Hearts to Nourish
Hope, Inc.
Alternative Education
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Evening Reporting Center | Community Service
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Our youth assist us in developing and planning our programs by offering feedback and suggesting new program components. Program evaluation is provided by each student. Youth insure that we address cultural diversity within our programs. Students complete surveys when they leave the program describing what they learned.
Daily logs are maintained for each young person. Goals are set and youth track themselves on their progress. Each student meets with an advisor at least once a month, plus the staff write up monthly assessments on each participant.
The purpose of the Alternative Education Center is to provide opportunities for high risk youth who have little to no chance to gain an education or to develop a career plan for their future. We first show that they do have a choice for a positive future, get them to believe in it and give them the tools and support to achieve their dreams.
Another major initiative is Hearts to Nourish Hope's paid job internship program, called the Workforce Initiatives. A major problem keeping youth from pursuing an education is their need for money to meet their financial obligations. When their work schedule interferes with their schooling, these youth usually believe they have no choice but to choose their job first, because they must have money to survive. When we could offer them the opportunity to work while continuing their education, it made such a positive difference in their lives.
Parent support is an important component of any work with youth. One level of parenting skills training is provided by the Clayton Extension Service. If further training is needed, it is provided by the Clayton Center.
Young people arrested for more serious crimes often are housed in a Youth Detention Center for several weeks between their arrest and the adjudication process. Hearts now provides an Evening Reporting Center for this population.
Punishment may result in the suppression of bad behavior, but no real substantial change occurs in an individual unless new, positive behaviors are acquired. Good habits must replace bad habits. Community service