Bureau of Youth Services and Deliquency Prevention

YouthBuild Program Design and Performance Standards

YouthBuild Annual Report (pdf)

Required actions

  1. High standards for personal responsibility and group participation are set, with input from staff and students.
  2. The program makes clear from the beginning; in selection, orientation and thereafter; that it is not possible to straddle two worlds, that is, to live a "street life" and a "YouthBuild life" at the same time.
  3. An intensive student orientation, at least one week in length but often lasting two weeks or even more, builds what has been called "mental toughness," with emphasis on goal setting, overcoming obstacles, resisting pitfalls and traps, bonding within the group, understanding oppression and racism, building trust with staff, and preparing for the rigors of the YouthBuild program.
  4. Personal counseling in a steady and ongoing fashion for everyday life issues, as well as for crises, is provided within the program. Each program has no less than one full-time counselor for every 28 youth. This counselor meets regularly with individual students.
  5. Staff ensure from the start that all students develop life plans that address postsecondary education, careers, leadership skills, and personal and family responsibility.
  6. The individual's struggle to choose a positive lifestyle over self-destructive and irresponsible social behavior is actively supported in a variety of ways. Peer group counseling sessions, rap groups, or other modes of developing interpersonal support among the students are an ongoing part of the program, as is training in how to resist negative peer pressure.
  7. Referrals to outside resources are available for students with severe emotional problems, drug or alcohol addiction, or other issues, if good referrals are available in the community.
  8. Counselors pay particular attention to helping students solve pending court problems and complete probation requirements.
  9. Confidentiality guidelines are made clear, and all commitments of confidentiality made by staff are scrupulously kept.
  10. Random or routine drug testing is done as part of a proactive substance-abuse strategy. Students who test positive are provided counseling or treatment, which must be completed along with passing a follow-up drug test, as part of a clear plan for becoming drug-free prior to graduation.
  11. Training in personal finance management is provided. This training covers budgeting, managing bank accounts, understanding taxes, using credit, building assets, owning a home, filing income taxes, obtaining the earned income tax credit, and investing.

Recommended actions

  1. Issues revolving around personal identity; racial and ethnic identity; interpersonal relationships; discrimination based on race, gender, national origin, class background, or sexual orientation; and ways to sort out one's perceptions about discrimination are addressed through various rap groups, retreats, curriculum elements, and personal counseling.
  2. Close liaisons are set up with residential substance abuse rehabilitation programs, and students are referred to them when appropriate. If students voluntarily join a residential treatment program, space will be made available for them in YouthBuild when they complete the treatment program.
  3. Issues related to sexuality, pregnancy and family planning, sexually transmitted diseases, and intimacy are given special attention. Support groups are available for both men and women.
  4. Issues related to parenting are given special attention, and support in finding good child care is provided.
  5. Special attention is paid to the housing needs of students, especially those who are homeless or living in unworkable situations. If possible, suitable housing is found.
  6. Staff are willing to meet with students one-on-one or by telephone outside of program hours. A policy on home visits and one-on-one contacts outside of program hours is developed at each site by staff and students, taking into account the privacy and confidentiality of students, the usefulness of home visits in strengthening relationships with students and their families, and the occasional need to reach out in a crisis.
  7. Small cash-assistance and savings programs such as individual development accounts (IDAs) are established to the extent feasible to help students achieve their goals.
  8. Regular clinical supervision by a licensed professional, if available in the community, is provided to counseling staff.