Project Reachout is dedicated to finding youth, so
they can find themselves. Alternatives for Youth operates
a multi-service mobile unit that searches the San
Fernando Valley for homeless/runaway youth as well
as adolescents who are at risk of becoming homeless.
The youth served are between the ages of 12 and 24.
The mobile unit is staffed by an experienced, professional
team including a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
The young people we serve are vulnerable, often caught
up in, and distracted by the chaos around them in
their family and their lives. Many of these adolescents
have had numerous losses and/or traumatic experiences.
After an initial intake assessment, adolescents are
provided counseling, education and community referrals
for medical care, legal consultation, food, shelter,
clothing, job training and/or placement, and low fee
individual, conjoint family and group therapy.
PROGRAM
GOALS
It
is our goal from the initial assessment appointment
to provide a positive and trusting relationship with
these at-risk adolescents. After referrals are given,
a Case Manager will follow-up with the youth to reduce
the hesitation these adolescents often feel about
taking the next step. These youths are in danger of
losing their future by repeating many of the negative
patterns experienced in their lives. The Project Reachout
team sees their strengths and potential and assists
them in building on those assets.
In
addition, the team facilitates peer counseling training
at school sites. This training includes learning listening,
problem solving, and assertiveness skills in order
to provide support, and make community referrals to
other adolescents. The peer counselors are given the
opportunity to develop and experience self-sufficiency
skills.
PROGRAM
SERVICES
-
Assessment
to determine strengths and needs
-
Crisis
intervention to attend to immediate concerns
-
Educate
and counsel adolescent, family, teachers, and
administrators to relevant immediate needs and
concerns
-
Maintain
confidentiality (unless mandated otherwise)
-
Alleviate
fears and provide assertiveness training to seek
further assistance and help
-
Referral
and resource clearing house for medical, mental
health, legal, housing, food, clothing, job training,
tattoo removal and other services as the need
arises
-
One-on-one
coaching for parents
-
Provide
handouts including but not limited to RTD schedules,
community based organizations, health prevention
education, and mentoring programs
-
Bus
tokens
-
Peer
counseling training:
-
support
skills
-
open
listening skills
-
problem
solving skills
-
assertiveness
skills
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