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Background. Identify the need— Nationally 1/2 of all African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans do not complete high school with their peers. Baltimore had a 50% dropout rate in 1998-99
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Background • Identify the need—Nationally 1/2 of all African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans do not complete high school with their peers. Baltimore had a 50% dropout rate in 1998-99 • Convene the key players such as educationalinstitutions; youth service providers, government agencies and officials, civic organizations, foundations • Assess gaps in services for out-of-school youth • Take advantage of funding opportunities when they arise.
What’s YO! Baltimore? The United State Department of Labor issued an RFP for a holistic, youth development approach to serve the most at-risk youth in targeted economically distressed areas, such as the Baltimore City Empowerment Zone. This grant awarded to Baltimore was $44M over a 6-year period.
What did YO! Baltimore do with the money? • Created two large youth-friendly center fully equipped with technology • And three satellite, community-based centers. • Featuring: • Assessments to determine the developmental levels of participants • Caring adult advocates (trained for cultural competencies) • All levels of academic remediation from basic literacy to GED and college preparation • Life and job readiness skills • Cultural enrichment activities such as trips and conferences • Career exploration, tours, career training and job placement • Mental health and substance abuse counseling on site • Health services on site
What happened when the grant was over? YO! Baltimore reported on the results: Reduced teen pregnancy Reduced recidivism Increased wages Increased academic attainment Success stories made it personal Detailed data can be found in the Changing Minds Changing Lives Report
Network Support A group of 10 former Youth Opportunity providers came together to share best practices, resource information and build public awareness of the need to support at-risk out-of-school youth.
Performance-driven data sells the results to prospective funders. ·Baltimore City Government (general population) · Baltimore City Health Department (in-kind health services) · The Maryland State Department of Labor Licensing and Regulations (the most at-risk youth from foster care to youth in anyway related to the Justice System and financial disability) · The Weinberg Foundation, Inc. (training) · Baltimore City Department of Social Services (Foster Care) · Baltimore City Public School System (YO! Academy—an alternative high school) · Civic Works (green career training) · Family League of Baltimore City (PACT evening reporting center—an alternative to detention for young men) · Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition (operations) · Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (education and resources)
Performance-driven data sells the results to prospective funders. · Maryland State Department of Juvenile Justice (referrals) · Maryland State Department of Vital Records (delayed billing) · Fox affiliate/TV Channel 24 (in-kind recruitment PSA’s) · Juvenile Courts Division (referrals) · The Maryland Mediation Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO—staff and participant training dollars) · Baltimore Opera Company (in-kind tickets to dress rehearsal) · The United States Department of Labor (targeting services to reduce gang memberships and violence) · Annie E. Casey Foundation (funding for operations and staffing) · Baltimore Mental Health Associates (mental health services) · Youth Build (training) · Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, Inc. (increased mental health services)
What changed? • Stayed the same: Baltimore’s commitment to the expanded • youth-development model • Lost: Baltimore lost 3 satellite centers • Gained: The capacity to serve all out-of-school • youth 16 to 22 years of age • Increased support for targeted populations • such as foster care, youth in detention
Services for Disconnected Youth in Baltimore City • YO! Baltimore Centers (Eastside and Westside) serving 1000 out-of-school youth annually • YO! Academy—An alternative high school serving 140 students annually • WIA Career Academy—An alternative high school serving 100 students annually • WIA Healthcare Alliance—Training in health careers • Summer Jobs—Introducing thousands of youth to employment each year
Questions-- Contact Mr. Ernest F. Dorsey, Director Youth Opportunity (YO!) Division Mayor’s Office of Employment Development 101 W. 24th Street Baltimore, MD 21218 edorsey@oedworks.com 410-396-6722