w chester u presentation

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Why Are We Here?

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Why Are We Here?

• Information about the Coatesville Youth Initiative

• Our role in the community,

• The purpose of the organization

• How we get work done in the community

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CYI MissionTo foster collaboration among community residents, youth, area businesses, nonprofit and county agencies, youth-serving organizations, and the Coatesville Area School District to enhance the knowledge and skills of our youth as a means to build strong character so they may reach their fullest potential.

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CYI Four Primary Goals#1

To foster trust, cooperation and collaboration among community stakeholders residing in or serving the Greater Coatesville area around a mutually agreed-upon vision, goals and objectives that support youth and young adults.

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To increase networking and communication among all youth and young adult services planning and delivery entities.

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To increase the coordination and utilization of youth and young adults resources.

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To build a continuum of resources that serve youth and young adults in a comprehensive manner.

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CYI Role in The Community

• How We Accomplish our Primary Goals.

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CYI Four Primary Goals#1 - To foster trust, cooperation and collaboration among community stakeholders residing in or serving the Greater Coatesville area around a mutually agreed-upon vision, goals and objectives that support youth and young adults.

Build relationships between agencies and organizations• Get people talking and working together - how• Get people thinking about collaboration - how• Build trust - how

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CYI Four Primary Goals#2 - To increase networking and communication among all youth and young adult services planning and delivery entities.

Build relationships between agencies and organizations• Get people talking and working together - how• Get people thinking about collaboration - how• Build trust - how

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CYI Four Primary Goals#3 - To increase the coordination and utilization of youth and young adults resources.

Provide information about youth resources and services available in the greater Coatesville community

• Provide credible, relevant information• Connect people to community resources and information to meet the

needs of their clients • Example: Calls from JPO to help youth connect with others in their

community

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CYI Four Primary Goals#4 - To build a continuum of resources that serve youth and young adults in a comprehensive manner.

• Serve as the training ground for youth to develop the skills necessary to be productive adults

• Provide youth opportunities to develop• Leaderships skills• Life skills: responsibility, dependability, self-motivation, self-

reliance, decision making, and a sense of personal control • 21st Century Skills: time management; oral and written

communication; solving, gathering and analyzing information; team work, public speaking

• Decreased involvement in risky behaviors: better academic achievement, increased involvement in pro-social activities, improved school attendance, just to name a few

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Working Groups

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Pathways Beyond High School WG

Description: The Pathways Beyond High School working group ensures students and their families have access to the information they need to effectively matriculate through the CASD and get to high school graduation with a plan. A special focus is placed on students not currently utilizing and/or attending the events provided by the CASD (i.e. Higher Education Night, 8th/9th grade Course Selection Night, Open House, FASFA Night, PHEAA Night, Back to School Nights).

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Strategies and Goals:

Provide youth and their caregivers access to the resources and information needed to make informed decisions for future success. Create opportunities for youth and young adults to identify career interests, establish personal goals, and begin preparing for future success ( i.e. local career and college fairs, workshops on preparing for your future, career and skill assessment opportunities). Involve parents, building on evidence that parent connectedness to schools impacts adolescent health and risk-taking behaviors, perhaps by organizing family nights at middle schools (i.e. family night out, parent forums, family expo, workshops).

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Objectives: Objective 1: Increase awareness of post-secondary educational opportunities including but not limited to 2 year, 4 year, vocational training, and work readiness programs

Objective 2: Increase knowledge of personal career aspirations to assist in making informed decisions when planning for life beyond high school

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Objectives: Objective 3: Increase life skills (i.e. budgeting, time management, goal setting, resume writing, etc.) and awareness in preparation for self-sufficiency and independence Objective 4: Develop and implement summer ServiceCorps program for 30 teens to develop job skills, leadership skills, and value of community involvement.

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Project Example: DCCC & Coatesville Area School District would partner with DCCC on the following:

• DCCC will offer a financial aid workshop in the Spring (April or May)

• There will also be a DCCC night on the high school campus

• DCCC is willing to proctor the placement testing at the campus

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Project Example: Partnership between all three entities (DCCC, CYI, and CASD):

• Offer the previous listed opportunities to the broader community.

• DCCC Open House

• DCCC Tour

• College prep program

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Coatesville Juvenile Justice Collaborative

Description: The Juvenile Justice Collaborative provides youth with an opportunity to expand their network of support and connect with programs and services designed to develop skills (life, workplace) and promote educational experiences to prepare them for adulthood.

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The Coatesville Juvenile Justice Collaborative decided mentoring is the strategy it will undertake to divert young people at risk of becoming engaged in the juvenile justice system, and help those already in the system successfully reintegrate into school and the community.

• To prevent youth from getting involved in the juvenile justice system

• Connect youth with the support and resources need to successfully come back to their family, school, and community after placement.

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Objectives: Objective 1: Improve communication between and build relationships with service providers, law enforcement, and youth and their families.

Objective 2: Create opportunities for youth to channel their natural leadership abilities, skills, gifts, and talents into positive community-based programs and activities.

Objective 3: Provide youth and their families with appropriate support to make informed decisions regarding post-secondary educational, vocational, and/or work-readiness opportunities.

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Project Examples: Chester County Juvenile Probation, Child and Family Focus, Children, Youth and Families, Department of Human Services, Magistrate Judge Gregory Hines, Domestic Violence of Chester County, Chester County Youth Detention Center, and Community Residents would partner on the following:

• Coatesville Youth Mentoring Program

• Family and Caregiver Resource Network

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Out of School Time Task Force

Description: The Coatesville Youth Initiative Out-of-School Time Taskforce was formed to foster collaboration and develop a network of out-of-school time program and activities working together to coordinate programming, communication and scheduling.

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• Compile and continuously update a directory of youth programs and activities taking place in the greater Coatesville community

• Serve as ambassadors for the Out-of-School Time Taskforce to engage all identified youth serving organizations and get them connected to the group

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• Produce a greater Coatesville program and activity brochure no more than three (3) times per year

• Regularly survey youth serving organizations actively involved in the OST Group to determine the most appropriate training and workshops topics, designed to strengthen the capacity of the organizations and staff

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Objectives: Objective 1: Build partnerships with and among local youth serving organizations who meet regularly to coordinate program offerings and increase the availability of programs and activities.

Objective 2: Strengthen the capacity of out-of-school time program staff and volunteers to improve service delivery.

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Project Examples:

• Program Guides---completed twice a year

• United Way Center for Youth Development Training (Program Development, Program Management, Budgeting, Grant Proposal Writing)

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CYI Youth Council – Game Changers

Description: The Coatesville Youth Council (The Game Changers) is a group of middle and high school students attending Coatesville Area School District schools (CASD) who are inspired and poised to carry our community toward a positive future.

The Coatesville Youth Council is a platform for youth and young adults to vocalize their thoughts, ideas, and concerns. The Game Changers will guide the development of programs and activities that directly and indirectly benefit students in grades 7-12 in the CASD and actively participate in the Coatesville Youth Initiative. They are the faces of today and the leaders of tomorrow.

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CYI Youth Council – Game Changers

Strategies Goals and Objectives:

• Assess the needs of the community, specific to young people. Annually, the Youth Council will hold focus groups with community stakeholders, middle and high school students to gather input on the assets, needs, and gaps that exist in the community and establish the agenda for the year.

• Be the youth voice. Voice the needs and concerns of youth in the greater Coatesville community and implement projects and/or activities to address them.

• Set the agenda for youth. This group of young people will work closely with the City of Coatesville administration, youth serving organizations, and school officials to set the agenda for youth in the community.

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A Key to Success

Implementing an effective and strategic process.

Communities That Care

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The Five Phases

1. Getting Started2. Organizing, Introducing,

Involving3. Developing a Community Profile4. Creating A Community Action

Plan5. Implementing & Evaluating the

Community Action Plan

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Where we are. What we’ve done.Phase – 2: Organizing, Introducing, Involving

• Engage Key Leaders – Select & Orient

• Develop Community Board – Select & Orient

• Educate and involve community in the CTC process – Vision statement, inform, involve, repeat.

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What’s Next?Phase – 3: Developing a Community Profile

•Community Assessment

•Community Resource Assessment

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What’s Next?Community Assessment

• Collect and analyze Risk & Protective Factor data – PAYS Data• Facilitate the prioritization process• Collect and analyze archival data• Create a list of priority R&P factors• Report accomplishments & findings

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What’s Next?Community Resource Assessment

• Develop an inventory of existing community programs, policies & practices

• Create a map or list of the locations of resources in the community

• Assess existing resources• Identify gaps• Report accomplishments and findings• Design and plan an evaluation of the Community Action Plan

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How Did We Get Here?

In July 2008, the Brandywine Health Foundation asked the Urban Ventures Group, Inc. to facilitate a 12-month community planning process as part of the Coatesville Youth Development Initiative.

Community planning process

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CYI Accomplishments

• Over the course of the 12-month planning process the following tasks were accomplished with the support, participation and/or input from the steering committee.

• Completed a scan of existing youth programs and activities that includes a brief programmatic description of the types of youth programs offered (numbers of staff, hours of operation, number and ages of youth served, and locations of program services).

• Developed a mission statement and goals for the CYI


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CYI Accomplishments

• Completed the community profile of youth and young adults in Coatesville, providing quantitative data on the well-being of youth and young adults within four key areas: (1) demographics and household characteristics; (2) educational and employment characteristics; (3) health and well-being; and (4) public safety.

• Coordinated a group site visit to The Garage, a community and youth center in Kennett Square, with members of the steering committee and a handful of youth to observe their program. The visit provided stakeholders with the opportunity to learn best practices and to see firsthand how another organization addressed the needs of youth.


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CYI Accomplishments

• Conducted in-person interviews and focus groups with a broad representation of stakeholders to obtain their input on the concerns, issues and needs of youth. The planning team worked with Coatesville School District administrators to organize focus groups with middle- and high-school students at their schools and with local organizations providing workforce readiness to gather perspectives from young adults.

• Convened a series of facilitated working meetings to guide steering committee members through structured discussions to develop a set of targeted priority areas, along with supporting tasks to accomplish those priorities.


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Rough Obstacles/Challenges… Thus Opportunities for Growth

• Residents are distrustful of anything new or different. Community residents were initially reluctant to get involved with the CYI. So many programs have come and gone…that people were frustrated, distrustful, and reluctant to get involved.

• Listening to the concerns and needs of people, building relationships, and making ourselves available (volunteering, etc.) is the key to building trust.

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• Perception is reality. We are working in a community that is often forgotten…until something bad happens. Coatesville is vilified in the Daily Local News and in many conversations throughout Chester County. There is an assumption that residents don’t want to work, parents don’t care, and the youth in our community won’t amount to anything. This is untrue.

• Coatesville residents are proud, resilient, and protective of their rich history. Respecting and appreciating this fact …is the first step in relationship building.


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• Agencies were used to working in their silos. There are wonderful, well intentioned volunteers, agencies and organizations in this community. In many of the youth serving organizations, staff volunteer and spend money out of their own pockets to provide programming. Unfortunately, staff members are often very territorial. They are afraid to collaborate for fear of losing youth and/or resources.

• This was a great opportunity for the CYI to step in and create opportunities for youth serving organizations to get to know one another, build relationships, trust, and ultimately begin working together.


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Most Meaningful• Listening with your whole heart is critical. The CYI staff spends a great deal

of time just listening. Listening without judgment, asking critical questions to clarify what is being shared, and making ourselves available to anyone with a passion for youth.

• Youth in this community are talented, creative, and resourceful. It’s been amazing getting to know young people in the community. Providing youth the opportunity to learn new skills and practice them in the community is critical. CYI spends a great deal of time being thoughtful and strategic…to creative opportunities for youth to be engaged in this process.

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How We are Funded!

• Receive funding from local foundations, county and state level agencies

• In-kind donations from other agencies and organizations

• General Fundraising – Festive 5K

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CYI Vision for Coatesville• Youth reaching their fullest potential

• Daring the dream again

• A generation of engaged, poised, and trained leaders ready to move this community to the next level.

• Community residents proud

• Change in the mindset of youth, families, agencies, and anyone serving this community.

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Contact Information

Chaya Scott , Director610-380-9080 Ext. 106

[email protected]

Jarvis Berry, Mobilizer610-380-9080 Ext. 105

[email protected]

Coatesville Youth Initiative50 South 1st Avenue

Coatesville, PA 19320

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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