YOUTH ADVOCATE
PROGRAMS, INC.:
SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES
A PARTNERSHIP WITH YAP AND FORT WORTH ISD
MISSION
STATEMENT
Our mission is to provide individuals who
are, have been or may be subject to
compulsory care with the opportunity to
develop, contribute and be valued as
assets so that communities have safe,
proven effective and economical
alternatives to institutional placement.
FIVE GUIDING
PRINCIPLES

NO REFUSAL POLICY

INDIVIDUALIZED
SERVICE PLAN

FAMILY FOCUSED

STRENGTH BASED

NEIGHBORHOOD BASED
RECRUITMENT
18 STATES

Zero Tolerance
“…the transformations that YAP’s
Advocates were able to inspire in
their clients were often stunning.”
– Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed
YAP SCHOOL-BASED
PROGRAMS

Allegheny County/Pittsburgh, PA

Chicago, IL

Fort Worth, TX

Arlington, TX

San Angelo, TX

Williamson County, TX
YAP ADVOCATE MODEL
AND THE WRAPAROUND
PROCESS
Strength-based assessment
Student and family focused intervention
Culturally competent advocate assigned to student and his/her
family
Individualized Service Plan (ISP) Driven
Services and Supports are "wrapped" around the student/family
9
ADVOCATE
MODEL
HOME
YAP
COMMUNITY
SCHOOL
WRAPAROUND
PLANNING PROCESS
130 worker competencies based on high
fidelity wraparound
 Partner with Families
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Emphasis on Building Strengths, Competencies and
Relationships while reducing risks
Incorporate Mandates into Planning
Needs, Strengths, and Cultural Assessment Tools
Crisis and Safety Planning
Structured Weekly Schedule
Develop Family Team
Develop & Implement an Individualized Service Plan
ADVOCATE
MODEL
Paid “natural helpers” recruited from the same
communities as the youth and families
 Caring, Positive Adult Role Models
 Work with youth 5-30+ hrs/wk
 Implement the Individualized Service Plan
 Work in the home, school, community
 Coach, Mentor, and Model through real-time
experiential learning
 Help youth build competencies and
connections
 Available 24/7
ADVOCATES
AS CARING ADULTS
Mentoring can have positive outcomes
on:
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Social Competence
Reducing Risk Behaviors
Academic Achievement and
Engagement
Career Development/Employment
Parental Relationship
Self-Worth and Future Expectations
*Theokas & Lerner, 2006; **Rhodes, Spencer, Keller, Liang, & Noam, 2006; DuBois,
Holloway, Valentine, and Cooper, 2002
PARENTAL
ENGAGEMENT

Parents are involved in the Individualized Service
Plan development.

Parents are contacted face to face 2-3 x per week.

Advocate assists with navigating the communication
systems between schools and families.

Have more participation in their child's education.
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Transportation provided as needed.

Family and Team meetings.

Inform and educate parents as it relates to their
child's education.
PEACEFUL ALTERNATIVES TO
TOUGH SITUATIONS (PATTS)
Peaceful Alternatives to Tough Situations (PATTS) is a school-based
aggression management program designed to help students increase
positive conflict resolution skills, increase the ability to forgive
transgressions, and reduce aggressive behavior.
PATTS Curriculum Outline

Session #1 : Orientation & Nonviolent Role Models

Session #2 : Expressing Emotions & Seeking Support
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Session #3 : Anger Cues & Ways to Calm Down
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Session #4 : Responsibility & Self Control
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Session #5 : Soothing & Stinking Thinking
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Session #6 : Conflict Resolution Skills
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Session #7 : Forgiveness
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Session #8 : Violence & Your Future or Peer Refusal

Session #9 : Review & Graduation
• Elementary,
Middle School and
High School tracks
• Serving ages 8-18
W HAT M AKES YAP
U NIQUE?
24/7 staff
availability
No refusal
policy/no
eject/no reject
Flex fund to pay
for emergency
needs
Whatever it
takes approach
Zip code
recruitment of
staff
Paid advocate /
mentor works with
the student and
family
B ENEFITS OF YAP
TO S CHOOLS
Improved attendance
Improved grades and overall academic performance
Improved behavior inside and outside the classroom
Improved parent/caregiver engagement
Cost savings
ALLEGHENY COUNTY SCHOOLS
TRUANCY PROGRAM
 Services provided: Holistic Advocacy
 Goal: Permanent Truancy Elimination
 Target population: Currently serving approximately 36
school districts within Allegheny County, including all
inner-city schools. However, our contract is open to serve
all school districts throughout Allegheny County.
 Average Hours Per Week Per Client: 8-12
 Referring Authority: Children, Youth, and Families (CYF);
Montour School District
 Number Served Annually: 350-400
CHICAGO PUBLIC
SCHOOLS PROGRAM
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Services provided: truancy, gang intervention, advocacy,
family support, in classroom support, programming is very
specific to each school and the Principal’s needs.
Goal: The goals of our services reflect the needs of the
student population. We work closely with students, their
families and school administrators to develop quality service
plans for each student in our traditional advocate program.
Schools: 63 Chicago Public Schools, grades K-12.
Students served: average 10 hours per week in our
traditional advocate programs, our truancy and in-school
support programs vary based upon the school and students
needs.
Number served annually: 300 students via various contracts
with CPS.
FORT WORTH ISD
PROGRAM
Services Provided: Wrap-around advocacy/mentoring.
Goal: To minimize disciplinary and truancy issues while
increasing academic performance and parental engagement.
Target Population: Middle and high school students with
chronic absenteeism, disciplinary problems, academic
problems and lack of parental support.
Schools: J.P. Elder, Meacham and Kirkpatrick Middle Schools
and Diamond Hill-Jarvis and North Side High Schools.
Students served: 25 students at any given time for 5 hours per
week at the home, school and community settings.
Number Served Annually: 100 students per year.
Average length of stay in YAP is 90 days. The program is year
round.
FORT WORTH ISD
PROGRAM
S ERVICE D ELIVERY P ROCESS :

Strength-Based
Assessment

Family Team Meeting

Ongoing community
resource
development/linkages

Assign advocate (5 or
more hours per week)

Develop Individualized
Service Plan (ISP)

Plan for termination
from YAP

Advocate carries
out ISP goals

90 day termination

Follow up (3 and 6
month)

Attend weekly PATTS
groups

School visits as needed
LIFE DOMAIN AREAS
Safety
Financial
Legal
Family
Spiritual
Youth and
Family
Residence/
Community
Employment/
Community Svc.
Education
Personal/ Social
Medical/
Psychological
ADVOCATE PROGRAM
S TAFFING
Director
Assistant
Director/
Coordinator
Administrative
Manager
Advocate
• Hires, recruits and trains advocates
• Supervises advocates weekly
• Contract compliance
• Assists with intakes/Family Team Meetings
• Resource development
• Advocate supervision
• Processes and reviews paperwork
• Assists with payroll
• Office and file maintenance
• Carries out Individualized Service Plan (ISP)
• GED to PH.D.
• Builds rapport with student/family
STAFF
TRAINING

All staff receive 20 hrs of annual training

9 course Orientation Basic Advocacy Training certified
by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
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Engaging Families
Boundaries
Promoting Safety through Planning
Setting and Achieving Goals
Challenges to Change
Individual and Family Development and Dynamics
Positive Youth Development
Conflict Prevention and Intervention (Mandt)
STAFF
BACKGROUND CHECKS

IntelliCorp Background Checks
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Character References ( 3 professional and
2 work)
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Department of Motor Vehicles
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Sex Offender Registry
EXTERNAL
ACCOLADES

YAP is recognized as a Promising
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Annie E Casey Foundation
OJJDP
National Council on Crime and Delinquency
YAP is COA
services are:
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Practice
accredited, which means
Accessible
Appropriate
Culturally Responsive
Evidence based
Outcomes oriented
YAP E NDOWMENT F UND FOR
C ONTINUING E DUCATION

The Fund started awarding
scholarships in 2007

As of July 31, 2014 YAP has awarded
68 scholarships

Through the generosity of YAP staff
donations and fundraisers we have
raised over $1 million dollars!

Available to current and former YAP
clients and their parents.

Scholarships can be used for tuition, but also for
concrete needs. For example, we have paid for
books, bought cutlery for a recipient going to
culinary school, paid for tools and a tool box for a
student learning a trade, and purchased a
computer for a student.

Recipients may reapply annually as many times
as necessary
"Since Elementary
school I have had
a clear vision of
what I wanted to
do with my life.
That vision,
coupled with my
own struggles and
experiences, has
given rise to a
deep passion for
helping at-risk
youth…"
-excerpt from
Scholarship winner
Malcolm Robertson’s
Application letter
OUTCOMES
Chicago Public Schools 2012 Outcomes:

41% of Seniors enrolled graduated and went on to college

9% of Seniors enrolled earned a GED

8% of all enrolled graduated (not attending higher ed)

9% of all enrolled went on to college

32% re-enrolled in school
Allegheny County, PA Truancy Program 2012-2013 Outcomes:

85% attended school weekly between 3.0 days and 5.0 days

75% involved with the YAP Truancy Program were promoted to the next
grade level

5.59% Graduated from High School

8.6% earned a GED

20% honor roll achievement
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
Mary Merino, Director, TCAP NFW
mmerino@yapinc.org
817.505.7401
Gary Ivory, Southwest President
National Director of Program Development
givory@yapinc.org
214.417.7614
www.yapinc.org