Project Empowerment

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

Under this award the Young Woman's Christian Association (YWCA) of Greater Los Angeles seeks to implement 'Project Empowerment' a comprehensive program to address youth and crime in South Los Angeles, California. The project will include YWCA of Greater Los Angeles staff, youth advocates, licensed clinical social worker, interns and volunteers. The Project Empowerment Program will provide leadership through best practice curricula to guide youth to be law abiding citizens and to become advocates for youth by speaking out against crimes and negative behaviors. The Project Empowerment program will provide resources for youth to gain skills and knowledge to prevent them from becoming victims and to prevent youth from being involved in committing crimes against others. The project's focus will be to promote self confidence by providing positive confidence building workshops, career workshops, education workshops, counseling, case management and self defense workshops for youth. Project Empowerment will provide community youth with a safe space to live, learn and grow within the community. Data will be collected at the various work shops to help determine the effectiveness of the program. NCA/NCF