SCLC Youth Development Program

Southern Christian Leadership Conference's (SCLC) Dayton Youth Development program will focus on reducing a child's chance of academic failure and delinquency and will partner with local public schools' at-risk African American youth. The program will focus on reducing juvenile delinquency and gang participation, improving academic performance and reducing the school dropout rate for at-risk youth. The program combines one-on-one mentoring with traditional classroom instruction, in addition to a cultural component. Progress indicators will include improvement in academics, school attendance, graduation, and reduction in negative behaviors. The project will also track stated outcomes for one year after program completion. The overall goal of the program is to increase the protective factors for high-risk students to prevent, reduce, juvenile delinquency, improve academic performance and reduce school dropout rates. Corresponding project objectives are to: 1) Provide general guidance to at-risk youth; 2) Increase participation of at-risk youth in elementary and secondary education and enhance their ability to benefit from this schooling; 3) Discourage use of illegal drugs and firearms, involvement in violence, and other delinquent activity by at-risk youth; 4) Discourage involvement of at-risk youth in gangs; and 5) Encourage participation in service and community activity by at-risk youth. CA/NCF