Age range

Website: www.teenempowerment.org

Mission/Goals: Teen Empowerment’s mission is to empower youth and adults as agents of positive social and institutional change.

Notes: TE operates four sites in Boston at the following locations: Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, the Dorchester Education Complex, the English High School, and a community-based site in the South End/Lower Roxbury. They also have a site in Somerville, MA and Rochester, NY. TE program coordinators meet with Youth Organizers at each site 4-5 afternoons a week in training and planning sessions. Groups identify issues specific to their site and then devise a strategy to address the issue. The strategy involves 5-7 large-scale initiatives that involve (~700) school or community members. They also involve 20-50 youth volunteers (Youth Associates) to help with implementation. Finally, each site implements 25-40 small-scale projects such as classroom sessions or workshops to address the issue. All four Boston sites also work together to organize the annual Youth Peace Conference.

Source(s): www.guidestar.org; www.teenempowerment.org

Type of evaluation: Outcomes Monitoring.

Objective: To assess the program's effect on participants.

Impact/Outcomes: The majority of participants reported that: their confidence and skills were positively affected because of their work with TE; that the program improved their attitude, motivation and behavior; that TE enhanced their relationships with peers, adults, the community and those with different values; and that TE program staff were helpful, respectful and provided the necessary guidance and support.