Milwaukee Brighter Futures 2010 Agencies
The 2010 Brighter Futures Request for Proposal process received seventy-one proposals for a total request of $7,877,286 and 27 projects were funded with a breakdown of # of projects per funding category.
The list of agencies selected to be funded under the Brighter Futures Initiatives for Calendar Year 2010 are listed below. Click on the agency name to locate full details of the particular program.
Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Projects |
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Fatherhood Wisdom |
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Kids Matter Inc. |
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Behavior Clinic |
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Youth Leadership Development Initiative |
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Child Witness to Domestic Violence |
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Caregiver Support Program |
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Family Links |
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Nurturing Programs |
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Helping Kids Grow |
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Community Wide Initiatives |
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Project REACH |
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Milwaukee Adolescent Health Program |
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Peace Program |
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Positive Youth Development |
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Mentoring Children of Prisoners |
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Shining Stars Youth Education |
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Youth Prevention |
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Marquette University Law School/Marquette University Center for Peacemaking |
Peer Solutions and Peacemaking |
Kids Place/Youth Development Programs |
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Project Q Youth Development Initiative |
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Youth Development Program |
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Hand-in-Hand |
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Girls Reaching Our Goals |
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Urban Youth Exp/Vincent FRC |
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Social Development Programs |
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RELATE / Adolescent Parent Program |
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Youth Futures |
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College Careers Program |
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Youth Transitioning to Adulthood |
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College Readiness 21 |
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Project Name: Fatherhood Wisdom Project
2568 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Project Lead Staff: Terri Strodthoff. terri@almacenter.org. 414.265.0100 x107
Website: http://www.almacenter.org
Project Description. The Alma Center program is focused on a target population of men who due to a variety of background factors and experiences are likely to be significantly challenged in their ability to be a nurturing and responsible father/role model to their children. In addressing the needs for improved parenting among this group of fathers, the Alma Center will deliver a comprehensive and multifaceted educational change and trauma resolution program with varied components that can be combined to meet the specific individual needs. The program will include the following elements:
- Comprehensive assessment for case formulation and individualized plan
- Men Ending Violence batterer intervention program
- Caring Dads Fatherhood Education Program
- Fatherhood Wisdom Walk trauma resolution intensive program
- Case management / life skills
- Breaking the Cycle: Father/Youth Wisdom Walk 3-day retreat
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee (2 projects)
788 N. Prospect Ave, Suite 600; Milwaukee WI 53202
Project Lead Staff: Amy Chionchio, achionchio@bbbsmilwaukee.org, 258-4778x225
Website: http://bbbsmilwaukee.org
Project REACH
Project Description. Project REACH will support longer, stronger match relationships between volunteer mentors and youth participants in an effort to increase positive youth outcomes. The goals of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee’s Project REACH are to improve the life outcomes of at-risk youth by enhancing the current BBBS mentoring program through structured, staff-supported activities designed to promote youth cogitative, social, physical, emotional and moral developmental growth. BBBS serves youth ages 6-17 that are at risk of academic failure, juvenile delinquency, and incarceration. The program provides a protective factor for this at-risk population by reducing negative outcomes and increasing positive outcomes such as improved relationships and school performance. Project REACH provides an additional protective factor by planning and staffing 58 match activities in five focus areas: (18 in Recreation, 7 in Education & Career, 7 in Arts & Culture, 21 in Civic Engagement and 5 in Health) and through 100 community collaborations. Through ticket donations which defray the entry cost, matches are exposed to new experiences through attendance at arts, recreation and sporting events. Project REACH will also aid in recruiting 50 male volunteers.
Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP) Program
Project Description. The MCP will provide one-to-one professionally supported mentoring services for Milwaukee's most at-risk youth: children of prisoners. The goal of the MCP Program is to improve the life outcomes of youth experiencing the loss of a parent to incarceration by providing a positive adult mentor and supporting the matched relationship for at least one year. The program provides a protective factor for this at-risk population by reducing negative youth outcomes and increasing positive outcomes such as improved relationships and school performance. Through volunteer recruitment, professional match support, and staff planned and coordinated activities 75 new volunteers will be recruited, 300 match relationships will be served, 90% of monthly contacts will be completed, the six-month match retention rate will reach at least 75% and the total average match length will be at least 12 months.
Project Name: Hope House: Shining Stars Youth Education Program
209 W. Orchard Street, Milwaukee WI 53204
Project Lead Staff: Wendy Weckler, Patrick Shank. wendyw@hopehousemke.org, patricks@hopehousemke.org (414) 645-2122
Website: http://hopehousemke.org
Project Description. The Hope House Shining Stars Youth Education Program is designed to provide homeless children, as well as children from low-income households in the neighborhoods surrounding Hope House, with individual academic tutoring, cultural enrichment workshops, community service activities, and excursions to educational locations throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Participants in the Shining Stars Program are presented with numerous experiences to further their development as students and citizens during the school year and throughout the summer. It is the goal of the Shining Stars Youth program to include a variety of services for youth aimed at reducing the incidence of teen violence and other delinquent behavior, non-marital teen pregnancy, teen alcohol and other drug use and abuse.
Project Name: Kids Matter Inc.
1850 N. Martin Luther King Jr., Suite 202, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Project Lead Staff: Susan Conwell, Lance Jones, Susan@kidsmatterinc.org, 344-1220 ext. 13
Website: http://kidsmatterinc.org
Project Description. The Family Connections Milwaukee pilot program (FCM) will reduce family risk factors for child abuse and neglect by creating, increasing and supporting family protective factors among extended family/kin caregivers and children. FCM will use the “demonstrated effective” model called Family Connections (tested with extended kin families) to enhance the resources, skills, and coping strategies of the caregivers, their social supports and their community. These services are necessary to help relatives meet the physical, emotional, and behavioral needs of the children they love and care for and to concretely acknowledge extended kin caregivers as a valued community resource.
Project Name: Journey House College Careers Program
1900 W. Washington Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Project Lead Staff: Darick Spears, dspears@journeyhouse.org, 628-0798;Steve Stanislawski, sstanislawski@journeyhouse.org, 647-0548, ex.2229
Website: http://journeyhouse.org
Project Description. Journey House youth programs empower youth to compete in the global economy by promoting innovative approaches and rigorous educational programs coupled with workforce/social development that assist economically challenged youth to stay safe, focused, finish high school, and successfully transition and graduate from an institution of higher learning and maintain gainful, meaningful employment. The Journey House College Careers Program will assist 200 low-income, urban Latino and African American youth through an intensive, customized academic and career planning program to become self-sustaining leaders in their family, household, neighborhood, and community . By instituting best practices in education, we will increase the rate of promotion to the next grade level, post-secondary education, or career path. The College Careers Program will mount a sustained effort to develop instructional and student support strategies to improve student success in high school and prepare them for high achievement in college and the workforce. Journey House will help youth successfully transition as a prepared student into college or the workforce.
Project Name: Youth Prevention
807 S. 14th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204
Project Lead Staff: Wilma Fonseca. wilma@latinocommunitycenter.org (414) 384-8140
Website: http://www.latinocommunitycenter.org
Project Description. The Latino Community Center (LCC) programming will reach many at-risk youth in the area between the ages of 5 – 21, including gang members, young girls, out-of-school youth and teenaged males. Programming will focus on reducing violence, drug use, preventing premarital pregnancy and increasing self esteem and academic achievement. The LCC staff runs after school programming each weeknight at the Center, and at two Community Learning Centers, including Kagel Elementary School and South Division High School. Varied programming and activities are presented, including academic based and recreational. Curriculum based programs are also offered including “Healthy Girls”, “Life Skills Training” and “Creating Lasting Family Connections”. An additional program, Outpost for alternative education, provides a method for learning for students with poor performance in a traditional educational environment. Teen nights will be offered on specific evenings during the week throughout the school year from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Summer programming for youth runs all day and into the evening, five days a week. The LCC will have positive outcomes including: achieving academic increases, gaining self confidence, developing self esteem, and gaining the life skills necessary to resist negative peer pressure.
Project Name: Behavior Clinic: A Home-Based, Child Management Program for Low-Income Families
College of Education, Dept. of Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology, PPO Box 1881, Milwaukee WI 53201-1881, Robert Fox, robert.fox@marquette.edu, 288-1469.
Penfield Children’s Center (subcontracted agency), 833 N. 26th St., Milwaukee 53233. Jennifer Carrasco, jennifer.carrasco@marquette.edu, 345-6351
Website: http://penfieldchildren.org
Project Description. This project will identify 90 young, at-risk children including 20 children involved with the child welfare system. We will provide their families with a nationally recognized, evidence-based, child management program (CMP) to reduce the children’s behavior problems by improving the family’s parenting knowledge and skills. This CMP has been specifically adapted to be delivered in the homes of urban families living in poverty, most of whom are headed by single mothers, who often resort to negative parenting practices to manage their young children’s behavior problems. All families who complete the CMP will be provided additional booster home sessions as needed. Multiple direct observation and self-report measures will be administered before, during and after the CMP is implemented and again at a 4-6 week follow-up to assess the project’s outcomes; we also will collect progress measures at each home visit.
Marquette University Law School / Marquette University Center for Peacemaking
Project Name: Peer Solutions and Peacemaking
Participating Agencies: Marquette University Law School, Marquette University, and the Milwaukee Public Schools Violence Prevention Program
1103 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Library Room 222, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53233
Project Lead Staff: Natalie C. Fleury,. natalie.fleury@marquette.edu, (414) 288-8038; Yvette Mitchell ydm6965@yahoo.com. , (414) 975-7382
Project Description. Peer Solutions and Peacemaking (formerly CREC) is a partnership between Marquette University (MU) and the Milwaukee Public Schools Violence Prevention Program (VPP). PSP reduces teen violence by training middle school and high school students in conflict resolution, restorative justice, and peer mediation. The goal of PSP is to build the capacity of teens to identify and resolve conflicts with peers. In 2009, the CREC trained185 youth in a variety of conflict resolution techniques.
Project Name: Milwaukee Adolescent Health Program – Opportunities Unlimited
1020 N. 12th Street Milwaukee, WI 53233
Lead Staff: Lenora Shaw Email: lbshaw@mcw.edu Phone: 278-3861
Monica McKenzie Email: mmckenz@mcw.edu Phone: 277-8945
Deborah Bryant Email: dbryant@mcw.edu Phone: 277-8911
Website: http://www.mcw.edu
Project Description. The Milwaukee Adolescent Health Program of the Pediatrics Department of the Medical College of Wisconsin coordinates healthcare and support services for high-risk youths in Milwaukee. The goals of the project are: (1) to systematically screen 2,000 adolescents, ages of 13 and 20, who receive health services at MAHP program sites, for risk factors and behaviors that contribute to negative outcomes; and (2) to coordinate resources and activities that build on protective factors, personal assets and community resources to improve those outcomes for adolescents referred for additional services.
Project Name: Kids Place & Youth Development Programs
2137 West Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee WI 53204
Project Lead Staff: Emilio Lopez, elopez@mccwi.org, 645-5350 Ext 107
Website: http://mccwi.org
Project Description. Milwaukee Christian Center (MCC) provides services to youth and families. This includes the Kids Place and the Youth Development Programs, whose services are provided in a culturally competent manner to a ethnically diverse group of youth and families with the intent of helping them resolve educational, cultural and language issues. MCC encourages parental involvement with their children through innovative strategies such as Family Nights, field trips/recreational activities focusing on parent/child relationships and workshops that address family concerns such as school attendance/academic performance, healthy lifestyles and financial literacy. MCC will target 3-5 families from each site totaling of 10-20 parents and 20-30 children, ages 6-14. MCC’s work will result in home visits with families, parenting skills workshop presented by the Parenting Skills Network and improvement in academic performance by the children. Data indicates an increased number of community members are coping with some form of ATODA factors. Seeking solutions is a priority when school drop out rates, peer conflicts, gang violence, crime rates and other negative behaviors are rising in which youth were violators or victims. MCC intends to implement the Creating Lasting Family Connections program that allows for parents and their children to be on parallel curriculum modules that come together at the end of a 15-18 week program to discuss what they have learned and to share their experience.
Milwaukee LGBT Community Center
Project Name: Project Q Youth Development Initiative
315 W Court ST, Suite 101, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Project Lead Staff Name(s): Julie Bock, Director of Programs, jbock@mkelgbt.org, 292-3070
Website: http://www.mkelgbt.org
Project Description. The overall goal of Project Q’s Youth Development Initiative is to provide marginalized and at-risk LGBTQ youth with the knowledge, support and skills necessary for them to reduce their risk behaviors and/or increase their self-protective behaviors. Within the LGBTQ youth population, the targets that Project Q will focus on are: 1) Youth who would benefit from enhanced social/ leadership skills, 2) Substance abusing youth and 3) Youth at increased sexual risk. The program offers:
- Out-of-school time programming activities five evenings per week that focus on four targeted programming areas: 1) Risk Reduction; 2) Tolerance Promotion; 3) Safety Promotion; and 4) Health & Wellness Promotion
- Youth leadership opportunities, including participation in the REAL youth leadership advisory board that makes major decisions for the program
- Prevention case management for youth engaging in crime/violence and health risk behaviors
- Membership model to increase youth ownership and offer a ladder of opportunity for leadership development and risk reduction. Members will be drawn from those highest at risk and peer-group opinion leaders.
Neu-Life Community Resource Center
Project Name: Youth Development Program
2014 W North Avenue, Milwaukee WI 53205
Project Lead Staff Name(s): Jody Rhodes, Director; Odell Chalmers, Program Coordinator. neulife1@sbcglobal.net 414-933-3924
Project Description. Neu-Life Community Resource Center’s Youth Development Program is unique and creative in the approach taken to positive youth development. Programs are youth-driven and the youth give input on all programs and activities offered. A wide variety of prevention programs are offered and there is something for all the youth served to keep them engaged. We provide a year-round after school and summer program for youth aged 3 to 17 at two sites in Milwaukee. Program activities in the areas of health and wellness, creative and performing arts and leadership development are emphasized. The program also includes three evidence-based curriculums that are very successful when interwoven into prevention program activities. The program also has a strong focus on youth-led, youth-driven, community improvement projects. We empower the youth we serve to make a positive difference in the neighborhoods in which they live.
Project Name: Youth Leadership Development Initiative
1614 East Kane Place Milwaukee, WI 53202
Project Lead Staff: Lisa Gumm, Program Manager, lgumm@pathfindersmke.org. (414) 271-1560
Website: http://pathfindersmke.org
Project Description. The Pathfinders Youth Leadership Development Initiative (YLDI) aims to provide at least 450 very high at-risk youth with services and programming that gives them a sense of safety, structure, and belonging as they develop important skills and assets. The Initiative’s primary objectives are to strengthen youth-adult relationships; improve youth competency and social skills; enhance youth self-esteem, and provide affirming messages regarding youth as assts to the community. This is accomplished through researched-based structured daily Prevention Education Groups, weekly Youth Leadership Meetings, and weekly Activity Groups that provide ways that allow them to address their disengagement from their families, schools and communities and reduce their likelihood of engaging in delinquent behaviors. The Initiative seeks to expand these services through the Youth Outreach Drop-in Center, a ‘one-stop shop’ for providing basic life services and more intensive case management services to meet life’s challenges.
Project Name: Pathfinders’ Hand-in-Hand Sexual Abuse Recovery Program
4200 N. Holton Street, Suite 400, Milwaukee, WI 53212-1064
Project Lead Staff: Cathy Arney, Vice President. carney@pathfindersmke.org. 414-964-2565, ext. 16
Project Description. With the launching of the Pathfinders Drop-In Center for homeless youth, prevention efforts turn toward one of Milwaukee’s most vulnerable populations - homeless and runaway youth. This project will directly reach a total of 1,110 youth, parents and community professionals. The proposed initiative utilizes a two-pronged approach to address sexual violence/exploitation and teen pregnancy among youth:
Primary Prevention (preventing abuse from occurring): Sexual exploitation among homeless youth is unfortunately commonplace. Sexual abuse and teen pregnancy are profoundly linked. This initiative utilizes Making Proud Choices! and Street Smart, both evidence-based, CDC sanctioned curriculum to accomplish this. Youth will learn how to make safer choices to protect themselves from violence/exploitation and unwanted pregnancy. Parents/caregivers will be trained through the nationally recognized curriculum Awareness to Action-Stewards of Children to be more aware of signs of sexual abuse with their children as well as other children in their communities. Resource fairs aim at raising awareness and providing resources for services. This branch of the project will directly reach at least 1,000 people (225 youth, 175 parents, and 600 youth-focused community professionals ).
Secondary Prevention (intervening once abuse has occurred): The HIH Program helps victims rise from self-blaming to self-empowerment, achieving self sufficiency through finishing school, becoming employed, delaying child bearing, participating fully in their community, breaking their silence, entering healthy relationships and keeping themselves safe. The initiative will provide cognitive behavioral based therapy and advocacy services to 110 youth at high risk of future harm to others or themselves due to sexual assault/exploitation.
Project Name: Girls Reaching our Goals
2100 N. Palmer Street:
Project Lead Staff: Danae Davis, CEO, danae@pearlsforteengirls.com, 265-7555 x102; and Gerry Howze, Director of Program Services, gerry@pearlsforteengirls.com, 265-7555 x103.
Website: http://www.pearlsforteengirls.com
Project Description. The program includes the full spectrum of PEARLS regular curriculum; provision of intensive training opportunities for teen facilitators; and outreach to parents. The core PEARLS curriculum provides girls with a rich opportunity to discuss and work through issues important to them in supportive “Sharing Circles.” A typical session features a guided conversation led by one Adult Program Coordinator and usually a Teen Facilitator. Topics might include school, relationships, careers, health or whatever the girls identify as pressing for them. Through these discussions, PEARLS girls practice articulating ideas, clarifying beliefs, and learning to listen to and respect the ideas of peer and adult mentors. These skills better prepare girls to assert themselves positively when facing choices about drugs, alcohol, violence or sex.
Every PEARLS girl enrolled in school year programming will also have the opportunity to participate in PEARLS groundbreaking Goal Setting Initiative. Goal setting has become the cornerstone of the PEARLS program and the means by which we measure our success. Working in cooperation with UW-Milwaukee evaluation expert, Dan Folkman, PhD, PEARLS girls and staff developed the “PEARLS Leadership Compass” which incorporates five points within which goals are set: Loving Myself, Striving to Achieve, Building Relationships with Others, Believing the Sky is the Limit, Helping Hands in the Community.
PEARLS programming is augmented by field trips, guest speakers, College Tours, scholarships, Alumnae Association, and college readiness services including a new Higher Education Coach program that pairs girls with caring adults willing to provide one-on-one mentoring to help girls through the college application, financing and acceptance process. We will also continue to encourage parental involvement through participation in Plain Talk and all other programming.
St. Aemilian-Lakeside (2 Projects)
Project Name: Youth Transitioning to Adulthood Scholars
8901 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53222
Project Lead Staff: Jane Ottow. jottow@st-al.org 463-1880 x163
Website: http://www.st-al.org
Project description. The goal of St. Aemilian-Lakeside’s (SAL) Youth Transitioning to Adulthood (YTA) Scholars is to assist former foster youth in successfully transitioning to adulthood through finding secure and safe housing, obtaining and maintaining employment, pursuing further educational and vocational training, strengthening parenting skills and remaining free of contact with the criminal justice system. Program objectives include teaching and exposing the young adult to the many processes and tasks associated with the transition to adulthood, creating an understanding that values the completion of these processes and tasks, and supporting the young adult in their efforts.
The key is the development of a trusting, long term relationship between the former foster youth and the YTA Counselor. The basis for the theory of change in YTA Scholars is that the numerous tasks of transitioning to adulthood can be achieved when a young adult has at least one positive adult in their life to support them at crucial times. The YTA Counselor works with the young adult to assess needs and identify individualized goals, refers the young adult to main stream resources, teaches self-sufficiency and daily living skills, offers individualized assistance and support, provides financial assistance when appropriate, and makes a long-term commitment to the relationship with the participant.
Financial assistance is provided through incentives given to program participants for success made towards goals and completion of program goals.
Project Name: Caregiver Support Program
8901 W. Capitol Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53222
Project Lead Staff Name(s): Deborah Rosen. drosen@st-al.org. (414)463-1880 x.157
Project Description. St. Aemilian-Lakeside’s Caregiver Support Program provides the relative caregivers of children in court-ordered kinship care with a variety of supportive services in order to enhance their ability to meet the needs of the children in their care. The program, which serves the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare’s (BMCW) Region 3, engages relative caregivers with the goals of increasing placement stability, facilitating children’s identified permanence goals, ensuring that the mental health service needs of children and caregivers are met, advocating for children in the educational arena, and ensuring that children in kinship care are safe from abuse, neglect, and marginal care. The services provided through Caregiver Support are kinship parent driven and clinical in nature. The primary method of service delivery is face-to-face contact within the kinship home.
St. Vincent de Paul Society –Vincent Family Resource Center
Project Name: The Urban Youth Experience
2610 N. Martin Luther King Drive
Project Staff: Dr. Stephany Pruitt, Director. spruitt@svdpmilw.org. 414-374-0109
Website: http://www.svdpmilw.org
Project Description. The “Urban Youth Experience”, will serve 80 teens and their parents to address issues that are specific to urban youth and their families. The Vincent Family Resource Center (VFRC) serves predominately low-income African Americans teens who struggle with issues associated with poverty: child abuse and neglect, dysfunctional families, racism, teen pregnancy and ATODA abuse. Critical objectives are to strengthen the bonds between parents and children, provide education and experiences for youth resulting in positive outcomes that impact the child-parent relationship and the youth’s life choices. Many of these youth have experienced and are currently experiencing out-home-placement through wraparound, child protective services or adjudication. The “Urban Youth Experience” will provide culturally competent services that include recreation, entrepreneurship, and the arts to reach and retain at-risk-youth. The Dr. Dads classes provide teen fathers education, support and tools to take care of their sick child, prevent child abuse, and reduce infant mortality while ensuring young fathers become an intricate part of the early years of a child’s life. The project strives to reduce child abuse, violent behavior, teen pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse, and prevent out-of-home placements.
Project Name: Peace Program
2977 N 50th St, Milwaukee, WI 53210
Project Lead Staff: Laurene Gramling Laehn, Executive Director, llaehn@setinc.org, 449-2681; Thelma Newby, Vice President, tnewby@setinc.org, 449-2682
Website: http://www.setinc.org
Project Description. SET Ministry’s Peace Program began in 1997 at St. Michael’s Hospital in response to concerns expressed to local behavioral-health professionals by area principals and teachers. The program applies the principles of group therapy to teach children in seven Milwaukee elementary and middle schools (both public and private) healthy interaction patterns through a group format. Almost all of the students live in poverty and possess a number of common risk factors for violence and poor academic performance. Behavioral health professionals lead the weekly 30 minute sessions within the traditional classroom setting.
The Peace Program focuses on three primary behavioral-health change principles:
- Impulse control - the capacity to delay gratification of an immediate impulse.
- Emotional regulation - the ability to manage unpleasant feelings or sensations.
- Violence prevention – the likelihood to delay an immediate impulse to hit or verbally react.
The program helps students feel pro-socially connected to each other. Less aggression leads to opportunities for greater academic achievement for all students. Youth become familiar with the concepts and use the techniques at home, on the playground, and in their neighborhood. Teachers and other school personnel also learn about the model and use it within the everyday classroom experiences. A home visiting component will help children in the child welfare system overcome barriers to success.
Silver Spring Neighborhood Center
Project Name: Social Development Programs
5460 N. 64th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53218
Project Lead Staff Name(s): Anthony McHenry/Lashonda Kendrick. amchenry@ssnc-milw.org / lkendrick@ssnc-milw.org. 414-463-7950
Website: http://www.ssnc-milw.org
Project Description. The Social Development Programs are designed for at-risk teens and pre-teens that focuses on youth violence, teen pregnancy prevention and alcohol and other drug abuse prevention. The program’s objectives are to develop an increase of knowledge and awareness of the risk and dangers of these behaviors and to increase protective factors by offering daily, engaging, social and/or educational activities for participants. The social development programs include; bi-weekly LADY and MALE meetings, weekly meetings for the Leadership Clubs, weekly Teen Talk sessions, annual college tours, job fairs, and a Teen Conference. Program participants will develop social, emotional, and educational tools to help them avoid negative outcomes like teen pregnancy, low school attendance and violent behaviors, and support them as they create a positive life vision, serve as community role models, and access the resources they need to achieve in school, a career and life.
Project Name: Child Witness to Domestic Violence
1400 N 6th Street Milwaukee, WI 53212
Project Lead Staff: Wanda Staples. wstaples@tffv.org. 276-1911
Website: http://sojournertruthhouse.org
Project Description. The goal of the project is to reduce the harmful effects of children’s exposure to domestic violence by identifying and reaching out to the protective parents of these child witnesses; training professionals who work with children in the Milwaukee community; offering direct case management services to families affected by domestic violence; and offering support / educational groups for child witnesses.
Support and education provided by this project teaches parents how help their children heal after experiencing violence in the home. Children learn that violence is an unacceptable way of dealing with emotions and that the violence is not their fault. Professionals who work with children receive training on how to respond to child victims/witnesses of domestic violence. Trainees learn how to identify signs of domestic violence and how to assist families in accessing the appropriate services.
All participants are offered safety and resource planning, crisis counseling, emergency legal and resource assistance. Families participate in the program at their own pace and as long they need the services.
The Parenting Network (2 Projects)
7516 W. Burleigh St., Milwaukee WI 53210
Family Links
Lead Staff: Andrea Libber, alibber@theparentingnetwork.org; Aisha Lampley, alampley@theparentingnetwork.org;, 671-5575
Website: http://www.theparentingnetwork.org
Family Links is a community response program linking the Initial Assessment department of the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare (BMCW), the Parent Helpline, and a network of community-based organizations. During 2010 this unique child abuse prevention program will serve at least 85 families including at least 130 children. Family Links is designed to serve vulnerable families who would otherwise “fall between the cracks.” The Family Links team provides individualized case management services using a strength-based approach linking families with appropriate agencies and services they need to provide safe and nurturing environments for their children.
RELATE / Adolelescent Parenting Progam
Lead Staff: Viki Olsen, volsen@theparentingnetwork.org; Angela Ellis, aellis@theparentingnetwork.org; 671-5575
RELATE and Adolescent Parenting Program Project Description. The Parenting Network (TPN) will provide two evidence-based programs for youth in school-based settings. These programs address both sides of the teen pregnancy issue – prevention (RELATE) as well as parenting education and support for those teens who become pregnant (Adolescent Parenting Program).
- RELATE ™ (Relationship Education Leading Adolescents Toward Empowerment) is a 10-session series facilitated in middle and high school settings serving 650 youth between the ages of 11-17. The goals are to empower teens to choose healthy relationships and to prevent bullying, dating violence and teen pregnancy.
- The Adolescent Parenting Program uses Young Dads, Young Moms (Parents As Teachers®), a comprehensive life skills and parenting curriculum facilitated throughout the school year in two high school settings and one community-based setting for expectant and new adolescent parents. The goals of these weekly sessions are to empower teen parents to provide safe and stable homes for their young children, to understand early childhood development and their critical role as a parent, to avoid additional unplanned pregnancies, and to continue their education and progress toward self-sufficiency.
Walker’s Point Youth and Family Center
Project Name: Nurturing Programs for Parents and Adolescents.
2030 W. National Ave., Milwaukee WI 53204
Project Lead Staff: Mary Pat O’Hara, mpoempowerment.sbcglobal.com. 647-8200
Website: http://walkerspoint.org
Project Description. The Nurturing Program is a strength-based, nationally validated approach to child abuse prevention that involves a structured educational and group support experience. The focus of the Walker’s Point Nurturing Program is to teach adolescents and parents of adolescents greater self-awareness, and healthier and more positive ways to interact in order to strengthen family relationships and reduce the potential for abuse and neglect. Through both community-based and school-based formats, the program also teaches teens – the next generation of parents – to respond well to their own needs and develop good parenting skills. The Nurturing Program model has also been used as a broad prevention approach, as it addresses violence prevention issues through teaching alternatives in anger management, and by fostering positive parent-teen communication it acts a strategy for the prevention of teen pregnancy and teen substance abuse.
Project Name: Helping Kids Grow
6213 W. Lapham Street, West Allis, WI 53214
Project Lead Staff: Joanie Luedke, Program Director, jluedke@earthlink.net. 414-430-2207
Project Description. Helping Kids Grow is a community initiative spearheaded by the WAWM Family Resource Center, WA Health Department, Early Childhood Community Task Force, WA Police Department and WAWM School District. This is an innovative four-tiered approach to assure the health, development, safety and school readiness of children birth to five years. Each phase features an independent, creative learning or screening strategy. Families in the City of West Allis and Village of West Milwaukee and those that live within the boundaries of the WAWM School District are invited to participate in one or all four aspects of this initiative. Through this initiative, the Center is also partnering with the Police Department to provide services to the children of victims of domestic violence that are involved in the WISH Program (Women Initiate Self-healing & Hope, a domestic violence support and education group).
Wisconsin Foundation for Independent Colleges
Project Name: College Readiness 21
4425 N. Port Washington Road, Suite 402, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Project Lead Staff Name(s): JohnRae Stowers, jstowers@wficweb.org . (414) 273-5980
Website: http://www.wficweb.org
Project Description. College Readiness 21 (CR21) provides under-served students with services, guidance, and opportunities that emphasize academic preparation, develop positive attitudes about college, and guide them toward long-term self-sufficiency. CR21 offers a continuum of support services that ensure participating students will:
- Value learning and develop positive attitudes about academic achievement.
- View higher education as a viable, achievable option.
- Improve academic skills—particularly in core areas such as math, science, reading, and writing—through focused instruction, tutoring, and mentoring.
- Explore a variety of college options.
- Gain a strong connection and familiarity with college campuses.
- Understand the connection between college majors and career paths.
- Familiarize themselves with college admissions policies and procedures.
- Understand the financial aid application process and optimize financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
- Prepare for standardized testing.
- Develop important life skills so they are prepared for the many challenges they will face outside of the classroom.
- Acquire and cultivate the attributes that will allow them to become socially responsible and contribute to the communities in which they live.
- Develop leadership skills.
- Become lifetime learners.
The Year 2009 in Action
To view a slide show of the accomplishments of many of the Brighter Futures agencies during 2009, click here.