Volume 4, No.
1
April 2003
| News from Intercultural Family Services, Inc. | ||||
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Investment in youth - “I believe the children are our future—teach them well and let them lead the way.”
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IFSI's New Youth Program
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By Audrey Dean
In their continuous efforts to improve the lives of children, IFSI has started a new youth program. The Youth Pre-Employment Program (YPEP) differs from the agency’s other programs in that through training and internships at area businesses and organizations, youth ages 14 to 18 years old are able to gain valuable work experience.
Last year,
with funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry,
the YPEP began as a pilot. Now, with additional funds received from
the Philadelphia Youth Network, it is fully operational and headed
by Peter Saunders, Director of Youth Developmental Services. Saunders,
who has a master’s degree in elementary education, has a special
interest in working with young people. After teaching in the
Philadelphia School District for four years, he began working in
IFSI’s Behavioral Health Center as a TSS (Therapeutic Staff Support)
and outpatient therapy with youth. He then worked as a clinical
supervisor in the Youth and Family Development Program (YFDP) prior
to taking over the YPEP. Program
Coordinator De’Anna Bond and Case Manager Danielle Hibbard are staff
members supporting this promising effort. Contractors are assigned
to teach life skills, reading and math. Recreation Aides assist by
maintaining charts and acting as teachers’ aides. In addition
to job placement, the year-round program provides basic skills,
life/employment skills training and educational development through
vocational instruction. Currently, 20 students are in job placement, working primarily with the elderly in nursing homes, while some work at insurance companies and other organizations. Most students in the Youth Pre-Employment Program live in Southwest or West Philadelphia, attend school and meet the Department of Labor and Industry’s income guidelines. They also receive a small stipend. “The Youth Employment Program is helpful in gaining job skills, enhancing your grades and provides mentorship” states participant Sha’ Donna Howell who is currently a 10th grade student at Overbrook High School.
Peter
Saunders has ambitious plans for the YPEP. “We hope to involve more
kids. Our capacity for the PYN (Philadelphia Youth Network) is 30.
We hope to expand that to 50. Thirty of those 50 are PYN kids. The
others are from the Department of Labor and Industry’s program.” Ms. Bond
recruits the students and coordinates and implements YPEP’s daily
activities. “It’s been a challenging situation for me,” she said.
Bond came to IFSI in 1999 as a Performing Arts/Modeling Specialist
for the Youth and Family Development Program and summer camp. After
graduating from Temple University last year, she was hired by IFSI
as a case manager for YFDP and soon was promoted to her position in
the YPEP. She
explained YPEP’s “strong discipline structure.” Students are given a
diagnostic assessment in math, reading and life skills; then they
are broken up into three different groups based on test scores.
Records are kept of their report cards, which enable the staff to
monitor their ongoing improvement. When the students come to YPEP
after school, they must first complete their homework assignments
before beginning training. The
training component of the program is 12-weeks, five days a week, for
2-1/2 hours a day. Lillian Smith, Regional Center Administrator at
Community College of Philadelphia (CCP), has been a big supporter of
the YPEP and approved the training to take place at CCP’s West
Regional Center at 46th and Chestnut Streets. Students
use CCP’s classrooms, computer rooms and auditorium. After the
training has been completed, students are placed in a work site for
13 weeks. “They’re learning not only from the program, but also from
their business. The work site does evaluations on each child,” said
Bond. “Most of
the jobs we get reflect their interests. We try to give them
opportunities, a different experience. Students also participate in
one monthly cultural trip a year. Last year 25 finished the program.
Currently there are 53 enrolled. I think it’s a good experience for
them,” said Bond. As YPEP participant Rahim Bey a 9th grade student
at West Philadelphia High School sums it up “The youth program helps
us get good work experience and teaches us how to present ourselves
at work sites and on interviews.” Once the program is finished in the summer, students have to design a Youth Resource Guide. They’re required to research information on secondary education, GEDs and grant scholarship programs. The students are primarily African-American, but IFSI is trying to recruit from other ethnic groups, and teaches those in the program to learn and appreciate diversity. What do the students enrolled in YPEP think of the program? “The Youth Employment Program is helpful in gaining job skills, enhancing your grades and provides mentorship” states Sha’Donna Howell a 10th grader at Overbrook High School. |
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IFSI
Kicks Off It's First
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By Audrey Dean
Great entertainment and good food added to the excitement of the
event, which offered something for everyone: Many vendors offered
gift baskets, household or other items, food, even makeup for women.
Children proudly displayed their painted faces, and several toddlers
happily danced to the music emanating from the many groups that
performed.
Board Chairman Henry C. Fader, enjoying the delicious food,
explained IFSI’s mission as “… to help people in the community. We
take a multicultural approach in breaking down barriers between
people. We provide a number of social services, behavioral health
services, to people that live in our community. Today’s event is to
connect us closer to our multicultural community. We think that a
lot of people will come here and have a good time and understand
more about Intercultural and more about what some of our helping
organizations provide.”
Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell was the Special Guest Speaker to
kick off the festivities. Councilwoman Blackwell has been a
long-standing supporter of IFSI and its tireless efforts to service
the multi-ethnic populations in West Philadelphia.
Several sponsors of the festival were quick to praise IFSI for its
longstanding history of providing quality service to families and
individuals in the community.
Andrew Brazington, secretary of the board with United American Indians of Delaware Valley introduced Chief George Hines, who thanked IFSI for their support for the last three years. Brazington added, “Today is a day of celebration. Today is to celebrate all different ethnic groups across the city, coming together here with IFSI.” The entertainment was truly diverse. African dancers and a stilt walker performed, a gospel choir gave several rousing renditions of spirituals, a drill team showed its skills; there were two gracefully executed dances by a young Chinese girl and Filipino dancers demonstrated their artistry by ballet-like dances.
Sponsors of the event were Keystone Mercy Health Plan, Commerce
Bank, The Amoore Group, Central City Toyota, Drexel University, Hege
Kramer Connell Murphy & Goldkamp, University of Pennsylvania, Campus
Copy Center and Spruce Hill Association. CEO Evelyn Marcha-Hidalgo thanked the festival goers for attending what was surely a successful and enjoyable event. |
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IFSI Annual Staff Holiday Party
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Service Awards were given to four IFSI staff members
during the agency’s Annual Staff Holiday Party. The event took place
on Saturday, December 14, and was held in IFSI’s auditorium, which was
transformed into a celestial ballroom to reflect ILaura Reed, 12 years; ITracy Tann, 5 years; and ITi-Yu Zou, 5 years.
Dancing followed the awards ceremony and dinner. Many
of the dancers stayed on the floor until the music ended at midnight. Myra Brown, Director of Human Resources and External Affairs and Migdalia Rodriguez, SCOH Supervisor co-chaired the event. Enthused over the successful event, Ms. Brown said, “It’s a pleasure to see our staff let their hair down once in a while.” |
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IFSI Celebrates Children At Its Annual Holiday Party
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IFSI is proud to announce the opening of our South Philadelphia
satellite office located at 1108-20 S. 5th Street, 19147, on the lower level of the Greater
Philadelphia Overseas Chinese Association building. Presently, the South Philadelphia office is used to provide therapeutic services, case management, academic enhancement, recreation and leadership development activities in our Youth and Family Development Program (YFDP) for Department of Human Services (DHS)’ referred at-high-risk for delinquency youth residing the neighborhood of South Philadelphia. Since its opening, IFSI has also used this site to better serve the ethnically diverse consumers of our many programs, including Preventing HIV/AIDS in Asian Communities through Education (PHACE), Enhancing Parenting Skills workshops, and Housing Counseling. |
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