Truth, Trust and Transformation Roca Chelsea, MA

Overview Roca means rock in Spanish. We are creating a foundation as solid as a rock for young people to change their lives through truth, trust and transformation. It starts with being truthful about everything: what is going on with young people, the challenges in their lives, the realities of their communities, that change is hard but possible, and what we can and can’t do for them. Then we build trust through long-term relationships and stay in them with young people, and the adults and institutions in their lives. Transformation comes through participation in life skills, education and employment. We are hopeful no matter what and believe that as long as people are alive, everything is possible.

Why We Are Here PURPOSE: Roca’s purpose is to relentlessly build relationships with the young people who have been left behind, to support their transformation to live out of harm’s way and put them on a path of economic independence. ORGANIZATIONAL GOAL: To demonstrate a powerful solution for young people to live out of harm’s way and become economically independent. VISION: Young people will leave the streets and gangs to take responsibility for their actions and have jobs. Young immigrant mothers will raise their children in safety and be recognized for their contributions to society. Our communities will have the ability to keep young people out of harm’s way and in turn, thrive through their participation and leadership.

Who We Serve Roca’s target population is year olds who are: Street, gang and/or court involved On the verge of dropping out of school or being expelled Young stressed parents facing multiple barriers Refugees and immigrants struggling with language barriers, trauma, isolation and lack of supports

What We Are Accountable For Our participant outcomes include: Engagement of highly disengaged young people through the development of Transformational Relationships Economic Independence: o Employability, job placement, & retention o Re-engagement in education and academic gains Out of harm’s way: o Decreased risky behaviors and increased resiliency factors

How We Do It In order to help youth and young adults achieve outcomes, we use five strategic methods: (1)relentless street work and outreach; (2)transformational relationships; (3)opportunities for life skills, education, and employment; (4)peacemaking circles; and, (5)engaging the institutions that are a part of young people’s lives. These methods are used to engage young people and others in a process of change that enables them to increase positive knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors over time and in stages.

A Framework for Change Change is a process that happens over time and in stages. Theses Stages of Change include: Pre-Contemplation Contemplation Planning Action Sustaining As change is often difficult for any of us, Relapse is often part of the process and can happen at any point in the stages of change.

How We Use the Stages of Change Assessment of where young people are in relation to their readiness and/or willingness to change Guide to inform youth workers’ use of self in their work with young people Foundation for designing engagement and competency building programming that meets people where they are at

What We Hold Ourselves To Our “Use of Self” expectations for ALL staff : Hope and Possibility Investment of Personal Energy Mindfulness Transparency and Accountability

What it Takes Be absolutely HOPEFUL and believe that it is POSSIBLE Build Transformational Relationships and STAY IN THEM Do things that MATTER Tell the TRUTH BE THE CHANGE LEARNING & IMPROVING