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YES!Atlanta's "Coaching for Success " is a comprehensive educational planning and mentoring program designed to assist youth who:
- Are unable pass state mandated tests
- Are doing poorly in school,
- Lack motivation
- Have dropped out or have been withdrawn due to absenteeism.
Juvenile delinquency, poor school attendance, and sub-par academic performance are directly correlated. The Coaching for Success curriculum empowers youth to commit to their education and personal development, to take personal responsibility for their future, to operate above their circumstances, and to live in the presence of no excuses. The program is not a "handout" or "quick fix." It is highly structured and lasts from school year to school year. Our purpose is to give participants tools for taking charge of their lives – and then to support them in doing that. Coaching for Success is effective voluntary participation from the youth that complete our enrollment phase.
Applicants for Coaching for Success are typically between the ages of 13 and 17, and participation is voluntary. As part of the enrollment process they complete an extensive application that reveals their home life, experience with sex, drugs and relationships. They are asked to set personal and academic goals and identify for themselves the things that were barriers that previously prevented them from succeeding. Along with the application process and interviews, an academic evaluation is conducted. All of this information is used to develop a personalized plan for each youth.
A trained corporate volunteer will coach and mentor the youth in accordance with this plan. Tutoring sessions are held weekly to support youth in their deficient areas and to constantly monitor the youth's progress. Participation in various workshops is also required to further enhance life skills and personal development. Youth may remain active in Coaching for Success until graduation or placement in college or vocational school.
The results of this program are demonstrated by:
- an increase in graduation rates,
- increase in college bound youth,
- a decrease in juvenile delinquency
Youth completing at least 6 months of Coaching for Success and are age 15-18 are eligible for next Rising Star Youth Intensive
THE RISING STAR PROGRAM
YES!Atlanta’s signature Rising Star Program, first delivered in 1990, consists of two components: the Four- day Residential Intensive, and the continuation of the Coaching for Success Program. The Four-day Intensive is designed to "break the shell" in which the children live. The Intensive is a highly structured, activity-packed course combining professionally guided group discussions with challenging physical activities intended to foster self-esteem and cooperation with others. The young people are taught an empowering procedure for dealing with mistakes and broken commitments, and learn the value of asking for and accepting the support of others, particularly adults.
Each youth is paired with a trained adult volunteer who will serve as a mentor called a “Coach”. Drawn from all walks of life and carefully trained, the “Coach” will, for a full year, be the "wall" around the youth's self-imposed commitments – the goals that he (or she) has set for himself upon entering the program. The Coaching for Success program incorporates social and community service activities tailored to suit the interests of the youth, and is often led by them. Parents, siblings, and friends of the youth are welcome to participate in these activities. Successful completion of academic goals is a primary objective of the Rising Star program. Measurable objectives of Rising Star include:
- Avoiding criminal activities;
- Ending substance abuse;
- Successfully completing probation terms;
- Increasing school attendance and earning better grades;
- Graduating from high school or completing a GED;
- Improving relations with parents and other adults; and
- Obtaining gainful employment.
