Participants Sought for Survey on Mentoring Services for High-Risk Youth

The National Mentoring Partnership, Global Youth Justice, and the National Partnership for Juvenile Services are conducting a survey to improve the design and delivery of mentoring services for youth at risk for delinquency, alcohol and drug abuse, truancy, and other problem behaviors. Results will be included in a research report and in training and technical assistance materials, which will be free and available online. The survey is funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Mentoring and juvenile justice professionals working in detention, corrections, probation, dependency courts, delinquency courts, and teen court/youth court diversion programs are encouraged to participate. The survey is available online, and takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete. Take the survey online here.

Applications Available for the 2012 Do Something Awards

Award winners receive a community grant, participation in a televised award ceremony, media coverage, and continued support from Do Something. In the 2012 program, five winners will receive a minimum of $10,000 in community grants and scholarships. (Only winners 18 and under are eligible for a scholarship of $5,000 and a $5,000 community grant; winners between the ages of 19 and 25 will receive their entire award in the form of a community grant.) Of the five winners, one will be selected as the grand-prize winner and will receive a total of $100,000 in community grants paid directly to the nonprofit of his or her choice. To be eligible, applicants must be age 25 or younger and be a United States or Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Researchers from the University of Georgia have determined that States that prescribe abstinence-only sex education programs in public schools have significantly higher teenage pregnancy and birth rates than states with more comprehensive sex education programs. The study is the first large-scale evidence that the type of sex education provided in public schools has a significant effect on teen pregnancy rates. The researchers looked at teen pregnancy and birth data from 48 U.S. states to evaluate the effectiveness of those states' approaches to sex education, as prescribed by local laws and policies. "Our analysis adds to the overwhelming evidence indicating that abstinence-only education does not reduce teen pregnancy rates," said Kathrin Stanger-Hall, assistant professor of plant biology and biological sciences in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Read more 

ARISE Launches New Program to Raise Teen Pregnancy Awareness  

This month, the nationwide non-profit organization ARISE launched a new website to promote its Sprouts Series, a program designed to encourage prevention and raise awareness of teenage pregnancy.

The organization touts its Sprouts Series, a component of the ARISE Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, as "evidence-based" material intended to show teenagers "the realities of making babies and all that is involved in raising them." The Sprouts Series program consists of five books, which are available in both English and Spanish. Each book charts a different aspect of the childrearing process, from prenatal care and postpartum expectations to family building and infant safety. Additional resources, including instructor manuals and learner's workbooks, are available for the first four installments in the series. The fifth book in the Sprouts Series, entitled "Are You Living an Upside-Down Life?," is a collection of stories informing teenage girls about the risks and consequences of sexual activity. The ARISE Foundation, founded in 1986, has certified more than 5,000 Life-Skills Group Facilitators over the last quarter century, who have taught over 5 million documented hours to at-risk youth and teenagers in the United States and abroad. Check it out here 

Teens in Foster Care Face Elevated Risk of Becoming a Teen Parent  

Teens in foster care face considerable individual and family challenges that place them at an elevated risk of becoming a teen parent. Child Trends has released a new research brief, Teen Parents in Foster Care: Risk Factors and Outcomes for Teens and Their Children, which reviews existing research literature on teens in foster care and examines analyses of primarily regional data to assess the extent to which teens in foster care are at risk of teen pregnancy and parenting. Existing studies suggest that teens in foster care have higher rates of teen pregnancy and parenthood than youth not in care. More than 160,000 of the children in foster care were over 12 years old in 2009. On the basis of the research highlighted in this brief, Child Trends identifies several challenges to reducing rates of pregnancy and childbearing among teens in foster care and to preventing negative outcomes for these teen parents and their children. Read more 

The De-Incarceration of California's Juvenile Justice System 

The juvenile justice system in California has been evolving faster than most other parts of  the country.  While Missouri, Texas and other states have reduced their youth prison populations, California has made the most drastic reductions. At its peak in 1996, California housed more than 10,000 adolescents in its youth prisons. Today there are 1,096 youth held in just four facilities with one of those scheduled to close in a little more than a month. The idea of de-incarceration is not new. 40 years ago research revealed that when youth are not subject to the harsh conditions of institutional prison environments, they are less prone to serious and violent behavior upon release. We've known since the late 1970s, then, that well- implemented community- based treatment alternatives are more effective at reducing recidivism. Today, after decades of de-incarceration, juvenile crime is at an all time low both nationally and in California. Contrary to popular belief, the streets and our communities are safer when more adolescents are present. This is great news for society, and signals an opportunity to end the use of institutional monolithic structures such as California's youth prisons for good. Read more  

Teen Talk Sexuality Education Teacher Training

When: February 1st and 2nd, 2011, 9am-4pm 

Where: Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Ortega Building, 2350 El Camino Real, Mountain View, Ca 94040 

What: Ideal for middle school and high school teachers, and community/health educators. This workshop will cover: California Education Code, healthy relationships, values clarification in sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV/AIDS), abstinence/not having sex, birth control updates, encouraging parent/child communication, pregnancy options, decision-making skills, sexual identity & gender, sex and the media, how to answer tough questions from teens, and more. Participants will receive a hard copy of our bilingual Teen Talk curriculum. Discount if registered by January 15th. Register here    

Leading for Equity Institute

When: February 9-12, 2012 

Where: Sonoma, CA 

What: The Leading For Equity (LFE) Institute is a residential experience where individuals and teams from schools, districts, and community organizations receive expert, caring guidance and facilitation to work together to address the personal and technical challenges they face in their educational equity efforts. At The National Equity Project, we define "leader" as anyone who takes responsibility for what mat­ters to them. We work with leaders to develop their capacity to foster positive change on behalf of historically under-served students and families. This experiential institute provides ample opportunities for sharing, reflection, and planning to inform your current work. Leading for Equity develops individual and collective leadership at every level of schools, districts, or nonprofit organizations. Teams will deepen their commitment, relationships, and efficacy while developing strategies toward equity goals. Register here