Model Program

Reconnecting Youth (RY) is a proven, award-winning program that helps high-risk youth achieve in school and decrease drug use, anger, depression, and suicidal behavior. Designed for students aged 14-18, RY is a high school-based curriculum that uses small group skills training to enhance personal competencies and social support resources. The RY program goals are: 1. Increase school performance. 2. Decrease drug involvement. 3. Decrease suicide-risk behaviors. This "indicated" prevention program meets the needs of high-risk individuals by helping students develop skills and strategies for dealing with risk factors in four critical areas: Self-Esteem Enhancement, Decision Making, Personal Control, and Interpersonal Communication. The RY program has been recognized by numerous governmental agencies as an effective, model program for reducing school dropout, suicide risk behaviors, substance abuse and similar at-risk behaviors in youth.

Program Descriptors Include:
Academic Improvement, Alternative Education, Attendance/Truancy, Behavior Management/Discipline, Bullying/Violence, Community Collaboration, Extended-School/Summer Program, Extra Curricular, Family/Parental Involvement, Homeless, Mentoring/Tutoring, Service Learning, Study Skills, Substance Abuse, Life Skills Training

Strategies for Locating Students:
Unspecified

Starting Date: 1985
Students Served Per Year: 500+
Reenrolled Students with Disabilities: N/A
Last Verified: 2009

Program addresses the following:

Individual factors

• High-risk peer group
• High-risk social behavior
• Low achievement
• Retention/overage for grade
• Poor attendance
• Low educational expectations
• Lack of effort
• Low commitment to school
• No extracurricular participation
• Misbehavior
• Early aggression

Family factors

• Low socioeconomic status
• High family mobility
• Low education level of parents
• Large number of siblings
• Not living with both natural parents
• Family disruption
• Low educational expectations
• Sibling(s) has dropped out
• Low contact with school
• Lack of conversations about school

School factors

• Limited resources: expenditures per student/ teacher salaries/ student-teacher ratios
• School policies and practices
• Student engagement
• Teacher expectations

Community factors

• Family composition/socioeconomic status
• Youth social attitudes

Program promotes the following:

Relationships

• Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults
• Opportunities and rewards for pro-social involvement
• Clear social norms
• Good relationships with parents, peers, and teachers
• Involvement with positive peer activities
• Perception of support from adults and peers

Independence

• Healthy/conventional beliefs and standards
• Positive/resilient temperament

Competence

• Social competencies
• Self efficacy

Creativity

• Problem-solving skills
• Flexibility

Optimism

• High expectations by community, family, school, and self
• Optimistic

How evaluation data was collected:
Outside experimental studies
Data collected and analyzed at school/district level
Data collected and analyzed at state or organizational level

Additional Evaluation Information:
http://www.reconnectingyouth.com/ry/what_main.html