Fostering Hopeful Youth, Strong Families and Safe Communities this School Year and Beyond
By Ali Naaseh-Shahry, Deputy Development Director at YouthZone
Read the Article on the Post Independent website HERE.
Back-to-school season is an interesting time in our communities. Transitioning between the long, empty days of summer and the shorter days of fall – which are packed with sports, extracurriculars, and academic obligations – can be positive for some and challenging for others.
Each year, many teachers and administrators look forward to re-establishing their routines, testing out new strategies and helping students achieve their goals. For others, particularly new teachers and those in specialized positions, starting the year off strong can require a little extra energy and planning.
For some parents and guardians, a return to school signifies less to worry about – their children have guaranteed supervision and free meals for most of the week, as well as access to highly-trained professionals who know the best route to success for each child. For others, particularly single parents, finding a balance between personal obligations and school-related activities in Fall can be tough.
Finally, many kids look forward to the excitement of seeing their friends every day, learning new skills, and returning to a safe and familiar environment where they’re free to be themselves. Others, however, might see school as a place where they struggle to fit in or are challenged by peer pressure. I vividly remember the horror I experienced on my first day of seventh grade when I realized had been in the wrong classroom for almost 15 minutes, and the confusion I felt the first time I was exposed to underage drug and alcohol use. I also remember when I was ticketed at school for using violence to solve my dispute with a peer, and the restorative justice program that I completed to get my court charges dropped.
Of the 500-plus clients that YouthZone serves each year, 70% are referred to us by the courts. Many are caught with drugs or alcohol at school, while others are charged with theft, harassment, or assault (like I was after my classroom fight). Regardless, the chance to work with YouthZone is a welcome opportunity for these kids to earn a second chance. The process starts when our dedicated, hard-working, and highly qualified youth advocates conduct a comprehensive, two-generational youth and family assessment. The results of the assessment dictate which services our advocates deliver to the client. They include court advocacy, substance use education, restorative justice, life skills, mentoring, counseling, and peer support groups. To provide wraparound support to the whole family, we also offer services for adults via our Parent Support Program. If our clients complete their programs successfully after three to six months, the court will usually drop their charges and clear their records.
While court advocacy is the foundation of our programming, we also partner with schools and law enforcement agencies to provide preventative services, which account for 17% of our referrals. When administrators, counselors, teachers, and officers identify at-risk youth and refer them to YouthZone, those youth become eligible to receive the same set of services as our court-involved clients. In most cases, we’ll sit alongside these partners and develop a plan that works for all parties involved, including the family. We’re proud to work closely with 15 different schools from the Aspen, Roaring Fork, Garfield Re-2, and Garfield 16 school districts, and we are committed to developing similar bonds with districts in Rio Blanco County. These critical partnerships guarantee that youth and families always have access to critical services, both in and out of school.
Regardless of how our clients come to YouthZone, one thing is for sure: our services are effective. 92% of our clients do not reoffend while working with us, compared to the national average of 49% for youth who do not receive similar services. Furthermore, 36% of our clients report an improvement in at least one of our focus areas, which include drug and alcohol use, optimism and problem solving, trauma, and community engagement. Whatever challenges may appear as the school year builds momentum, you can rest assured that YouthZone’s staff and community partners are here to support you. If you believe our services might be a good fit for you or someone you know, we invite you to fill out our referral form at http://www.youthzone.com/referrals. You can also have a bilingual staff member guide you through the process by calling 970-945-9300. If you’d like to support the work we do, please consider donating at http://www.youthzone.com/give. With your help, we’ll be able to continue fostering Hopeful Youth, Strong Families, and Safe Communities this school year and beyond.
YouthZone is a nonprofit that prioritizes family support for parents, guardians, families, and adolescents. Our services, available from Aspen to Parachute, include parent counseling, education, family resources, and comprehensive assessment and advocacy to foster healthy relationships among youth, families, and communities. For more information and to access our support, visit youthzone.com or call 970-945-9300.
Ali Naaseh-Shahry is a Colorado native who holds degrees in international public policy from the University of Colorado (BA) and University College London (MSc). He moved to western Colorado in 2015 to teach six-and-under ski school at the Aspen Skiing Company. Ali has taught a wide variety of academic and experiential subjects to people of all ages. Most recently, he worked as a special education teacher with the Roaring Fork School District, where he used data-driven decision making to improve his delivery of specialized instruction. Ali enjoys lift-access powder skiing, raft-access fly fishing, and spending time with his cats.