New Web Feature: Hillside Program Rated in Top 23 for Preparing Youth for the Future

Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection addresses education gaps facing at-risk youth

As an eighth-grade student, Jason already was at risk of dropping out of school. His attendance record was poor and his grade point average had fallen to a D-level. 

That was until he enrolled in Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection (HW-SC), an affiliate program of Alliance for Children and Families member Hillside Family of Agencies, Rochester, N.Y.

Jason was assigned one of HW-SC’s full-time, professional youth advocates, who offered support and helped him overcome obstacles at home and school. Jason’s grades improved to a B-average.

In high school, Jason participated in HW-SC’s Youth Employment Training Academy and secured a part-time job as a cashier at one of HW-SC’s employer partners, and he graduated early. Thanks to a scholarship provided by HW-SC’s local college partner, today he is proud to be the first member of his family to attend college.

HW-SC is one of the top 23 programs in the nation that successfully support youth in preparing for college or employment after high school. It’s a distinction HW-SC earned in 2009 from the American Youth Policy Forum, which examined programs that close the education gaps facing at-risk youth.

The program is proven to help youth stay in school, achieve academic success, and graduate high school. According to Dennis Richardson, president and CEO at Hillside Family of Agencies, HW-SC is successful because it “incorporates a multidisciplinary approach that addresses the core issues plaguing at-risk youth.”

The program is aimed at youth who experience at least two research-based risk factors that significantly increase the probability of them dropping out before high school graduation. These risk factors include low socioeconomic status, failing grades in core subjects, multiple school suspensions, low standardized test scores, older than average age for grade level, and high absenteeism rate.

Students in the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades are eligible to enroll in HW-SC.Once enrolled, they receive support throughout high school and for up to two years after graduation.

Youth Advocates Play Critical Role

HW-SC’s school-based youth advocates are cornerstones of the model, says Richardson. They serve as long-term mentors and liaisons to students and their families.

Youth advocates link students to individualized support services, employment training and on-the-job mentoring, academic tutoring, and year-round enrichment programs. By working with advocates, stud

ents identify goals, develop good habits, and acquire essential skills to help them succeed in the classroom and workplace.

“Youth advocates are the critical link; they are responsible for connecting students and their families with school, work, and other service providers,” Richardson adds. “They keep parents or guardians, teachers, and other parties engaged in supporting the success of each individual student.”

The advocates also serve as role models. They help students overcome obstacles to learning and model the activities typical of responsible young people.

Advocates not only develop strong relationships with students, but also with each student’s family, teachers, job supervisors, and school administrators. These relationships help ensure HW-SC students receive the support they need, come to classes and worksites prepared, and receive additional tutoring assistance or job training if necessary.

Community Partnerships Create Additional Opportunities

Students who participate in HW-SC can take advantage of various opportunities created by program partnerships.

For example, students can participate in the Teen Outreach Program (TOP). This evidence-based curriculum helps prevent teen pregnancy, provides guidance to youth in understanding and evaluating their future options in life, and assists students in realizing academic success.

The Youth Employment Training Academy, another option for youth in the
HW-SC program, provides job readiness support. Students receive training in basic office skills, financial literacy, and customer service skills. They also participate in mock interviews.

Youth who demonstrate a positive attitude, strong attendance, and high grades are eligible for part-time employment with area businesses. They are placed in part-time jobs with local employers who commit to serving as mentors.

“Through HW-SC’s Youth Employment Training Academy, students experience intensive, hands-on development of key employability and work readiness skills,” Richardson says.

According to American Youth Policy Forum’s report, “The students who hold jobs have been found to maintain higher grades and be more likely to graduate.”

After graduation, between 70 percent and 80 percent of HW-SC graduates choose to continue on to post-secondary education. A network of local foundations, employers, and higher education institutions help make this possible by working with HW-SC to offer scholarships and incentives for students to continue their education beyond high school.

Well-Documented Success

The recent recognition HW-SC received from the American Youth Policy Forum isn’t the first time the program’s success has been publicly noted.

The program has received several national recognitions, including the National Youth Employment Coalition’s 2003 Promising and Effective Practices Network Award. It was chosen for its best practices in youth employment and development.

Harvard Business School case studies also regularly reference HW-SC, and in 2009 the program was chosen as an America’s Promise Alliance State and Local Partner.

HW-SC was also evaluated by the Center for Government Research in 2004. The evaluation found that HW-SC improved school retention and graduation rates for students. Specifically, 61 percent of students in the HW-SC program graduated, while only 31 percent of comparable urban students achieved the same distinction. The evaluation also found that 80 percent of HW-SC graduates hold employment post-graduation.