Youth Empowerment Source Inc

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SOURCE (YES) IS A NON-PROFIT AGENCY DEDICATED TO PROVIDING CRITICAL SUPPORTS TO CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN THE MID ATLANTIC REGION. WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON PREVENTION AND EDUCATION, YES EQUIPS YOUTH AND FAMILIES WITH THE TOOLS YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO REACH SUCCESSFUL ADULTHOOD.

DRUG FREE CECIL YOUTH COALITION- 46 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RECEIVED OVER THE COUNTER TRAINING (OTC) AND ARE PREPARED TO USE THE SKILLS AND THELESSON TO TEACH YOUNGER STUDENTS. DFCYC HAS THE INTENT TO GO INTO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE OTC TRAINING AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL INTHE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. 14 STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL AGED FROM CECIL COUNTY ATTENDED CADCA IN WASHINGTON, DC. THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTHTO MEET WITH OTHER COALITION YOUTH FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO DISCUSS PREVENTION AND LEARN FROM NATIONAL TRAINERS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON INTHE PREVENTION FOCUS ACROSS THE COUNTRY GIVING THE YOUTH AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR IDEAS AND THE WORK THEY ARE DOING. YOUTH ALSO HADTHE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THEIR CONGRESSMAN AND SENATOR TO TALK ABOUT PREVENTION EFFORTS IN THE COUNTY. NORTH EAST HIGH HOSTED A FIRSTTIME EVER SCIENCE PREVENTION FAIR, IN MARCH,WITH STUDENTS FROM 6TH - 12TH GRADE SUBMITTING PROJECTS. OVER 100 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE EVENTWHICH INCLUDED STUDENTS, PARENTS, ADULTS, 3 JUDGES AND GAVE EACH ENTRY AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THEIR PROJECT AND INFORM ATTENDEES ABOUTTHEIR PREVENTION EFFORTS. A YOUTH FROM NORTH EAST HIGH SCHOOL BECAME A SECTOR LEADER AND BEGAN ATTENDING MONTHLY COALITION MEETINGS TOPRESENT WORK OF THE DFCYC TO THE OTHER COALITION MEMBERS. THIS IS WITH THE SUPPORT OF CCPS WHICH ALLOWS HER TO ATTEND MEETINGS VIA ZOOMDURING THE SCHOOL DAY, SUPERVISED BY CPL HOOD. A DRUG PREVENTION SYMPOSIUM FOR THE FAITH BASED COMMUNITY WAS HELD IN MARCH WITH 3HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH PRESENTING, AND HAVING Q & A TIME TO FURTHER INFORM COMMUNITY MEMBERS ABOUT THE WORK THE YOUTH ARE DOING IN THEPREVENTION FIELD ON A WEEKLY, MONTHLY BASIS - AND ALL THE EVENTS THAT ARE SPONSORED THAT THEY LEAD AND ATTEND. PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HOSTEDVAPE TAKE BACK IN MARCH FOR A WEEK IN WHICH YOUTH TURNED IN VAPES AND/OR UNUSED OR PARTIALLY USED CARTRIDGES TO THE SCHOOL SRO AS WELL ASDFCYC STUDENTS IN RETURN FOR A $5 GIFT CARD. THIS WAS A WILDLY SUCCESSFUL EVENT. RISING SUN HIGH FOLLOWED SUIT AND ALSO DID A VAPE TAKE BACKWITH TREMENDOUS SUCCESS. MONTHLY PREVENTION CLUB MEETINGS ARE HELD IN ALL 5 HIGH SCHOOLS. OVER 1200 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEENIMPACTED THROUGH DFCYC ACTIVITIES IN THE FY22 SCHOOL YEAR.

DISCONNECTED YOUTH - ASSISTS YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGE OF 16 AND 24 YEARS OLD WHO HAVE NOT GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL OR GRADUATED AND ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A SUSTAIN EMPLOYMENT. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE PROVIDED GED ASSISTANCE, TRANSITIONAL LIFE SKILLS LESSONS, SOFT JOB SKILLS, A PAID INTERNSHIP AND VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR FUTURE. OVER 75 REFERRALS TO LEGACY PROGRAMS, YES COULD NOT ENROLL ALL THE STUDENTS LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE, MANY WERE REFERRED OUT. 25 INTAKES AND ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED. FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASSES WERE OFFERED AND COMPLETED. GED SEMINAR TOOK PLACE VIRTUALLY AND LIVE 2 DAYS A WEEK. STUDENTS WORKED ON PROGRAME ELEMENTS, NOT INCLUDING GED SEMINAR, 2 THANKSGIVING BASKETS, ANGEL TREE FOR CHRISTMAS, STUDENTS WITH CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN TOYS 4 TOTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. FIRST YEAR THAT CLIENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE "A" GAME VIRTUALLY, WORK AS A GROUP, AND TAKE ASSESSMENT ONLINE FOR A CERTIFICATE. PROVIDED CHROMEBOOKS AND HOTSPOTS TO CLIENTS AS WELL AS OTHER PROGRAM MATERIALS. ADVERTISING WITH MVA BROUGHT CONSIDERABLE VISIBILITY TO THE LEGACY PROGRAM.

CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS (COIP) - COIP IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO CHILDREN 5-17 WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE EFFECTS OF PARENTALINCARCERATION AND USES CASE MANAGEMENT, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, AND MEDIATION TO STRENGTHEN FAMILIES DEALING WITH THE IMPACTS OF INCARCERATION.DURING FY 22, 43 COIP CLIENTS, 231 LIFESKILLS LESSONS ADMINISTERED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, 780 CONTACTS MADE WITH STUDENTS/FAMILIES, 93% OFCLIENTS WERE COMPLIANT WITH ISP AT THE END OF YEAR, 96% OF CCDC PARTICIPANTS RATE THE NURTURING PARENTING PROGRAM AS EXCELLENT. 100% OFPARENTS/GUARDIANS REPORT A REDUCTION IN VERBAL AND PHYSICAL CONFLICT IN THE HOME, AS MEASURED BY THE YEAR-END SURVEY. SOME HIGHLIGHTS:STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED AND COMPLETED INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS LAST JULY AND AUGUST. ALL COIP CLIENTS RETURNED TO IN PERSON SCHOOL. 11 CLIENTSRECEIVED TURKEY BASKETS, SEVERAL CLIENTS REUNITED WITH THEIR PARENTS AFTER BEING RELEASED FROM INCARCERATION. CLIENTS RECEIVED GIFTS FROM ANGELTREE, AND A GRANDMOTHER WAS TREATED BY ANGEL TREE AS WELL. CLIENTS WHO REQUIRED ADDITIONAL SERVICES WERE LINKED TO THERAPEUTIC RESOURCESAND BEGAN ATTENDING. ALL BUT ONE CLIENT PASSED THEIR RESPECTIVE GRADE (THE ONE WHO FAILED HAD NOT BEEN ENROLLED IN YES LONGER THAN AMONTH).

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SOURCE WAS AWARDED A 5 YEAR GRANT FROM THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY IN FY 21. THE FORMERMARYLAND STRATEGIC PREVENTION FRAMEWORK GRANT ENDED AND THE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SOURCE UTILIZED THIS NEW FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDEUNDERAGE DRINKING AND TOBACCO PREVENTION. IN FY22, THIS FUNDING SUPPORTED CONTINUED RESPONSIBLE BEVERAGE SERVICE TRAINING 610 SERVERS,BARTENDERS AND MANAGERS IN CECIL COUNTY THROUGH 26 SESSIONS.THE STRIDE PROGRAM WAS FUNDED FOR 4 STUDENTS QUARTERLY, YES SERVED 31 THE ENTIRE YEAR WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING FROM OTHER RESOURCES. OFTHESE 31 STUDENTS 18 HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE. 19 STUDENTS COMPLETED LIFESKILLS LESSON - 18/19 - 95% SHOWED IMPROVEMENTIN OVERALL LIFESKILLS KNOWLEDGE WITH SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN DRUG RESISTANCE SKILLS. 100% OF STUDENTS' ATTENDANCE HAS INCREASED, AGAIN THROUGHWORKING ON RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE CASE MANAGERS WORKING THROUGH COPING SKILLS AS A WAY TO SUCCESS, WE HAVE SEEN MARKEDIMPROVEMENT IN BEHAVIOR AND ATTENDANCE. MANY STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH ANXIETY AS A RESULT OF THE ONGOING PANDEMIC. THE CLIENTS ANDFAMILIES WORKED TO REDUCE STRESS AND FIND WAYS TO SLOWLY RESUME NORMAL PRE-PANDEMIC ACTIVITIES. STUDENTS HAVE SHOWN CONSIDERABLE GRIT ANDRESILIENCE IN ORDER TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AND OVERALL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.