Fresh Lifelines For Youth Inc

FRESH LIFELINES FOR YOUTH'S (FLY) MISSION IS TO PREVENT JUVENILE CRIME AND INCARCERATION THROUGH LEGAL EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING.

FLY LAW PROGRAM IN THE FLY LAW PROGRAM, OUR STAFF AND CAREFULLY RECRUITED, HIGHLY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS TEACH A FUN, INTERACTIVE 8- TO 12-WEEK COURSE USING OUR NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEGAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM, WHICH COVERS RELEVANT TOPICS SUCH AS POLICE ENCOUNTERS,ACCOMPLICE LIABILITY, THREE STRIKES, THEFT, VANDALISM, DRUGS, GANGS, AND POLICE ARRESTS. THE LAW CURRICULUM IS INTERESTING AND ENGAGING TO THE YOUTH, AND IS ALSO AN EXCELLENT VEHICLE FOR US TO TEACH CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS LIKE ANGER MANAGEMENT, PROBLEM SOLVING, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, AND RESISTING NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE. EVERYTHING IS TAUGHT IN A NONJUDGMENTAL MANNER WITH NO STIGMA IS ATTACHED, WHICH MAKES THE YOUTH MORE WILLING TO LEARN. MID-WAY THROUGH THE SEMESTER, YOUTH TAKE A FIELD TRIP TO A LOCAL UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL WHERE THEY TOUR THE CAMPUS AND ACT OUT A MOCK TRIAL IN THE MOOT COURTROOM. THE LAW PROGRAM CLASSES ARE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CENTERS, JUVENILE HALLS, AND JUVENILE CAMPS AND RANCHES. FLY LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM TARGETS YOUTH WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CHALLENGES OR BARRIERS THAT COULD LEAD TO INVOLVEMENT IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT. FLY SUPPORTS THEM IN BUILDING THE SKILLS AND ATTITUDES THEY NEED TO LIVE A CRIME-FREE, SELF-SUFFICIENT LIFE. THE PROGRAM KICKS OFF WITH A THREE-DAY WILDERNESS RETREAT THAT ENABLES YOUTH TO BREAK AWAY FROM NEGATIVE INFLUENCES AND STRESSES IN ORDER TO BEGIN BONDING WITH FLY STAFF AND PEERS AND DEVELOPING TRUST AND TEAMWORK SKILLS. YOUTH THEN MEET BI-MONTHLY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN GROUP SETTINGS AND TO DESIGN SERVICE LEARNING PROJECTS IN WHICH THEY GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. EACH LEADERSHIP YOUTH RECEIVES INTENSIVE COACHING FROM A FLY CASE MANAGER TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THEIR GREATEST BARRIERS TO LIVING A HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE LIFE. COURT APPOINTED FRIEND AND ADVOCATE MENTOR PROGRAM FLY'S CAFA MENTOR PROGRAM PAIRS CARING, TRAINED ADULT VOLUNTEERS WITH YOUTH ON PROBATION FOR A YEAR-LONG MENTORING RELATIONSHIP. BEFORE THEY ARE MATCHED WITH A YOUTH, CAFA MENTORS COMPLETE 26 HOURS OF INITIAL TRAINING AND ORIENTATION AND COMMIT TO FOLLOW-UP TRAININGS ONCE EVERY THREE MONTHS. ONCE MATCHED, MENTORS BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUTH THROUGH WEEKLY 1-ON-1 MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES, HELPING THEM TO DEVELOP NEW AMBITIONS, SET AND ACHIEVE GOALS, AND LEARN TO HAVE FUN IN A POSITIVE, SOBER WAY. IN ADDITION TO BEING FRIENDS AND ROLE MODELS TO YOUTH, FLY CAFA MENTORS ARE SPECIALLY APPOINTED BY A JUVENILE COURT JUDGE SO THAT THEY CAN ADVOCATE FOR THEIR MENTEE BY ATTENDING JUVENILE COURT PROCEEDINGS, SUBMITTING COURT REPORTS, AND ADDRESSING THE COURT ON BEHALF OF THE YOUTH. EACH MENTOR/MENTEE MATCH HAS A FLY CASE MANAGER FOR SUPPORT AND ALSO ATTENDS MONTHLY GROUP ACTIVITIES ORGANIZED BY FLY. FLY MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM THE FLY MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM HELPS INTERRUPT THE SCHOOL-TO-PRISON PIPELINE IN WHICH KIDS WITH ISSUES AT SCHOOL ARE DISCIPLINED AND PUSHED INTO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM INSTEAD OF BEING OFFERED THE SERVICES THEY NEED. OUR PROGRAM SUPPORTS SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS WHO ARE REFERRED BY SCHOOL OFFICIALS IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY TO STAY ENGAGED IN SCHOOL AND OUT OF THE SYSTEM. THE PROGRAM OFFERS AN AGE-APPROPRIATE VERSION OF FLY'S LAW PROGRAM ALONG WITH ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT FROM A FLY CASE MANAGER FOR YOUTH AND POSITIVE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES PROVIDED THROUGH FLY. FLY REENTRY PROGRAM YOUTH SEEKING TO REENTER THE COMMUNITY AFTER INCARCERATION TYPICALLY FACE A HOST OF BARRIERS TO A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION. REENTRY ASSISTANCE IS A CRITICAL SERVICE THAT'S BEEN PROVEN TO HELP YOUTH MOVE FORWARD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION AND AVOID GOING BACK INTO THE SYSTEM. THE FLY REENTRY PROGRAM SERVES YOUTH IN LONGER TERM INCARCERATION IN SANTA CLARA AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES. IT RUNS FOR APPROXIMATELY 6-9 MONTHS (POSSIBLE EXTENSION UP TO A YEAR IF NEEDED) AND CONSISTS OF FOUR PHASES: PRE-RELEASE, TRANSITION, TRY-OUT, AND TRANSFER OF CARE. DURING THIS TIME, THE ASSIGNED CASE MANAGER WILL DEVELOP A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE YOUTH, PROVIDE SUPPORT AND CONNECTION, MONITOR AND STRENGTHEN SUPPORT NETWORK AND YOUTH'S SKILLS, AND END PROGRAM SERVICES WITH A SUPPORT NETWORK SAFELY IN PLACE. STAY FLY THE STAY FLY PROGRAM IS A REENTRY PROGRAM THAT DEVELOPS SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW IN TRANSITION AGE YOUTH (TAY). THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, AGES 18-21 (SANTA CLARA COUNTY) OR 18-25 (ALAMEDA COUNTY AND SAN MATEO COUNTY), RECEIVE SUPPORT BEGINNING IN CUSTODY, AND CONTINUE TO BE SUPPORTED BY FLY STAFF AS THEY TRANSITION BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. STAY FLY'S LAW RELATED EDUCATION BUILDS AGENCY AND SELF-ADVOCACY THROUGH LEGAL EDUCATION WORKSHOPS LED BY TRAINED FLY FACILITATORS WHO PROVIDE VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND HOW IT AFFECTS THEIR LIVES. WITH THIS UNDERSTANDING, YOUTH FIND WAYS TO NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM WHILE BUILDING THEIR ABILITY TO MAKE BETTER CHOICES. YOUTH ALSO MEET TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN GROUP SETTINGS AND PARTICIPATE IN ACTIVITIES THAT ARE FUN AND ENGAGING WHILE HELPING THEM FIND WAYS TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITIES THAT MATTER MOST TO THEM. EACH YOUNG PERSON ALSO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INDIVIDUALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS INTENSIVE, ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT TO HELP YOUTH BUILD A MUCH LARGER SUPPORT NETWORK THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL THE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCILS (YAC) ARE COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY AND ALAMEDA COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENTS AND FRESH LIFELINES FOR YOUTH TO INTRODUCE POSITIVE SYSTEM CHANGE THROUGH THE INCLUSION OF YOUTH VOICE. EACH YAC PROVIDES YOUTH WHO FORMERLY PARTICIPATED IN JUVENILE JUSTICE SERVICES WITH A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT ON CURRENT SYSTEM PROCESSES, POLICIES, AND PRACTICES. YOUNG PEOPLE WHO SERVE ON THE COUNCIL ARE SWORN IN AS YOUTH JUSTICE CONSULTANTS BY A PRESIDING JUVENILE COURT JUDGE. ADDITIONALLY, YAC ALLOWS YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR STORIES AND EXPERIENCES TO INSPIRE HOPE AND ENCOURAGE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF YOUTH WHO ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM. YAC ALSO HAS THE OBJECTIVE OF ENHANCING THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS OF ITS MEMBERS.