1. ACHIEVE-INSPIRE-MOTIVATE
PROJECT AIM
ACHIEVE-INSPIRE-MOTIVATE
THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, UTICA, NY

2. The choices we make dictate the life we lead.
Philosophy
The choices we make dictate the life we lead.
Based on empowerment, personal accountability and respect for self, home, community
Culturally relevant including family, home, community and school
Respectful to all members of the team
Designed to enhance healthy family interactions and provide hope
Holistic and individualized
Outcome and results based
Designed to realize a positive return on investment for child, family and community
One of the most powerful aspects of building assets is that one person can make a difference

3. PROJECT AIM IN A NUTSHELL
Lead by an “adult mentor” providing case management, referral service and group peer led programs to help youth access services and connect them to their community while enhancing self worth. Groups meet on a bi-weekly basis in Utica and Rome.   The environment provides a forum where participating youth can count on to be heard and assisted with the practical adjustments necessary to influence positive choices and help them to become caring and responsible adults.   Included in the 12 month group mentoring project is a monthly stipend. This money will be awarded for active participation in the group and rewarded in it’s entirety for being on-time, attending and completing required activities. Money earned is to be used for an approved sport or leisure activity (Dance/Music/Art Classes, Karate, Swimming, etc.)   Instilling civic pride and establishing community values are key components for Project Aim. Toward this end participants in the program will have the opportunity to experience first hand various social and cultural events to strengthen connections to the community and gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural diversity offered in our area.  

4. Project AIM is based the 40 Developmental Assets identified by the Search Institute.
These assets will be used as a guideline for understanding the individual situation of each young person in the program, for setting goals, and for program evaluation. Since 1989, Search Institute has measured Developmental Assets in more than 2 million 6th- to 12th-graders in communities across the United States, using the survey Search Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors. The survey is based on the Developmental Asset framework that synthesized relevant research literature and identified the forty developmental nutrients all youth need to be healthy, caring, and responsible.
Identified assets have been classified as either External or Internal, with twenty assets in each. Each classification has been broken down into sub categories with assets attributed to each. External: Support; Empowerment; Boundaries & Expectations; Constructive Use of Time. Internal: Commitment to learning; positive values; social competence and positive identity.

5. What is Search Institute ?
Search Institute® is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian organization committed to helping create healthy communities for every young person.
Their philosphy is that “all kids are our kids,” they create books and other materials that welcome and respect people of all races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, religions, economic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and abilities.
Their Mission: To provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities.

6. External Assets: Family support Positive family communication
Caring neighborhood
Parent involvement in
schooling
Community values youth
Service to others
Neighborhood boundaries
Positive peer influence
High expectations
Creative activities
Religious community
Time at home
Family boundaries
Other adult relationships
Adult role models
Caring school climate
School Boundaries
Youth as resources
Youth programs
Safety

7. Internal Assets Achievement Motivation School Engagement Homework
Bonding to school
Reading for Pleasure
Caring
Equality and social justice
Integrity
Honesty
Responsibility
Restraint
Planning and decision making
Interpersonal Competence
Cultural Competence
Resistance skills
Peaceful conflict resolution
Personal power
Self-esteem
Sense of purpose
Positive view of personal future

8. Young people with more of these developmental assets are:
More likely to make choices we value…..
thriving indicators
Less likely to get into trouble…..
risky behaviors
More likely to bounce back when life gets hard…..
resiliency
Positive factors

9. A closer look

10. Young people need to be surrounded by people
Support
Young people need to be surrounded by people
who love, care for, appreciate, and accept them.

11. *Support *
1.Family Support: Family life provides high levels of love and support.
2. Positive Family Communication: Young Person and his or her parent(s) /guardians communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents/guardians.
3. Other Adult Relationships: Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.
4. Caring Neighborhood: Young person experiences caring neighbors.
5. Caring School Climate: School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
6. Parent Involvement in Schooling: Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.

12. Empowerment
Young people need to feel valued and valuable. When young people are safe and respected, they feel empowered.

13. *Empowerment*
7.Community Values Youth: Young person perceives that adults in community value youth.
8.Youth as Resources: Young people are given useful roles in the community.
9. Service to Others: Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.
10. Safety: Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.

14. Boundaries & Expectations
Young people need clear rules, consistent consequences for following or not following these rules, and expectations to do their best.

15. *Boundaries & Expectations*
11. Family Boundaries: Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young persons whereabouts.
12. School Boundaries: School provides clear rules and consequences.
13. Neighborhood Boundaries: Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.
14. Adult Role Models: Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
15. Positive Peer Influence: Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.
16. High Expectations: Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.

16. Constructive Use of Time
Young people need opportunities- outside of school- to learn and develop new skills and interests with other caring young people and adults.

17. Constructive Use of Time
17. Creative Activities: Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
18. Youth Programs: Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.
19. Religious Community: young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.
20. Time at Home: Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.

18. Commitment to Learning
Young people need a sense
of the lasting importance
of learning and beliefs
in their abilities.

19. *Commitment to Learning*
21. Achievement Motivation: Young person is motivated to do well in school.
22. School Engagement: Young Person is actively engaged in learning.
23. Homework: Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
24. Bonding to school: Young person cares about his or her school.
25. Reading for Pleasure: Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.

20. develop strong guiding values and principles to help make
Positive Values
Young people need to
develop strong guiding values and principles to help make
healthy life choices.

21. *Positive Values*
26.Caring : Young person perceives that adults in community value youth.
27. Equality and Social Justice: Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
28. Integrity: Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
29. Honesty: Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
30. Responsibility: Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
31. Restraint: Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.

22. Social Competence
Young people need the skills to interact effectively with others, to make difficult decisions, and cope with new situations.

23. *Social Competence*
32. Planning and Decision Making: Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
33. Interpersonal Competence: Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
34. Cultural Competence: Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/ racial/ethnic backgrounds.
35. Resistance Skills: Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
36. Peaceful Conflict Resolution: Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.

24. Positive Identity
Young people need to believe in their own self- worth and to feel that they have control over the things that happen to them.

25. *Positive Identity*
37. Personal Power: Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me”
38. Self-Esteem: Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
39. Sense of Purpose: Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
40. Positive View of Personal Future: Young person is optimistic about her or his future.

26. *Relationships are what holds young people’s lives in place*

27. Research proves: “Individuals who take the time to support young people and build assets are more likely to help young people experience the following qualities of life……….”

28. Greater self –esteem, hopes for the future, and cheerfulness
Increased pro-social behaviors
Fewer behavior problems
Fewer feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or depression
Less substance abuse
Reduced experience of violence
Higher grades
Higher school completion rates
Higher test scores
More positive feelings toward school

29. PROJECT AIM WORKS:
Project AIM provides youth age 13 to 18 years an opportunity to build their self-confidence, reduce negative social behaviors, increase employability, and provide service to the community. The opportunities and workshops offered to the participants help them reach their goals.
Project AIM is consistent with the priorities as outlined in the Oneida County Child and Family Services Plan and correlates with the Quality Youth Development System (QYDS) Services, Opportunities and Supports. This includes encouraging wellness and a healthy living style, working toward limiting challenges involving health risk behaviors, promoting the value of a good education and fostering good citizenship.
These goals are closely aligned to the outcomes for Youth Development listed in the Oneida County Service Plan : Youth will be prepared for their eventual economic self-sufficiency; Children and youth will have optimal physical and emotional health; Children will leave school prepared to live, learn and work in a community as contributing members of society; Children and youth will demonstrate good citizenship as law abiding, contributing members of their families, school and communities; Oneida County will provide children, youth and families with healthy and safe environments and opportunities to help them meet their needs for physical, social, moral and emotional growth.

30. HOW PROJECT AIM RELATES TO QYDS:
Physical and Psychological Safety: The physical space is conducive to our group setting. The space is large enough without clutter to reduce environment related stressors; when possible a round table is used to encourage connectedness and allowing for individual space. Natural light assists in overall well-being; nutritious snacks are provided; health and wellness are promoted throughout the program and includes opportunities for youth to participate in yoga and meditation workshops.
Appropriate Structure: Staff assists youth in creating an environment where they learn to manage their own behaviors. Expectations are clear and consistent throughout programming. Staff allow youth the opportunity to problem solve, offering guidance when necessary. A schedule of activities is established in advance and participants have an understanding of role, rights and responsibilities within the program.
Supportive Relationships: Staff and youth work in tandem to create an environment that enriches supportive relationships. Many opportunities are available to assist in the ‘natural’ forming of this goal; activities are offered that focus on this specifically. The program utilizes the 40 Assets for Positive Youth Development, identified by the SEARCH Institute, as guidelines for understanding the individual situation of each young person in the program as well as setting individual goals.
Opportunities to Belong: Much of program time is spent on exploring life experiences of other people through sharing, guest speakers and learning about different cultures and backgrounds both locally and globally. There is a heavy emphasis on social justice, action, acceptance, and overall understanding of others. The agency has a foundation built on appreciation and exploration of diversity-offering services to refugees, people living in poverty, mentally ill children and adults; (historically) operating an Open Minds support group for the LGBTQ teen population; hosting and/or assisting with Pride Prom for the LGBTQ youth and allies; promoting acknowledgement and understanding of differences while recognizing connectedness. Sessions that address this include strengthening relationships and belonging.
Positive Social Norms: The program utilizes the 40 Assets for Positive Youth Development, identified by the SEARCH Institute. The Search Institute has measured Developmental Assets in more than 2 million 6th to 12th graders in communities across the USA, using the survey Search Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors. The survey is based on the Developmental Asset framework that synthesized relevant research literature and identified the forty developmental nutrients all youth need to be healthy, caring, and responsible. Core components addressed in this program include taking and accepting responsibility; establishing community values; participating in useful roles in the community (promoting volunteerism).
Support for Efficacy and Mattering: Staff assists youth with creating their own program and reach program and individual goals in a way that is meaningful to them. Staff guide but allow the ‘flow’ to be dictated by the needs of the individual and group as a whole. Youth have a voice in all aspects of programming; autonomy is encouraged. The youth are active advisory members throughout the year in regards to program schedules and activities. A democratic group process is utilized to promote participation on the development of the programming that fulfills the core components and objectives.
Opportunity for Skill Building: Character building field trips have been incorporated to provide hope, support and experiences that allow for change. These trips have included visits to local bookstores, ethnic restaurants, Munson Williams Proctor Institute, The Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) and other cultural events as opportunities arise. Team building activities and events have been conducted. Sessions supporting opportunities for skill building include: cultural competence, promoting diversity; promoting equality and social justice; job readiness skills; skills for independent living; continuous practice. Participants receive a stipend for participation; some have been hired as summer help by their ‘community services’ agency.
Integration of Family, School and Community Efforts: Staff works towards integration through consistent interaction with supports identified within a participant’s life. There is an understanding that inclusiveness is the glue that supports the youth’s overall well-being. Community service, focus on academic achievement and involvement of the family are all components of the program. Parent/guardian or family will be invited to attend training, multi-cultural events and celebrations, as appropriate. With the understanding that no child lives in a vacuum and children need the support of their home environment, we have built a family involvement component into the programming. Parent/guardian involvement is not mandated, but strongly encouraged.
HOW PROJECT AIM RELATES TO QYDS:
Physical and Psychological Safety: The physical space is conducive to our group setting. The space is large enough without clutter to reduce environment related stressors; when possible a round table is used to encourage connectedness and allowing for individual space. Natural light assists in overall well-being; nutritious snacks are provided; health and wellness are promoted throughout the program and includes opportunities for youth to participate in yoga and meditation workshops.
Appropriate Structure: Staff assists youth in creating an environment where they learn to manage their own behaviors. Expectations are clear and consistent throughout programming. Staff allow youth the opportunity to problem solve, offering guidance when necessary. A schedule of activities is established in advance and participants have an understanding of role, rights and responsibilities within the program.
Supportive Relationships: Staff and youth work in tandem to create an environment that enriches supportive relationships. Many opportunities are available to assist in the ‘natural’ forming of this goal; activities are offered that focus on this specifically. The program utilizes the 40 Assets for Positive Youth Development, identified by the SEARCH Institute, as guidelines for understanding the individual situation of each young person in the program as well as setting individual goals.
Opportunities to Belong: Much of program time is spent on exploring life experiences of other people through sharing, guest speakers and learning about different cultures and backgrounds both locally and globally. There is a heavy emphasis on social justice, action, acceptance, and overall understanding of others. The agency has a foundation built on appreciation and exploration of diversity-offering services to refugees, people living in poverty, mentally ill children and adults; (historically) operating an Open Minds support group for the LGBTQ teen population; hosting and/or assisting with Pride Prom for the LGBTQ youth and allies; promoting acknowledgement and understanding of differences while recognizing connectedness. Sessions that address this include strengthening relationships and belonging.

31. Positive Social Norms: The program utilizes the 40 Assets for Positive Youth Development, identified by the SEARCH Institute. The Search Institute has measured Developmental Assets in more than 2 million 6th to 12th graders in communities across the USA, using the survey Search Institute Profiles of Student Life: Attitudes and Behaviors. The survey is based on the Developmental Asset framework that synthesized relevant research literature and identified the forty developmental nutrients all youth need to be healthy, caring, and responsible. Core components addressed in this program include taking and accepting responsibility; establishing community values; participating in useful roles in the community (promoting volunteerism).
Support for Efficacy and Mattering: Staff assists youth with creating their own program and reach program and individual goals in a way that is meaningful to them. Staff guide but allow the ‘flow’ to be dictated by the needs of the individual and group as a whole. Youth have a voice in all aspects of programming; autonomy is encouraged. The youth are active advisory members throughout the year in regards to program schedules and activities. A democratic group process is utilized to promote participation on the development of the programming that fulfills the core components and objectives.
Opportunity for Skill Building: Character building field trips have been incorporated to provide hope, support and experiences that allow for change. These trips have included visits to local bookstores, ethnic restaurants, Munson Williams Proctor Institute, The Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) and other cultural events as opportunities arise. Team building activities and events have been conducted. Sessions supporting opportunities for skill building include: cultural competence, promoting diversity; promoting equality and social justice; job readiness skills; skills for independent living; continuous practice. Participants receive a stipend for participation; some have been hired as summer help by their ‘community services’ agency.
Integration of Family, School and Community Efforts: Staff works towards integration through consistent interaction with supports identified within a participant’s life. There is an understanding that inclusiveness is the glue that supports the youth’s overall well-being. Community service, focus on academic achievement and involvement of the family are all components of the program. Parent/guardian or family will be invited to attend training, multi-cultural events and celebrations, as appropriate. With the understanding that no child lives in a vacuum and children need the support of their home environment, we have built a family involvement component into the programming. Parent/guardian involvement is not mandated, but strongly encouraged.

32. From the murky waters greatness can blossom

33. Closing thoughts

34. ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, INC.
The Neighborhood Center, Inc. is a not-for-profit agency and major provider of human services in Oneida and Herkimer Counties. Founded in response to a community need, the Center has a 107 year history of recognizing and supporting the strengths of families and the desire they have to meet the needs of their children. Founded as a settlement house for Italian Immigrants in 1905, we have a foundation of providing services to families in a multicultural setting. Our mission has remained the same: To enrich the lives of individuals and families through cooperative opportunities, resources and advocacy which embrace diversity, promote empowerment, and foster responsible citizenship.
The Neighborhood Center contracts with Oneida County Department of Social Services to provide a Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) Diversion Program, working with youth at risk of placement outside the home and the Child Victim Advocate Program at the Child Advocacy Center, working with children who have been sexually abused or seriously physically abused.
We were awarded a Kinship Caregivers grant from the NYS Office of Children and Family Services to meet the needs of kinship families in Oneida and Herkimer Counties (Kin and Kids Outreach and Support); we were awarded a grant through NYSOCFS to serve youth considered at risk due to economics and life circumstances that incorporates the 40 Developmental Assets as our framework (KEYS to Change). We contract with Oneida County Department of Mental Health and Herkimer County Department of Mental Health to provide mental health services to children and adults in both counties. Our most recent contract award allows us to provide drop in child care services at the Oneida County Family Courts in Utica and Rome through funding from the New York State Unified Court System.
In addition, the Center operates a wide variety of programs to meet the changing needs of our community: state licensed child care in an enriching environment; Educational and recreational activities for inner-city youth; Behavioral health care services for children and youth; holistic, focused mentoring services for at-risk youth; Protective/preventative services and short term counseling services to keep families together and avoid out-of-home placement; Immediate response to children’s and adults psychiatric emergencies; Supportive case management for adults coping with mental illness; Intensive case management for children coping with severe behavioral issues; Drop-in center with programs for mentally ill adults; Outreach to refugees and low income families in need of various service; Assistance for teens unable to live at home due to family conflict; Assistance and monitoring for individuals operating family day care; Drop in Health and Wellness Yoga and Meditation Classes for at risk teens, kinship families and mentally ill adults; Sampling, and home inspection/educational services on the hazards of lead-based paints; distribution/education on use of Pack and Play Crib and education regarding “back to sleep” for families who cannot afford a crib in partnership with Perinatal Network and OCHD