PROMOTING POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS
OF COURT-INVOLVED YOUTH
Sophia Morel, CASES
Hector Rivera, Our Piece of the Pie, Inc.
Yelena Nemoy, National Youth Employment Coalition
The Corps Network 2014 National Conference ▪ February 11, 2014 ▪ Washington, DC
ABOUT THE NATIONAL YOUTH EMPLOYMENT
COALITION
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NATIONAL MEMBER NETWORK established in 1979.
MISSION: improve the effectiveness of
organizations that help youth become productive
citizens.
MEMBERS: direct service providers, researchers,
policymakers, advocates, intermediaries and
technical assistance providers from across the
nation.
OUR WORK: NYEC promotes youth centered
quality standards; monitors, proposes and
influences policy decisions, and convenes
professional development opportunities.
POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS INITIATIVE
PILOT initiative supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Nellie Mae
Education Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations.
SUPPORTS a network of CBOs in engaging disconnected youth onto a path leading
to postsecondary attainment and employment at a living wage.
PARTNERS: Jobs For The Future, YouthBuild USA, The Corps Network, and
Brandeis University Center for Youth and Communities.
REPORT: Promoting Postsecondary Success of Court-Involved Youth: Lessons From
the NYEC Postsecondary Success Pilot.
http://nyec.org/content/documents/NYEC_Court_Involved_Youth_Postsecondary_Final_May_2013.pdf
FEATURED SITES: CASES (New York, NY); College Initiative (New York, NY); ISUS,
Inc. (Dayton, OH); Los Angeles Conservation Corps (CA); My Turn, Inc. (Brockton,
MA); Our Piece of the Pie, Inc. (Hartford, CT); X-Cel, Inc. (Boston, MA).
CONTEXT: MASS INCARCERATION
TOTAL: 1 in 34 Americans under correctional control in 2011.1
YOUTH: 70,792 in juvenile facilities in 2010.2
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT: African American youth are five times
more likely, and Latino youth are twice as likely, to be confined than
White youth.3
DISCONNECTION: Only 30% of youth exiting residential facilities are
working or in school within 12 months of release. 4
1. Glaze, L. and Parks, E. (2011). Correctional Population in the United States 2011. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
2, 3 . The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2013). Kids Count Data Snapshot: Reducing Youth Incarceration in the United States. Baltimore, MD.
4. Altschuler, D., Stangler, G., Berkley, K., and Burton, L. (2009). Supporting Youth in Transition to Adulthood: Lessons Learned from Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice.
IMPACTS OF INCARCERATION
INDIVIDUAL
COMMUNITY
SOCIETY
▪ Loss of
opportunity
▪ Psychosocial
impacts
▪ 93% will return
to their
communities1
▪ $75 billion spent
on corrections in
20082
▪ 50% will return
to prison within 3
years3
1. New York State Bar Association. (2006). Re-Entry and Reintegration: Report and Recommendations of the Special Committee on Collateral Consequences of Criminal
Proceedings. New York, Albany.
2. Schmitt, J., Warner, K., and Gupta, S. (2010). The High Budgetary Cost of Incarceration. Washington, D.C.: Center for Economic and Policy Research.
3. Gorgol, L.E. and Sponsler, B.A. (2011). Unlocking Potential: Results of a National Survey of Postsecondary Education in State Prisons. Washington, D.C.: Institute for Higher
Education Policy.
WHY EDUCATION?
YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT
▪ Future options
▪ Diversion
▪ Transformative
power of education
ECONOMIC
MOBILITY
PUBLIC
SAFETY
▪ By 2018, 63% of
new jobs will
require
postsecondary
credentials1
▪ College enrollment,
higher education
spending associated
with reduction in
violent crime2
1. Carnevale A. P., Smith, N., Strohl, J. (2010). Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Center
on Education and the Workforce. Retrieved from http://www9.georgetown.edu/grad/gppi/hpi/cew/pdfs/FullReport.pdf.
2. Page, A., Petteruti, A., Walsh, N., and Ziedenber, J. (2007). Education and Public Safety. Washington, D.C.: The Justice Policy Institute.
PSI FRAMEWORK
BACK ON TRACK THREE-PHASE MODEL (JOBS FOR THE FUTURE)
Enriched Preparation
Integrates high quality college-ready instruction with strong
academic and social supports
Postsecondary Bridging
Builds college-ready skills and provides informed transition
counseling
First Year Supports
Offers appropriate supports in first year to ensure postsecondary
persistence and success
BARRIERS TO SUCCESS & INTERVENTIONS
INTERNAL BARRIERS
 Psychosocial impacts of stigmatization
 “College is not for me”
 Gaps in academic readiness, college knowledge
PROMISING PRACTICES & INTERVENTIONS
 Peer Mentoring: connect to positive peer models and networks
 College Going Culture: reinforce belief in possibility of success
 Social Capital: build personal assets, resources, networks,
relationships
 Academic Support & College Navigation: provide tutoring, assist
with college-related tasks
BARRIERS TO SUCCESS & INTERVENTIONS
EXTERNAL BARRIERS
 Lack of resources, employment
 Criminal records
 Supervision requirements
 Financial aid eligibility
PROMISING PRACTICES
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Intensive Case Management: provide adult support, interventions
Sealing and Expunging Juvenile Records: improve employment prospects
Hands-on Learning and Work Experiences: develop workforce skills
Partnerships: increase resources available to students
PROMISING PRACTICES: EXAMPLES
ACADEMIC SUPPORTS:
PARTNERSHIPS:
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LA Corps: academic coaching / tutoring program
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All sites: community colleges
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CASES, College Initiative: college prep program
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X-Cel: Accuplacer prep and testing
LA Corps: providers of mental health, housing,
legal aid
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College Initiative: NY Department of Corrections
CASE MANAGEMENT:
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Our Piece of the Pie: positive youth development
approach
CASES: education-focused
COLLEGE GOING CULTURE:
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All sites: early conversations about college;
exposure to college materials and information;
college tours; and college and career panels
HANDS-ON LEARNING:
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LA Corps: internships, workforce training programs
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ISUS: stackable credentials
PEER MENTORING:
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College Initiative: CI Mentors
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X-Cel: cohorting
SEALING JUVENILE RECORDS:
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ISUS: court advocate
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X-Cel: CBO partner can check, seal records
SOCIAL CAPITAL:
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College Initiative: mentors provide connections to
resources, networks
Sophia Morel, Director
Youth Education Services, CASES
CASES Youth Programs
Diversion
Programs
(court-mandated)
Shared
Services
• a six-month alternative to incarceration
• an alternative to juvenile detention
• participants have Supreme Court cases in
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx
• participants have Family Court cases in
Manhattan
Career
Exploration
• provides job-readiness
training and subsidized
internships in the
community
Civic Justice Corps
Voluntary
Programs
Choices ATD
Court Employment Project
• serves youth with previous
juvenile justice system
involvement
• provides case
management, education
services, and service
learning opportunities
HSE Preparation
Program
•Instruction in
preparation for
HSE exam
Justice Scholars
• serves previously courtinvolved youth annually
• provides case
management, education
services, and community
referrals
Next Steps Postsecondary Initiative
• Enroll, retain and support
participants in college
Queens Justice Corps
• serves previously courtinvolved youth from
Southeast Queens annually
• provides case
management, education
services, internships and
service learning
opportunities
NEXT STEPS SUPPORTS
Financial Supports
Monthly car fare, cafeteria vouchers, books, debt relief, tuition assistance
Social Supports
On-going case management, recreational activities, leadership workshops,
celebratory events
Academic Supports
On-site tutoring, registration advisement, on-site computer lab w/ printer,
academic counseling
NEXT STEPS PROGRAM MODEL
Diploma attainment
HSE
HS
Academic preparation Pre College
College Prep Class
Individual sessions
Applications
Admissions
FAFSA/TAP
College Enrollment
EMPLOYMENT SERVICES
Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)
Next Steps students participated were placed in individual placements rather than
the traditional group placement.
This was a summer retention strategy
15 of the 18 Next Steps students enrolled in college from Fall 2013
Largest group to persist from Spring to Fall semester
On-going Employment services:
School Year: as needed employment counseling and job placement
Winter Break: Work Readiness workshops, preparing for Work Study, planning
for coming semester
Summer Break: SYEP and other summer internship opportunities
SYEP Job Profiles of Next Steps Participants
Shaquanna: CCA “Soul Sisters”
 Interest in obtaining MSW
 Participated in training to learn how
to mentor at-risk girls
 Was a counselor at the summer
institute for girls
Hector Rivera
Chief Operating Officer, Our Piece of the Pie
OUR PIECE OF THE PIE (OPP) OVERVIEW
Mission: To help urban youth become economically independent
adults
The OPP Model:
Youth
Development
Academics
Workforce
Development
OPP Priority Populations:
Foster Care
Juvenile Justice/ Court Involved
Over Aged/Under Credited
OUR PIECE OF THE PIE (OPP) OVERVIEW
OPP Service Settings
Communities:
Central CT
Eastern CT
High Schools:
Opportunity High School (Hartford, CT)
The Learning Academy (Bloomfield, CT)
Briggs High School (Norwalk, CT)
PATH Academy Charter School (Opening August 2014, Windham, CT)
Community Colleges:
Capital Community College (Multiple Career Tracks, Hartford, CT)
Asnunutck Community College (Manufacturing Track, Enfield, CT)
OUR PIECE OF THE PIE (OPP) OVERVIEW
Our Piece of the Pie Historical Performance:
82% of our In School Youth (ISY) graduate on time
77% of our High School graduates enroll in Postsecondary Ed.
61% of those who enroll in Postsecondary Ed. obtain a Postsecondary
credential
81% of those place in employment retain employment for 12 months or
more
Additional Our Piece of the Pie’s Organizational Capacity:
Research & Evaluation
Performance Management
Data Mapping & Metrics
Talent Development
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM DESIGN &
PRACTICE
PROGRAM DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION
 Integrate secondary education, postsecondary education, and workforce
development
 Identify service gaps and comprehensive service approaches (State, local, and
other CBO)
 Identify and retain the right staff to work with this population (staff development)
PRACTICE
 Set expectations
 Programmatic consistency and flexibility
 Programmatic dosage
 Support academic and college readiness and career planning
 Provide legal resources and support
 Promote peer mentoring
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY & SYSTEMS
CHANGE
POLICY & SYSTEMS CHANGE
 Support multiple pathways to and through secondary and
postsecondary
 Support comprehensive programs that serve court-involved youth
but do not exclusively focus on this population
 Maintain and increase investment in programs
 Facilitate cross-system communication (strategic partnering)
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Sophia Morel, Director, Youth Education Services, CASES
smorel@cases.org
Hector Rivera, Chief Operating Officer, Our Piece of the Pie, Inc.
Hector.Rivera@opp.org
Yelena Nemoy, Project Manager, NYEC
yn@nyec.org