| Name | Andy |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Smith |
| Home Address | 1713 Holly Oak Drive Chattanooga, TN 37421 United States |
| Organization Name | YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Andy Smith is the Regional Director of Y-CAP (YMCA Community Action Project). We have three Y-CAP locations that serve approximately 200 students annually. Andy is responsible for the operations of all three sites. |
| Organization Address | 301 West Sixth Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 United States |
| Website | https://www.ymcachattanooga.org |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 4238053305 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 4238477682 |
| Email Address | tmccallie@ymcachattanooga.org |
| Alternate Email Address | westsideboxing@hotmail.com |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | Y-CAP is an early intervention and prevention program for youth ages 10-15 who have been referred to us either through the juvenile court system or the school system. Each student and their family has a personalized treatment plan which addresses their educational, behavioral, and spiritual needs, including mentoring, tutoring, hot meals, family nights and group therapy. Y-CAP is the longest continually running juvenile delinquency prevention program in the state of Tennessee. The project that we presenting to the City involves the transportation piece of the Y-CAP program. We depend on three passenger vans to get to the nine (9) schools where the Y-CAP referrals/students attend. The vans are beyond their useful life. To be able to continue the program and, in fact expand, we must secure the funding to replace them. With new passenger vans, we will actually expand the programs to include additional students/schools, as we are planning to expand Y-CAP services to include high school. Our vision is to stay with these Y-CAP graduates through high school graduation. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | Over 90% of students enrolled in Y-CAP come from single parent homes, and many of those being raised by grandparents. Others are in foster care or other state-funded housing situations. We know that poverty and access to quality health care also play a prominent role in negative health outcomes for urban youth. In that ½ of our students reside in poverty with extremely limited access (food deserts) to nutrition and physical education, the need is evident for providing a safe, quality after school program for hundreds of deserving children. Research confirms that young people who struggle in the classroom, have family problems, have limited structured activities away from school, or perhaps have a mental or nervous disorder or learning difficulty such as depression or ADD/ADHD, are the ones most likely to be eliminated from being involved in school activities and traditional afterschool programs. These children will either simply choose not to participate or will not be allowed to because of noncompliance with school or program policies. Juvenile court referrals and mental health issues continue to plague school systems who have limited resources (personnel and fiscal) to address needs. A partnership with the YMCA means that we also tackle these issues (gaps) for hundreds of children. Additionally, research indicates that vulnerable youth who have poor school attendance and performance, poor social skills, low self-esteem, few or no healthy adult role models and who live in poverty are very much at-risk to become involved in delinquent behaviors. Specifically, our schools struggle to bridge two gaps, the leap from 5th to 6th grade and the leap from 8th to 9th grade. Too often, students lack the support systems to bridge these barriers and dropout results. In distressed communities like the YMCA’s target areas of Chattanooga inner city, a combination of crime, poverty, segregation, unemployment, poor health, struggling schools, inadequate housing, and disinvestment keep residents from reaching their full potential. Too often, youth in these communities, especially African American males and, increasingly, females, drop out of school and become intertwined in the legal and penal systems at both the adult and juvenile levels. Youth exposure to violence is also associated with significant levels of distress, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. In 2016, The Atlantic published “Good School, Rich School; Bad School, Poor School: The inequality at the heart of America’s education system.” Authors found that, nationally, local funding spends 15.6% less per pupil in high-poverty districts – and the schools we serve are in high poverty communities. From buildings to books, the disparity is real. Inside school buildings, this appears to be true for our youth who show concerning rates of severely out-of-control behavior, stark mood swings, and drastic changes in behavior or personality. The gap between mental health needs and readily available mental health services is wide. Coupled with low counselor-to-student ratios in schools, the YMCA recognizes and addresses this gap with the Y-CAP program. The Y-CAP Program will specifically target students identified for participation as part of the juvenile court referral system, and via counselor, teacher, and/or school referral process at students’ respective schools. We know that our current students and projected new students represent the most at risk learners with the greatest factors for dropping out of school and struggling academically. Therefore, this program has been designed to address two specific dropout indicators: course grades and healthy behaviors (through health and income/financial health). Eligible students will be current middle school students who need assistance with academics, personal and social development, and risky behaviors, and new students with high risk factors at identified elementary and middle schools. Our school system partnerships will enable us to develop and maintain a comprehensive “ranking” of students struggling academically or socially even though they may be receiving other school services. Students with the greatest unmet needs (failing classroom grades, assessment deficits, attendance challenges, juvenile court issues, and chronic behavior issues) are given priority for program participation using individualized and differentiated instructional strategies. We will also review unmet needs and examine grade retention as a key risk factor for selection. Regular day teacher and administrative feedback will also confirm individual student need and academic support gaps. Students will be “invited to participate” (new) or “remain” (current) in the program and details will be shared unless they are referred to the program from the juvenile court. We will work with regular day teachers and parents/caregivers to assess students with the greatest needs. Teacher, parent, and administer recommendations, classroom grades, State assessments, and behavior/mental health concerns will also be used for designing individual student plans which also complement American Rescue Plan strategies. We maintain an open enrollment policy for all students who wish to participate in the program, including students with disabilities and English Language Learners. We predict that 30% - 50% of our students will come from Priority schools. Program staff will continue to work closely with school-based Title I Parent Coordinators at previously served schools and with new schools to streamline adult/family communication efforts and activities. Outreach will mirror and expand successful communication efforts currently in place. The program will maintain a “waiting list” (as needed) and update data every 9–week grading period to ensure that academic needs are current and addressed for participating students. Case management activities will ensure that mental health and wellness for students will also be confidentially maintained. Our mental health partners, Helen Ross McNabb and the contracted licensed therapist will provide a myriad of activities. Individual assessments will drive specific services as part of the process for intervention. Student plans will include family and individual counseling on a case-by-case basis Individual and group therapy will be offered several times throughout the week. Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Rob Philyaw was quoted in 2019, “Teen crime is up in recent years, despite the efforts of schools and community organizations that work hard to engage children, and give them hope” (https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/40813511/juvenile-court-judge-the-stories-we-will-never-see). Yet, he also stated that he sees “pockets of hope” and “community programs that aim to steer kids in the right direction.” The YMCA has evidence that we are a program steering youth in the right direction. Our partnerships and data confirm this. |
| Where would your project take place? | 1600 Central Avenue Chattanooga, TN 37416 |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 715868 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | Y-CAP is 100% fundraising every year as the participants do not and could not pay for Y-CAP services. Y-CAP Board of Advisors and staff raise approximately $200,000 per year during our Community Support Campaign in February and March each year. In addition, Y-CAP receives support federally, regionally, state, and locally and through special events: LEAPS (Lottery for Education Afterschool) $157,000, VOCA (Victim of Crimes Act) $199,000; TCCY (Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth) $45,000; State-wide Y-CAP (part of legislation years ago) $83,000; UWOR (United Way of the Ocoee Region) $45,000. The balance comes from special events such as Guns and Hoses (Police vs Firefighters). |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | We pick up and transport these students daily. The three passenger vans currently being utilized by our program are nearing the end of usable capacity. A current barrier for the full execution of the program, to include expanding the program to "stay with" these Y-CAP graduates through completion of high school, is new passenger vans. With new passenger vans, we will continue the life-changing work in the middle-school component of Y-CAP and expand the program to include the high school years for these at-risk students. Therefore, we are respectfully asking the City to consider utilizing $150,000 of the American Rescue Plan/One Chattanooga dollars to assist Y-CAP in purchasing three new passenger vans. |
| If funded, when would your project start? | January 5, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | The purchase of passenger vans would take about a month, but the Y-CAP program is on-going (since 1998). |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | Y-CAP is designed to interrupt students’ progressive steps to school failure and dropout, delinquency, and other negative behaviors by addressing the underlying reasons behind their poor performance academically, absence from school and negative, self-defeating behaviors. The goals of the Y-CAP program are: 1- To improve school attendance and academic achievement 2- To improve behavior at school and at home 3- To build self esteem in these at-risk youth and their parents 4- To train parents how to set and maintain appropriate boundaries 5- To reduce the number of petitions filed in juvenile court for delinquency 6- To work closely with parents moving them from welfare to work 7- To encourage and maintain a healthy lifestyle of exercise and nutrition thus eliminating childhood obesity 8- To involve program participants in service learning projects such as the Y-CAP Vegetable Garden |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | At monthly board meeting with volunteers, Y-CAP staff share highlights and challenges with program partners and stakeholders to ensure accountability and transparency. Our program schedule and transportation (daily pick up) enable us to interact with parents/guardians daily. We are then able to share individual progress (academic and behavior) with key stakeholders. During meals, we will continue to share progress with students to build healthy relationships and ensure program investment. Daily homework sheets between program-school-home include individual student progress, highlights, behavior updates, and homework needs. This tool is an effective means to share progress and unite all parties. Partners are committed to the program, during and after grant funds cease, and positive evaluation data has motivated the YMCA to expand current after school operations within Hamilton and Bradley Counties to meet growing needs. Discussions will continue to ensue about local government contributing after year 3. We understand the value of new partnerships and continued grant funding opportunities. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | By achieving any or all of the goals mentioned above, the young person and the adults in his or her life will become more productive, contributing citizens. Y-CAP was founded in 1998 and has a proven record of success. Y-CAP has served over 2,500 at-risk kids since its inception. The program has become a model across the Southeastern United States and has been duplicated in many areas. 88% of participants have improved their overall grade point average in the four core areas of reading, writing, math, and English by one letter grade, 64% have improved by two letter grades, and 49% by three letter grades. Since 1998, 96% of &-CAP graduates have not committed an offence that required juvenile court intervention. This is particularly significant since 62% of the Y-CAP referrals come from the juvenile court system. We have identified the gaps in services based on numerous data sets, discussions, and previous experience. We also understand that the pandemic has changed how schools and programs operate. We are a leader of change in order to meet new demands and while ensuring that youth and their families are served. The YMCA is a local leader – providing food, access to childcare, and wellness programs for our community’s most vulnerable, including children. Unmet family needs also remain an issue of concern in that the family is strongly connected to student success. Poverty and lack of education are closely tied to our children. Specific to our school zip codes, our children reside in severe poverty with limited access to services. With poverty rates topping 50% in some zip codes, parent needs are vital and include GED assistance, literacy and financial education, parenting and family skills, communication, and employment opportunities. As we diligently work to close the student gap, academically, socially, and emotionally, we will continue to use best practices and evidence-based strategies to support this work. By reducing or eliminating barriers, parents, even grandparents raising grandchildren, will have monthly opportunities to engage in high quality, relevant services – alongside their child or with other adults in need of healthy relationships. Y-CAP will help Chattanooga close the gap between Chattanoogans with a focus on equity and inclusion with these children who have had adverse childhood experiences. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | Y-CAP is part of a comprehensive service, collaborating with the child and his or her parents, the Y-CAP staff, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga association, the Downtown YMCA, YMCA Camp Ocoee, Hamilton County Department of Education, On Point, the Department of Parks and Recreation, Hamilton County Juvenile Court, the Chattanooga Police Department, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga State, Southern Adventist University, Silverdale Baptist Church, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, McGlohon Springs, and the McCallie School are among a longer list of community partners who have "buy-in" with Y-CAP. As indicated, our Y-CAP has served as a model for other YMCA Y-CAP programs across the country. One strategy we use is to bring community members on a tour of Y-CAP and let them sit in our a session with the Y-CAP staff and students. This almost always results in an individual, family, or business to donate money, laptops, meals, and their time in general. |
| Name | Charles "Tripp" McCallie |
| Contact Information | 423-208-5863 |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | Thank you for the opportunity to share the life-changing story of Y-CAP. We would welcome the opportunity to provide you with a mission tour of the program. You will fall in love with these young people and want to help! |