Streetpeace and Youth Center
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East End serves a community where teens face many obstacles to success, especially with the recent increase in unemployment and increase in poverty related to the recession. The Streetpeace program provides youth with the opportunity to better understand themselves and their community. Youth become involved in services projects connected to a social justice academy. Last year, the youth from Ruskin PreK-8 Neighborhood School Center were involved with streetpeace service projects working with the elderly, doing a creative writing project with homeless persons at Target Ministries, doing service projects at Hospice, helping the elderly and performing neighborhood beautification projects. The youth are also involved in test prep for the Ohio Achievement Tests. this program is funded by local grants and the 21st Century grant from the Ohio Department of Education. The youth have been involved in a wide array of projects, including advocacy for issues that they care about in the neighborhood. The youth created a Neighborhood Investment Bank that resulted in area businesses and organizations sponsoring projects that were completed by the students. The Streetpeace youth have also been involved in speaking out to local leaders about needs in the community, including providing testimony before the City Commissioners and attending hearings regarding liquor licenses. The Youth Center provides a safe, welcoming place there they can participate in programs afterschool, during the evening and during the summer. In a community challenged by poverty, these youth are changing their neighborhood through service. Our teen program uses best practices for youth development which emphasizes that teens and young adults need to acquire personal assets in order to succeed. Studies completed by the Search Institute have identified 40 developmental assets that are associated with responsible behavior and academic success. Through participation at the Youth Center, pre-teens, adolescents and young adults are building crucial skills, assets and resiliency factors that will help them make positive decisions. All Youth Programs focuses on the following... Prevention Programs: The youth attend a wide array of structured groups and activities that help them make healthy choices and avoid risky behaviors like teen pregnancy, drug use, dropping out of school, etc. In this groups, youth learn about how to resist peer pressure, handle conflict without violence, what are healthy and unhealthy relationships and other life skills. The structured learning is broken into segments and reinforced by fun activities that promote bonding. Academic Programs: Through tutoring and educational enrichment, teens are assisted in achieving academic success. Our goal is to work with youth to find the learning environment and supports that best match their preferences and needs so that they will succeed. Teens learn while having fun. Recently, our teens completed their own video. A computer lab helps youth learn and practice the technological skills that will prepare them for the future.
Future
Success:
Through visits to colleges, pre-employment skills training, and actual
work experiences, youth are prepared to become self-sufficient adults.
More than 93 percent of our youth report that they would like to attend
college.
Cultural Programming: Youth benefit from programs that promote creative expression. In partnership with City Folk, artists help teens learn about different cultures and build tolerance and respect. The youth have taken a lead in participating in such events as the Martin Luther King March and the Dayton Dialogue on Race. Sports, Fitness and Recreation: Studies have shown that participation in recreational and athletic programs have significant benefits for youth and reduce the likelihood that they will engage in risky behavior. We offer a wide range of opportunities , including open time for youth simply to gather and engage in informal sports or games. Service: Throughout the year, numerous service projects help youth feel that they are connected to improving their neighborhood and the broader community. The youth benefit from the chance to give back to others and to learn that they are needed by the neighborhood. They have completed a wide range of projects, including recent fundraiser for a child that was critically injured in a bike accident. Outcomes: Our results show that youth are increasing in developmental assets and the protective factors that lead to resiliency. The numbers of teens that report the goal of going to college is steadily increasing. Youth are making progress towards finishing schools and avoiding risky behaviors. |
East End Community Services 624 Xenia Avenue Dayton, OH 45410
Phone 937-259-1898 FAX: 937-259-1897 Email: ajomantas@east-end.org