Points of Healthy Youth Sustainability, Engagement, and Development (PHYSED)

The East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM), 'Points of Healthy Youth Sustainability, Engagement, and Development' (PHYSED) program will provide services to high risk 6-12 graders facing the challenges of delinquency, dysfunction, and detachment to become successful, socially competent citizens who contribute to their families and communities. These students do not attend school regularly and are at high risk to drop out of school, engage in risky behaviors including alcohol or other drug use and violent behavior, and get involved with the justice system. This program will teach the youth how to develop their knowledge, skills and outlook necessary to make positive life journeys and mature into productive adults. Approximately 175 students will be served yearly. Activities include: group meetings to teach and discuss attitudes, life skills, and behaviors; individual mentoring; recreational activities, including field trips; community service; and career exploration. Increasing participants' knowledge, changing their attitudes toward unhealthy behaviors, and building skills that enable them to resist peer pressure helps them to replace unhealthy behaviors with positive ones. This will reduce rates of truancy, school conduct violations, school dropout, substance abuse, violent behavior, and involvement with the justice system. Progress will be measured by the number of youth who attend group sessions, staff documentation of changes in behavior, pre-/post-tests, a survey at the end of each school year and school records. NCA/NCF