NCJ Number
159308
Date Published
1990
Length
64 pages
Annotation
Based on the experience of the Adolescents-in-Need Project in rural Orange County (N.C.), this manual presents guidelines for communities wanting to develop a new program to serve at-risk youth or to enhance an existing program focusing on preventing child abuse, school dropouts, adolescent pregnancy, and other risks among adolescents.
Abstract
The project uses strategies focused on seven areas: (1) completion of education, (2) prevention of untimely pregnancy, (3) involvement of the child's father, (4) obtaining child care, (5) procuring adequate living arrangements, (6) involving the community in adolescent pregnancy, and (7) raising adolescents' self-esteem. The guidelines for starting a program explain how to assess the needs of adolescents, assess community resources, set priorities among possible strategies, deal with attitudes that might hinder the efforts, select staff, and choose a site. The guidelines also cover how to involve the school system, health department, department of social services, mental health agencies, medical providers and hospitals, and other community agencies in the program. Management, public relations, evaluation, and funding are also discussed. Photographs and lists of resource organizations and publications