Our Programmes
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Mentoring Programme
The Y.O.U. Mentoring Programme is the one-to-one matching of caring adult volunteer
Mentors with 'in-school' adolescents ages 10 - 19 who are at risk of dropping out
of school. Mentors are given extensive ongoing training so as to provide support
for the 'Mentees' in the areas of developing self-esteem, responsible decision-making,
leadership training and career guidance. Mentors are also encouraged to expose their
protégés to new experiences, including cultural activities. The administrative team
works closely with teachers, guidance counselors and parents, and monitors the 'mentor-mentee'
relationships closely. Upon completion of High School, the mentee graduates from
the Y.O.U. Programme into the Y.O.U. Alumni group and their progress continues to
be tracked.
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Homework Centre
The Y.O.U. Homework Centre offers students a quiet place to complete school assignments
which is free of charge. The idea came out of the fact that students receive very
little supervision at home when they are completing homework as parents are often
busy after work. In some households the physical facilities (desk and chair) are
not available. This results in the school assignments and homework not being completed
and overall, poor academic performance by the student. First started in 1997 at
St. Hughs High School, the Home work Centre grew to include a Centre at Merl Grove
High which is supervised by an English and a Math teacher.
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Adolescent Workshops
This programme comprises
a series of Saturday morning Workshops, designed to provide valuable life skills,
cultural enhancement and environmental education for adolescents, while promoting
community and social responsibility. They are held monthly, during the school term.
The beneficiaries are from low income communities and the schools they attend are
struggling with economic and other challenges.
These youngsters are at risk of dropping out of school and of falling prey to criminal
elements in their communities, due in part to a lack of both effective supervision
and positive leisure activities.
Workshops cover topics such as: Self-esteem building Goal Setting/Drama Values &
Attitudes Jamaican History/Black History Career planning Writing Applications, Resumes
and Job Letters Personal Development & Etiquette Reproductive Health Substance
Abuse Arts & Crafts
This programme comprises a series of Saturday morning Workshops, designed to provide
valuable life skills, cultural enhancement and environmental education for adolescents,
while promoting community and social responsibility. They are held monthly, during
the school term. The beneficiaries are from low income communities and the schools
they attend are struggling with economic and other challenges.
These youngsters are at risk of dropping out of school and of falling prey to criminal
elements in their communities, due in part to a lack of both effective supervision
and positive leisure activities. Workshops cover topics such as: Self-esteem building
Goal Setting/Drama Values & Attitudes Jamaican History/Black History Career
planning Writing Applications, Resumes and Job Letters Personal Development &
Etiquette Reproductive Health Substance Abuse Arts & Crafts This programme comprises
a series of Saturday morning Workshops, designed to provide valuable life skills,
cultural enhancement and environmental education for adolescents, while promoting
community and social responsibility. They are held monthly, during the school term.
The beneficiaries are from low income communities and the schools they attend are
struggling with economic and other challenges. These youngsters are at risk of dropping
out of school and of falling prey to criminal elements in their communities, due
in part to a lack of both effective supervision and positive leisure activities.
Workshops cover topics such as:
- Self-esteem building
- Goal Setting/Drama
- Values & Attitudes
- Jamaican History/Black
History
- Career planning
- Writing Applications,
Resumes and Job Letters
- Personal Development
& Etiquette
- Reproductive Health
- Substance Abuse
- Arts & Crafts
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Peer Counseling
The Y.O.U. Peer Counseling
Programme targets adolescents with potential leadership skills and invites them
to take part in training for this programme, which is run in collaboration with
school guidance counselors. Peer Counselors are trained in the following topics:
- Self Esteem & Personal
Development
- Anger/Conflict Management
- Understanding the Jamaican
Youth
- Sexuality & Reproductive
Health
- Sexually Transmitted
Infections
- Special focus on HIV/AIDS
- Gender Issues
- Counseling Techniques
The Peer Counselling Programme has been expanded to meet the overwhelming demand,
YOU now trains student
Peer Counsellors from 6 schools at a time, in weekend workshops. A Total of 118
have been trained in March 2006.
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Summer Enrichment
The Summer Enrichment Programme
is an annual Y.O.U. programme providing youngsters 10-19 years old, who are students
at secondary and high schools, with two, two week, non residential camps, combining
personal development, life skill training not usually included in the school curriculum,
and wholesome entertainment.
This programme has been so well received that it is now being run in two phases,
to accommodate the growing numbers. The students are divided into older and younger
age groups. The sessions run Mondays to Thursdays, and each phase culminates in
an environmen tal field trip.
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Shadow Week
 The Shadow
Week Programme is a summer programme, which was piloted in August 1997, and is now
held annually. The programme provides young people with work experience and an introduction
to workplace practices and ethics.
Adolescents also learn about; new and different careers, the career that suits their
academic path; and also gain 'hands-on' experience with modern office technology.
Private companies, voluntary organizations and Government agencies agree to host
one or more adolescents for a minimum of one week, without pay, but are asked to
provide lunch.
Each adolescent is assigned to 'shadow' a staff member in that organization who
gives guidance and supervision in carrying out working procedures and a simple project.
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Power Talks
The Y.O.U. 'Motivational
Power Talks' programme provides 'in school' 'at-risk' adolescents with positive
messages that build their self-esteem. It also strengthens and empowers them, helps
them to make realistic decisions, promote attitudes of mutual respect and friendship,
understand their own strength and weaknesses, as well as help them to think like
winners.
Individuals
who have had impacting experiences in their own lives and are able to share these
with the adolescents for maximum encouragement are usually asked to give these talks.
This programme
is carried out each school term in participating schools. Additional workshops are
sometimes requested by the guidance counsellors to accommodate events such as 'careers'
and 'girls/boys' day.
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Parenting Workshops
The YOU Parenting
Programme provides parents and guardians with vital child rearing techniques, which
would once have been passed on by older family members and parent support groups.
This programme encourages and strengthens parental involvement with schools and
teaches some of the specialized skills so necessary in the modern world, such as
alternative methods of disciplining, advocacy and effective communication.
The programme
is carried out in schools as a structured part of regular P.T.A. meetings. Workshops
are held monthly in each of the participating schools for at least ten months of
the year. Presenters include professionals on the YOU staff as well as outside experts
who are commissioned for specialized topics.
YOU
provides a Parenting Handbook at a nominal cost.
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