The Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY)
About This Program
Target Population: Adolescent boys and girls in residential treatment facilities or foster care
For children/adolescents ages: 12 – 18
Program Overview
The WAY program was designed to help youth make a successful transition back to their home communities, and gain the attitudes and skills needed to become productive and self-sufficient adults.
The WAY program features a progression of learning and responsibility in replicated job settings and real employment. It also has a counseling component providing a five-year commitment to residents who reach the highest level of the program.
Program Goals
The goals of the The Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY) program are:
- Help young people finish high school allowing successful entry into adult employment
- Instill positive feelings about education and work
- Teach young people skills for getting and holding a job
- Help participants plan for their futures and acquire a sense of control over their lives
Logic Model
The program representative did not provide information about a Logic Model for The Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY).
Essential Components
The essential components of The Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY) include:
- Educational Advocacy:
- Work with adolescent to set educational goals
- Work with school staff to assist progress
- Provide tutoring and other resources for school success
- Develop individual plan for college or vocational education tailored to the preparedness of the student
- Work Experience:
- Provide replicated work experience to develop attitudinal job skills
- Develop workshops to teach workplace behavior, interviewing, and the resolution of work conflicts
- Provide onsite job coaching for residents in community jobs
- Provide vocational counseling to explore a wider variety of career paths
- Assist to develop career oriented job placements
- Savings
- Provide budget and financial literacy training
- Develop short-term savings goals
- Develop long-term savings goals
- Provide a 1:1 savings match for savings towards education goals
- Long-term Supportive Mentoring and Counseling:
- Provide long-term (five years) supportive counseling, particularly in the community
- Assist youth with developing independent living skills, particularly by work in the community
- Assist youth in developing planning skills and ability to work through real life problems independently
- Assist youth in understanding and navigating issues in transitioning to adulthood
Program Delivery
Child/Adolescent Services
The Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY) directly provides services to children/adolescents and addresses the following:
- Living in residential treatment facilities or foster care.
Recommended Intensity:
Contact intensity can vary depending on the age and needs of the young people in the program. Young people meet with their counselor at least twice each month.
Recommended Duration:
Young people are expected to work a minimum of 6 hours a week. They make a five-year commitment to the program.
Delivery Setting
This program is typically conducted in a(n):
- Group or Residential Care
Homework
This program does not include a homework component.
Resources Needed to Run Program
The typical resources for implementing the program are:
- Conference room with space for breakout groups
- Computer and projector for Power Point presentations
- Flip chart and markers
- Three trainers
- Job placement resources
- Sufficient funding for long-term aspects of the program
Manuals and Training
Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications
Counselors: Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree and three years experience with an adolescent population. Supervisors: Master of Social Work (MSW) and five years supervisory experience.
Manual Information
There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.
Training Information
There is training available for this program.
Training Contact:
- Richard Larson, Director of Program Scholarship and Aftercare
The Children's Village
childrensvillage.org/community-based-programs/the-way-home
rlarson@childrensvillage.org
phone: (914) 693-0600 x1492
Training Type/Location:
Contact The Children's Village
Number of days/hours:
Varies.
Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research
Currently, there are no published, peer-reviewed research studies for The Work Appreciation for Youth (WAY).
Additional References
American Youth Policy Forum. (2001). More things that DO make a difference for youth: A compendium of evaluations of youth programs and practices, Vol. II, same.
Dale, N., Baker, A. J. L., & Racine, D. (1999). Lessons learned: What the WAY program can teach us about program replication. Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum.
Youth programs that work for America and making children a national priority: A framework for community action, published by The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA).
Contact Information
- Richard Larson
- Title: Director of Program Scholarship and Aftercare
- Agency/Affiliation: The Children's Village
- Website: childrensvillage.org/community-based-programs/the-way-home
- Email: rlarson@childrensvillage.org
- Phone: (914) 693-0600 x6201
- Fax: (914) 693-7775
Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed by CEBC: June 2014
Date Program Content Last Reviewed by Program Staff: September 2006
Date Program Originally Loaded onto CEBC: September 2006