us.

Because 90% of cases we see want work, we developed vocational service connections, including CVS, Jewish Vocational Services, RAMP-SF, RAMS Hire-Ability, Larkin’s HIRE-UP, New Door Venture. We also have a housing contract with Larkin Street Youth Services Routz Program which provides a number of supportive housing and scattered housing units slated for youth with mental health needs.

2.) What makes you special from others doing similar work?
We specifically work within transitional age group for the severely mentally ill, separating this age group from much older and/or minors makes young adults more comfortable. Sometimes eighteen year olds who were placed in adult residential programs see forty year-olds with chronic cases of mental illness, and become discouraged, saying “I don’t want to be that person.” At our program we’re here to say ‘no, you don’t have to be that person,’ we are able to establish a relationship with our youth. Our staff is also proudly culturally diverse, we serve youth of all cultures and our language capacity is Spanish.

3.)    What are some notable successes?
In the past fifteen years, we’ve experienced better communication between children and adult systems of care, youth at eighteen years-old who were falling through the cracks between child and adult services. Our clinic has succeeded in creating that bridge for transitional age youth. Since 2007, the funding was able to provide everything in our place, made a huge difference, now we have a Director (who also has a caseload), Bethany Brown is the Intake Coordinator and who also has a caseload. Three full-time Case Managers/Clinicians, peer assistants, clerical staff, and on-site psychiatrist. We’ve seen a lot of the youth we’ve served graduate from college. We’ve seen many youth “age out” of clinic services and seen the youth progress in their wellness recovery. We’ve helped eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health patients and normalize it so that youth can get a job, get an education, make friends, and break the isolation they often felt because of their condition.

4.)    What can we expect from the TAY Mental Health Clinic in the future?
The clinic will continue to collaborate with other programs that work with youth. And as we’ve been doing, we will continue to find youth out in the community in need, especially youth who have never had treatment before. Also, we will continue to find more housing for the youth—housing for every level of functionality and level of recovery

5.)    What motivates you personally to continue the work that you are doing?
It is the passion. I love helping people, watching their success. I am San Francisco native and love working in the community. I’ve always worked in mental health, worked with youth. My heart is in this work, keeps me going. I get to know each youth and want them to strive. Because I started this program, I feel like it is my baby, I want it to continue to grow.

To learn more about the TAY Mental Health Clinic contact…

Martha Borja Acacio, MFT
Program Director
Transitional Age Youth (16-25yo)
Community Behavioral Health Services
SF Department of Public Health
755 S. Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, CA  94110
Tel:   (415) 642-4507
Fax:  (415) 695-6961
martha.b.acacio@sfdph.org

*Martha will be out of the office starting Mon 07/11/2011 and will not return
until Wed 11/30/2011.Contact Bethany Brown at 642-4504 or contact TAY # 374-0550 for immediate assistance.

Related posts:

1. Mental health services referral resource for privately insured Youth in Northern CA.
2. TAYSF & the Adolescent Health Working Group (AHWG) to host TAY provider training on adolescent brain development in San Francisco
3. A Note from the Director: Housing in SF is TAY’s No. 1 Concern

Interview w/ Jodi Schwartz, Director of Community Partnership for LGBTQQ Youth
By Justin Slaughter, TAYSF AmeriCorps VISTA

1. What is the Community Partnership for LGBTQQ Youth, who does it serve and what are its goals?
There are over 3K lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQQ) identified students in SFUSD. Students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual (11%) or transgender (56%) report much higher rates of skipping school due to a concern for their safety than heterosexual students (7%).  LGBTQQ youth who are rejected by their families attempt suicide at a rate 8.4 times greater than that of their straight peers.  Approximately 1K homeless youth in San Francisco identify as LGBTQQ.  Predominately serving LGBTQQ transition age youth (TAY), 92% of LGBTQQ youth supported through LYRIC are low-income, 75% are youth of color.

The Community Partnership for LGBTQQ Youth was formed in 2005 to create a meaningful collaboration between partner agencies and the broader community to enhance culturally competent services and supports for LGBTQQ youth and to advocate for reforms to ensure that policies and systems are supporting access, not creating barriers, to services by LGBTQQ youth.  Currently, partner members include LYRIC, The LGBT Center, Dimensions Health Care Clinic, Larkin Street, API Wellness Center, EVRC Rec & Park and Bay Positives.

Unfortunately, one of our key partners had to close its door about a year ago.  New Leaf: Services for Our Community provided behavioral health services to the LGBT community.  As LYRIC’s Executive Director, I serve as the group’s facilitator.  The Partnership supports and advocates for all LGBTQQ youth with an emphasis on disconnected TAY, especially those who are homeless and marginally housed.  With the encouragement of the young people who access many of our services, the partnership set about to create a seamless continuum of services for queer youth in the city, commit to continuous program improvement of our collective services, and build upon each partner agency’s unique strengths.  Through this partnership we have collectively improved our ability to support LGBTQQ youth through enhanced referral protocols and co-location of services.

2. What makes you special from others doing similar work?
The reason that this partnership is so important is that each agency has its unique strengths in supporting LGBTQQ youth, yet we can work collectively to best meet the diverse needs of the City’s queer youth.  Now, more than ever, the City is pushing for efficiency and accountability; the Partnership is a model for achieving those objectives while maintaining a diverse continuum of services and providers for LGBTQQ youth.  Not only are the services and manner of access varied, so are the roles each agency fills.  For example, LYRIC’s mission and strategies encompass a strong advocacy agenda that is specific to the life experiences and needs of low-income queer youth, primarily youth of color and typically youth who grew up in San Francisco.  This is a critical role for LYRIC to hold as part of the Partnership’s collective work but one that not all partners are positioned to lead.  Moreover, LYRIC supports the leadership development and community engagement of LGBTQQ youth.  This is especially important for LGBTQQ TAY, who not only need services and supports, but who are looking to be a part of a community of supportive peers and adults working for social justice.  It is important that, like for all youth, LGBTQQ youth have choices and options for what point of access, what type of services and which agency works best for them.

While the Partnership has historically engaged director-level staff at each of the agencies, we have made a commitment this year to expand the structure of the Partnership to be three intersecting networks – youth leaders, front-line staff and directors.  By facilitating collaboration at these three levels, the partnership can best ask ‘what are the needs of LGBTQQ youth from a multi-agency and multi-level perspective?’

3. What are some notable successes?
One immediate success occurred in 2006.  With the leadership of former Supervisor Bevan Dufty, the Community Partnership was able to expand LGBTQQ youth supports to fill critical services gaps through the investment of $750K of city funds.  Forty-five percent (45%) went to expand housing (Larkin), 12% each went to establish a workforce program (LYRIC), case management (LYRIC), and recreation activities (SF LGBT Center), and the final portion added a 2^nd day for an LGBTQQ youth clinic (Dimensions). Unfortunately, over the past 4 years, City budget cuts have forced the original vision for the Partnership’s service continuum to be scaled back – housing units have been reduced at Larkin, LYRIC has had to cut the number of jobs with wraparound case management supports it can offer, and the SF LBGT Center has to reduce the overall scope of its services.  As one specific example, LYRIC funding from SF City and County has fallen by close to $400K or 56% since FY0809 going into FY1112.

An ongoing success has been the Community Partnership’s ability to educate and influence the community and City government policymakers at the Mayor’s office, at the Board of Supervisors and within City Departments to better understand the needs of marginalized LGBTQQ youth and to shift practices and policies of City and community providers that have been barriers to meeting those needs.  For example, in the FY1112 budget dialogue, Partnership members were able to help the Mayor understand that prioritization of services facing federal and state cuts, as well as local cuts, were important but that some segments of our community – undocumented youth and LGBTQQ youth – get little or no support outside of local support making our local commitment critical.

4. What can we expect from the Community Partnership in the future?
The Community Partnership wishes to broaden and deepen our continuum of services and supports for LGBTQQ youth.  We will continue to advocate to ensure that the City takes ownership of its responsibility to ensure that all youth are connected to what they need to transition to successful adulthood – especially its most disconnected youth, including LGBTQQ youth.  We will continuum to grow the Partnership and we will also continue to build the capacity of the community and our institutions to support LGBTQQ youth.  As such, the Partnership will be launching two initiatives.  The first initiative will work to institutionalize demographic data collection for all youth being served supported with City funds to include sexual orientation and a non-binary definition of gender identity, in the same way that they are currently required to count and report race, gender, age and economic status.  Until the City understands the numbers of LGBTQQ youth in our City and how their needs vary from their heterosexual counterparts, the City will not have the data to ensure that the needs of LGBTQQ youth are prioritized.  The second initiative will work to enforce City Code 12N, which requires that youth serving institutions and community organizations receive “sensitivity” and/or cultural competency training.  This Code was established as a San Francisco Municipal Code in 1999, but has never been properly instituted.  To highlight the importance of these two initiatives is the result of a LYRIC conducted survey of Department of Children, Youth and their family grantees in 2007: less than one-third stated that they had adequate training and resources to support LGBTQQ youth.  It is critical that we create visibility for LGBTQQ youth and provide the necessary training and resources so that all youth services can provide culturally competent supports to ALL the diverse youth of our community.

5. What motivates you personally to continue the work that you are doing?

I feel incredibly honored and privileged to do the work that I do.  I have been an activist since I was 17 years old.  I have a passionate commitment to support young people who themselves are experiencing challenges in society or barriers in our system of supports.  By supporting these youth in their leadership, they are able to lead the necessary change to create solutions from a place of self-empowerment.  My responsibility is to provide all young people the power to transform all institutions into what they are intended to be – an avenue for all youth to succeed, to thrive and be celebrated for who they are and who they wish to be.

Related posts:

1. Partnership for Children and Youth now accepting applicants for Director of Technical Assistance
2. Interview with Ed Melendez, Director of Education & Employment at Larkin Street Youth Services
3. Interview with San Francisco Conservation Corps Executive Director Ann Cochrane

Interview with Young Adult Advocate Claudia Mendez
by Jose-Luis, Young Adult Advocate

Why & how did you hear about the program [Guardian Scholars]?
Claudia Mendez:I heard about GSP when I applied to SFSU. I was referred by the Educational Opportunity Program. I applied to GSP because they provided year-round housing, priority registration, free and unlimited mental health services, and a case manager to help with my personal and educational goals. I was placed in foster care at the age of 16 because of family abuse and at the age of 17 started planning my emancipation and was worried, where was I going to live? how was I going to pay for college? Most importantly, I was concerned about how I was going to overcome my emotional trauma. So GSP came at a time when I needed it the most.

What have been the highlights of your experience?
Claudia: Because of GSP, during my freshman year, I learned how to navigate the school system and was able to build relationships with other former foster youth in the program who had been through similar situations. I also had somewhere to go to during the holidays, which were one of my loneliest times.

How have you benefited from this program and how have you grown?
Claudia: I love being a Guardian Scholar because it has helped me become independent, an advocate, and proud of where I come from. They have helped me grow by helping me see my insecurities as my strengths. Because of GSP support I have been able to earn scholarships and continue college without getting myself in debt. I also been able to maintain a GPA above 3.0 while working part-time.

Why would you recommend this program to a youth?
Claudia: Because it helps you not only get support for education but it also provides a safe community for students to be able to pursue their goals and dreams. They are not judgmental–they are understanding when you are facing challenges in your personal or professional life. And they always try to make it fun. We have gone to Great America, boat trips, Holiday dinners, conferences, and many other experiences that for some of us was the first time. Whenever we talk about GSP we refer to it as a family because even if at times we can’t stand each other we need to be supportive in order to survive. I completely recommend this program to youth.

In which ways have you developed personally and/or professionally? Claudia: I have realized that eventually you have to stop victimizing yourself and see the positive side of what your experiences have taught you. Instead of feeling jealous of others for having a family, now I use my personal experiences to advocate for other youth who find themselves feeling stuck in the system. Having GSP be so welcoming and willing to listen helped me gain a different perspective in life. Because of that kindness it helped me see that their were still good people in the world and it is not to late to make a difference. A special thank you to Xochitl and Sonia, the Founders of SFSU GSP!

Although many people do not know that May is foster care month I encourage you to be proud of it and celebrate it because its not about celebrating the bad things that happened to you, but instead your resiliency to overcome it all!

Related posts:

1. Young Adult Voices: Interview w/ TAYSF Young Adult Advocate Nadiyah Shereff
2. Young Adult Voices: Interview w/ TAYSF Young Adult Advisory Member Carlos Martinez
3. Young Adult Voices: Interview w/ TAYSF Young Adult Advocate Alma Ruznic

With continued support and public advocacy on behalf of San Francisco’s most vulnerable youth in need of housing, the Booker T. Washington Community Center and Affordable Housing Development and the conversion of the King Edward II Hotel projects should be constructed and livable within the next couple of years.

A year ago, the King Edward II Hotel, ideal for transitional age youth because of its low-crime, safe location in Cow Hollow, was purchased by the Community Housing Partnership–in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Larkin Street Youth Services–for $3.45 million to convert the property into 24 studio apartments for transitional age youth. Not only will the emancipated foster youth be given places, as first discussed, but so will kids getting out of drug treatment and other juvenile programs.

However, some Marina relators, merchants, and residents have voiced resistance to the Edward II plan, citing violations of city building code, and the effects of the population moving into the neighborhood.

According to a blog update by Marina Relator Laura Lanzone, present at the community meeting on the project last October, the Marina Community Association is now officially against the project and the Cow Hollow Neighborhood Association has retained legal counsel to fight it (reportedly funded by concerned citizens, developers and local businesses). On top of community resistance and potential legal battles, there is an ongoing environmental and an entitlement review.  When these are complete, the project will go to the Planning Commission, then on to a vote by the Board of Supervisors.

On the other side of town from Edward II Hotel, Booker T. Washington Community Service Center plans to build 50 units of affordable housing, 24 units will be dedicated to transition age youth, as part of the larger plan to build a whole new community center. Services for the transition age youth will be provided by First Place for Youth, and community gathering spaces such as a roof deck, community room, lounge halls, and on site laundry will be provided.

Crucial in the advocacy of these programs in face of lawsuits, is the role of transitional age service providers, who need to play a role in advocacy for the housing development itself, e.g. bringing their own youth to meetings, writing letters of support, etc. The next opportunity for public statement is at San Francisco Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, April 28^th., where a hearing on the Booker T. Washington Project is scheduled.

As Rachel Antrobus TAYSF’s Director mentioned, we are on-track to reach the goal for San Francisco to have 450 housing units for TAY within five years. These two projects are encouraging developments to that end. “We have spoken to kids leaving foster care who were given a bus ticket and a trash bag for their belongings when they left” said Gilman, Executive Director of Community Housing Partnership speaking of the King Edward II housing project. “We really took to heart the recommendation of the San Francisco Youth Commission that there is a severe lack of housing for this group.” Let’s keep this promise.

Sources:
Dineen, J.K. (July 2010). CHP pays $3.45M for S.F. Marina motel. San Francisco Business Times.

Lanzone, L. (2010). Update on King Edward II Housing Project. [Blog]. Retrieved from: http://www.mcguire.com/posts/1278-update-on-king-edward-ii-housing-project?source_url=%2Fprofiles%2F117-laura-lanzone%2Farticles.

Booker T. Washington Community Service Center. Website: http://www.btwcsc.org/

Related posts:

1. A Note from the Director: Housing in SF is TAY’s No. 1 Concern
2. Seven member seats open on San Francsico’s Reentry Council
3. Notes from October 7, 2011 Young Adult Advisory

Without stable and safe housing, disconnected youth and young adults face a considerable battle to become self sufficient. Before any education or employment goals can even be considered, housing needs to be addressed; the cost for not doing so leaves young people couch surfing, staying in unsafe living environments, homeless and ultimately at high risk of becoming chronically homeless adults.

We hear from young people time and time again that housing in San Francisco is their number one concern.  Fortunately, several years ago the Mayor’s Office of Housing heard transitional age youth’s need for stable housing and began to dedicate resources to address it. Now just a few short years later, San Francisco has become a model for cities across the country to house young adults.  Setting an aggressive goal of developing 450 new units of housing for TAY in five years, we are already nearly half way there, with 119 units operable or in pre-development. We urge all of TAY allies to get involved with supporting housing for youth and let decision makers know the critical role housing plays for the long tern success of our youth.

–Rachel Antrobus, TAYSF Director

Related posts:

1. Note from the Director: Finding Jobs for Youth
2. San Francsico’s TAY Housing: Updates March 2011
3. Interview w/ Martha B Acacio of TAY Mental Health Clinic

Justin Slaughter, TAYSF’s VISTA intern provided this interview

Justin: What programs and/or services do you offer?
Ann: We have four basic programs that serve youth 18-26 years old, typically without a high school diploma and little or no employment experience:

• Recruitment/orientation
• High school diploma program (as part of state-accredited charter school)
• Community service program: crews of youth supervised by professional staff restore and improve city parks, over half in low-income neighborhoods, perform recycling at over 100 Special Events and provide landscaping services to various City departments such as the Port of SF
• Career development: identifying goals for the future and developing a plan of action to reach those goals, attend classes to improve math and writing skills,  identifying trainings at Corps or external to Corps or City College; 1 year of follow-up and post-Corps support for youth

The job training at Corps primarily takes place in the green sector: recycling programs and park and natural resource renovation. The Corps acts as a conduit for the young people getting post-Corps positions such as internships, apprenticeships and placement at City College. For example, a number of youth participated in an internship with the San Francisco’s Airport’s to ‘green’ the airport. Once finished there is a good possibilities of working full-time after the program. Other paid opportunities for youth include second-stage training or apprenticeships with trade agencies and labor programs.

Justin: What makes you special from others doing similar work?
Ann: I am not aware of any other agency who offers paid work experience and an accredited high school diploma program, career exploration and post-Corps placement and support. The Corps also has case managers to assist our young people with services in the community so that they can be successful at the Corps and beyond.. We aim to serve the whole person.

Justin: What are some of your notable successes?
Ann: Since our beginning in 1983, the Corps has served over 5,000 youth, working a combined 4 million hours of environmental community service in San Francisco’s neighborhoods. In the last three years, the Corps staff has been able to create a very comprehensive program despite the declining economy, which includes keeping young people in jobs, giving high school diplomas in tough times. In the beginning of the High School Exit Exams, about three years ago, the Corps was only graduating about 4 youth per year. Now, out of average class of 50 the Corps graduates an average of 20-25 youth per year, or a 50% graduation rate. This is an incredible statistic because all of those young people are former high school drop outs. Always looking to improve the quality and depth of the program.

Two years ago, Corps started a business enterprise in recycling and zero waste management program. The Corps is hired by public event producers to educate the public about recycling, recycle and/or compost all the materials from the event. The young people that work in the business enterprise are in leadership positions with the Corps and serve as part of the Urban Green Team. In total, the business enterprise brought in $100,000 in unrestricted revenue last year. We plan to grow the enterprise to support our capacity building efforts and to provide more services.

Justin: What should people expect from the Corps in the future?
Ann: We are in the process of renovating and expanding our facilities to serve more young people, hopefully doubling the number of youth we serve by 2013. Aiming for a bigger community presence through our business enterprise of recycling and zero waste management program. Increasing the number of high school diplomas and job placements.

Related posts:

1. San Francisco Conservation Corps featured in national Resource Recycling Magazine
2. Interview with Ed Melendez, Director of Education & Employment at Larkin Street Youth Services
3. Interview w/ Jodi Schwartz, Director of Community Partnership for LGBTQQ Youth

1. Name, age, position? My name is Alma Ruznic, I am 17 years young, and I work as a program officer at Communities in Harmony Advocating for Learning and Kids (CHALK). I am also a peer educator for Females Against Violence which is located at Horizons Unlimited.

2. What kind of work do you do?At Chalk, I assist in giving grants up to $10,000 to youth throughout San Francisco who create a project that benefits their community. I interview applicants, work closely with funded projects to help them exceed expectations, and I write proposals for grants to help fundraise for Chalk.

3. What motivates you to do your work? or Why do you love your job? I have been working for Chalk for about a year and a half and it has truly been a life changing experience for me. I’ve matured as a young women and have met some of the most amazing people. I have discovered what my passion is early in life, and that is working with motivated but underprivileged youth. Growing up as a immigrant in a low-income family was a tough experience for me. These were barriers I had to break out of, and it motivates me to continue advocating and working with youth that are considered at-risk, low-income, or anything else that may prevent them from achieving their goals. Lastly, I have seen the impact organizations such as Chalk have on my community and in my peers and I am very proud to be apart of it.

4. Why would you recommend youth to participate in your programs and/or services? I would encourage every youth to become involved with Chalk in one way or another because there is so much they have to offer. I have not only had job for almost two years but I have received help with college applications, scholarship opportunities, and other jobs/internships. It is a unique place in that it really provides support with every aspect of a young person’s life, not just the employment part.

5. What should we expect from you in the future? Hmm…the future…I have not even thought about that but so far my next moves are preparing for college, training other youth to become program officers, and continuing my work with non-profit organizations. For my super long term goal I hope to go back to Bosnia and set up my own non-profit working with youth through the arts.

Source: Alma Ruznic, CHALK, interview, December 17, 2010

Related posts:

1. Alma Ruznic
2. Young Adult Voices: Interview w/ TAYSF Young Adult Advocate Alma Ruznic
3. Young Adult Voices: Interview w/ TAYSF Young Adult Advisory Member Carlos Martinez