Education & Services for Homeless
Children
by Matilda Raffa Cuomo
There are nine HELP USA facilities in New York State for homeless
families and children. HELP USA's transitional housing model
offers a comprehensive continuum of support services designed
to help families address barriers to self-sufficiency and develop
the skills they need to move into permanent housing. This continuum
of care includes: case management, individual and group counseling,
medical screening and services, health education, early intervention
services, mental health services, access to substance abuse
services, and post-placement services. In addition to on-site
services, the continuum extends beyond the boundaries of the
facility through collaborative linkages with community-based
service providers.
HELP USA realizes that childcare and youth programs are essential
to helping families become self-sufficient. To prepare the
children for the future, HELP USA offers day care, after-school
activities, evening care, and mentoring programs through Mentoring
USA to assist working parents with their child care needs.
Mentoring USA, affiliated with HELP USA, the largest provider
of transitional housing and on-site services for homeless families
in the nation, provides mentoring services for youth at HELP's
permanent housing facilities, such as Genesis Homes in East
New York, Brooklyn, and Genesis Apartments in Manhattan. Mentoring
USA also provides mentoring one-to-one for youth in the public
schools, in community centers, and in foster care agencies
throughout New York City.
HELP is the largest provider of day care services to homeless
families in the New York City area, and cares for 500 children
each day in its day care programs. HELP USA has high quality
standards for its programs, and offers enriched educational
opportunities in its classrooms. Each program provides at-risk
children with a safe and nurturing environment that stimulates
development. Lack of access to childcare is often a barrier
to employment and HELP USA's day and evening care programs
enable parents to find and retain jobs so they can support
their families independently.
Our childcare programs are operated within the context of
a comprehensive continuum of services for both the children
and their families, and thus have the capacity to provide holistic
care to participating children. Programming is designed to
meet the needs of homeless children who are at high risk for
developmental disabilities, language difficulties, and severe
emotional and social delays because of the ongoing instability
and traumatic events they have experienced. The primary purpose
of the early childhood programming is to prepare participating
children to succeed academically and socially once they enter
the public school system.
Our child care model focuses on select areas such as language
development; self-help skills and self-esteem; socialization,
group living, and community awareness; fine motor skills development;
science awareness; music, movement, and gross motor skills;
and art appreciation. All of HELP USA's child care programs
embrace the philosophy that the family plays a critical role
in child development, and all program areas have a family involvement
and support component.
At each transitional housing facility
for homeless families, HELP USA also provides recreational
and youth development programs for school-aged and high school
aged children, which promotes a positive peer culture in
a safe after-school environment. Programs focus on age-appropriate
activities, including cultural events, academic assistance
and tutoring, career development and exploration, computer
literacy training, life skills workshops, and gang prevention
activities. For example, in East New York, Brooklyn, HELP
USA serves over 500 homeless and low-income children each
day through Mentoring USA and Boys & Girls
Club programming for younger children and targeted youth development
programming for youth ages 11-18. Older youth gain real work
experience through internships, computer literacy training,
educational advocacy and assistance with career and college
exploration.
After-school and recreational needs for resident children
are provided with a range of services, including Mentoring
USA, designed to help at-risk youth realize their full potential
and become responsible, productive adults. After-school and
recreational programs offer the following services to children
between the ages of six and eighteen:
Supportive Education Services to enhance academic performance
through a personalized educational support system which includes
assessment, tutorials, daily homework assistance, computer
education, scholarship assistance and educational guidance.
Youth Development focusing on building life skills,
including communication, conflict management and decision-making
skills. Small group modalities are used to promote values exploration,
and to provide opportunities to practice decision-making and
communication skills. Community service projects provide participating
youth with opportunities to apply their newly acquired skills
and to experience the value of team effort and peer support.
Mentoring USA offers a better understanding of cultural diversity
and positive conflict resolution.
Health Promotion programs and activities promote responsible
behavior and the adoption of lifestyles (concerning sexuality,
tobacco, drugs and alcohol) that are conducive to good health,
especially nutrition education and the prevention of obesity.
Youth Employment programs help youth develop employment
skills and knowledge of the world of work through formal training,
referrals, job placement and work-related activities.
HELP USA and Mentoring USA's programs promote the long-term
development of participating youth, and also have the more
immediate impact of keeping at-risk children off the streets
in a safe environment. The extraordinary variety of programs
we offer is a reflection of how severe and diverse the problems
of our homeless children are, notwithstanding we live in the
world's richest and most blessed nation.#
Matilda Raffa Cuomo is founder and chairperson, Mentoring
USA.
