The basic curricular resources for the S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program include: Reconnecting Youth, Community Works, We Can Work It Out, Learning Power, Project Citizen, Parenting At-Risk Youth, and Life Skills Guidebook.
If youth only see themselves in light of their current condition, they will never be able to see what they can become. This program, by exposing youth to various educational opportunities, people, places, social events, and cultural activities will awaken the potential S.T.A.R.S. inside of each participant as well as the S.T.A.R.S. in our communities that can assist them.
To best serve the needs of the youth enrolled in the program, S.T.A.R.S. staff work with social and community agencies identified by the local Department of Human Resources to provide additional services. The counseling services, if needed, will be provided on a contractual basis, and serve as a stop-gap measure to address needs viewed as pressing and continuing.
Coordination of Services with School Districts
To keep youth current on school work, the agency will work with the “High Hopes” program coordinator at local school districts and school levels to ensure that clients do not fall behind in their school work. Youth in most states are required to pass high stakes tests in order to get a high school diploma. Understanding the future implications of not having a diploma, the agency will coordinate services offered by local schools with services provided by the community and local social service agencies.
The agency will assess the needs of clients and conduct a personal interview with each person enrolled in the program. A career interest survey will also be administered. The career interest survey will be used to develop an Individualized Service Plan for each client taking into consideration their level of maturity, interests, skills, and the likelihood for success in a chosen field. The agency will assess the needs of clients enrolled in school and provide services required to help them successfully complete their education.
The S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program will assist local agencies in establishing articulation agreements with institutions of higher learning to expand the program by tapping into work-study programs and scholarships. Educational and support services will be provided for youth from ages 12 to 22 who are enrolled in school and for youth who age out of the S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program. Support will also be provided to assist drop-outs who want to re-enter school and/or obtain a GED.
The Educational Component of the S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program Will:
- provide the assistance and encouragement needed to remain in school by assisting clients with school and program selections
- assist with preparation for college entrance exams, completing enrollment applications, school selection, and course selections
- assist with basic daily living skills like meal preparation, laundry, managing leisure time, developing a budget, inter-personal skills, personal hygiene, and conflict resolution
- actively monitor the progress of clients enrolled in the program by providing mentors to serve as role models and a source of encouragement
- provide at least two field studies annually for program participants
- assistance in completing career interest surveys
- assistance in preparing for independent living.
- guidance on secondary school reentry or entry to a General Education Development (GED) program or some other alternative education program for secondary school dropouts.
- personal, family, and group counseling as needed using certified counselors, social workers, trained educators, and other human resources available in the local school and or community tutorial services for students as needed
- career workshops and job counseling
- opportunities will also be available for job shadowing mentoring programs to connect participants with members of the community.
AFTERCARE:
To meet the needs of youth served by the S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program, an Aftercare Team will be established for each youth. Based on where the client lives monitoring services will vary. Prior to leaving the S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program, youth will participate in an exit interview. The agency will contact support services in the state, county and city in which the youth will reside and inform them of the needs based on entrance and exit interviews. The Aftercare team, composed of the project director and/or coordinator, a program specialist, the transition specialist, counselor, and social worker will establish contact with family members and arrange to assist the youth and family in establishing a local service/support network.
Without a stable support network and positive reinforcement of traditional values, future personal development for many of these teens appears haphazard at best. The S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program will offer the training support and encouragement needed to help youth enrolled in the program make as successful a transition as possible from the teen years and life on the run and failure.
The S.T.A.R.S. Leadership and Mentoring Program as stated will offer support for youth planning to obtain a GED or planning to extend their education beyond high school by providing assistance with preparation for college entrance exams, completing enrollment applications, school selection, course selections, career counseling, funding/scholarships and mentors. This type of on-going support will increase enrollment, retention, and graduation from post-secondary school settings. These services will be provided for all youth enrolled in the program. My Father’s House, through the S.T.A.R.S. program will identify, assess the needs of, place in appropriate academic or other settings, and monitor the progress of youth enrolled in the program. Youth enrolled in the program will be made aware of programs offered by the One Stop Centers and programs like Job Corps. The assistance provided will help combat the negative effects of poverty and the stigma attached to being labeled as at-risk.
The agency, as stated, will work to strengthen services and connect the youth and their families to services that are available in the larger community. The social worker, counselor, and program specialist will also assist the youth with independent living skills.
Positive and Realistic Living Experiences:
Youth are further prepared for adulthood by way of a realistic living experience, through transitional or independent living training, in which they can take greater responsibility for themselves. Elements of living experiences include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Direct experience with the consequences of daily actions and decisions
- Life skills practice while having access to staff for support and advice
- Ability to determine needed areas of support before emancipation or transfer to a less supervised living arrangement
- Daily social contacts
- Emotional adjustment to the difference between present living situation and previous ones, and to the loneliness that may occur due to a change in living situations
- Practice in living alone
- Use of emergency medical procedures
- Obtaining and using transportation to access needed resources
- Safe use of household appliances
- Practice in basic housekeeping
- Negotiating a rental agreement
- Use of leisure time
- Practice in money management and budgeting
- Experience in shopping, food preparation, food storage, and consumer skills.
As part of the total S.T.A.R.S. program, a Youth Leadership Summit will be held annually. In a program of this nature, sessions will be offered that will involve the entire group as well as break-out sessions for small groups. In order to ensure the success of the Summit, breakout sessions will be lead by members of the S.T.A.R.S. staff, local service agencies, community agencies, visiting professionals, and by program participants identified as leaders during their program year. This will be a time of skill building, career focusing, recreation, fun, and an opportunity to experience greater independence. If possible, the summit will be held on a college campus or at a local church. Community service providers will also be asked to participate and conduct presentations identified as topics of need and interest by the youth. To further stabilize the mentoring program, mentors will also be invited to attend the youth summit. Break-out sessions will also be held to address parenting skills.