Awards To Boost Literacy Programs
The city Department of Probation (DOP) announced that Queens Library will receive a Community Education Pathways to Success (CEPS) award.
CEPS, part of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s Young Men’s Initiative, focuses on raising the literacy level of young black and Latino men. Six additional organizations will serve other communities.
“The Community Education Pathways to Success (CEPS) initiative is targeted to one of the root issues that is preventing many of our clients from fulfilling their potential: trouble with basic reading, writing and math,” said Department of Probation Commissioner Vincent N. Schiraldi. “With help from these organizations, we will provide targeted, evidencebased programs that will help our clients move out of the criminal justice system for good.”
The programs will serve young adults between the ages of 17 1/2 and 24 who are on probation, reading between the fourth and eighth grade level, and living in five targeted Neighborhood Opportunity Network (NeON) communities: Brownsville, East New York, Harlem, Jamaica and the South Bronx.
The NeON is a network of community organizations, government agencies, local businesses, and community residents focused on connecting probation clients who live in the target neighborhood to opportunities, resources and services.
Of the approximately 8,800 16-24 year-olds on probation, more than 70 percent do not have either a high school diploma or a GED. There are many reasons why these young adults do not complete high school, but a significant percentage of them have trouble with reading, writing and mathematics.
CEPS services will be provided by community-based organizations (CBOs) under contract with the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. The contracts will be for three years through Jan. 31, 2015, with an option to renew for two additional one-year periods.
Working in the five NeON neighborhoods, the CBOs will provide structured programs that combine high-quality instruction, personal support, and career development within a youth development framework.
The awards expand the CEPS initiative to specifically integrate people on probation with low reading levels into existing CEPS programs.
CEPS will enable young adults to get back on track to receive a GED and pursue higher education and a career. The Youth Development Institute will provide capacity building and technical assistance to the CBOs. The NYC Center for Economic Opportunity, which has launched several successful young adult literacy programs, is charged with the monitoring and evaluation of CEPS and the majority of the Young Men’s Initiative programs.
