Highlights of the Multiple Pathways Work Group Meeting

Nancy Jamison

Continuing to highlight the conversations, topics, and site visits from the Youth Transition Funders Group Meeting (see the YTFG Action Group and the Youth Justice Work Group for more information), below are the highlights of the Multiple Pathways to Graduation Work Group.

(FYI, the MPG Work Group focuses on ensuring that students graduate from high school. These students include those who may have disengaged from school before completing their diploma AND connecting to college and careers.)

Student Well-being and Education: Learning from the San Diego Unified School District

Becky Phillpott, Program Manager for Dropout Prevention, along with other administrators of the San Diego Unified School District, will discuss how the district is incorporating social-emotional learning, positive behavior interventions and supports, intensive mentoring, and other aspects of student well-being into the SDUSD school program in order to increase student connection to school and high school graduation rates.

Site Visit to Reality Changers

Reality Changers provides youth from disadvantaged backgrounds with the academic support, financial assistance, and leadership training to become first generation college students. The organization offers three programs, all aimed at preparing low-income students for college success:

• College Town, a program serving 220 students in grades 8-11
• College Apps Academy, a year-long college application program serving 300 12th grade graduates of College Town
• Alumni Network, which is tracking all graduates of College Town and College Apps Academy

Reality Changers, which has a staff of twenty-eight, serves hundreds of students each week. It operates with a policy of giving "no face time to negative behaviors," instead focusing on concrete "goals at the other end of the tightrope" for students in communities where very few have traditionally completed high school, let alone postsecondary education.Members of the MPG Workgroup are meeting with Founder and President Chris Yanov.

Site Visit to Transition Age Youth (TAY) Academy

TAY Academy is located at the SDYS Golden Hill Youth Center, a comprehensive and inclusive youth-led environment that offers resources and support to transition age youth (ages 14-25) on their journey to independence and self-sufficiency. The SDYS Golden Hill Youth Center is the largest of five local “drop-in” centers across the San Diego area that are led and governed by youth advisory boards that shape and staff skill-development workshops, fitness, nutrition, and educational classes in partnership with other community organizations. There are also support groups, leadership opportunities, and on-site connection coaches, who are youth leaders that connect their peers with available information and services.

TAY Academy is collectively funded by the San Diego Transition Age Youth Funders, a group of local grantmakers that support youth transitioning into adulthood through a focus on pregnant and parenting teens, youth aging out of foster care, homeless youth, and youth involved within the juvenile justice system. Services supported include assistance with mental health and substance addiction recovery, life-skills training and financial support, and services to increase enrollment in post-secondary education.

Discussion about San Diego’s Transition Age Youth

This discussion will be held with Melissa Gutierrez, Outreach Ambassador, Just in Time for Foster Youth; Tonya Torosian, CEO, Promises2Kids; Sharon Lawrence, President and CEO, Voices for Children; and Nancy Jamison, President/CEO, San Diego Grantmakers.