Research/Evaluation Report
An Evaluation of the Latino Coalition's Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (Reclaiming our Future) Program
About
Identifies the key challenges faced by Latino youth, describes the role of the Latino Coalition as an intermediary organization, documents the services offered by the program, and examines outcomes of the program participants.
"In June 2007, the Department of Labor contracted with the Paul Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan to conduct an evaluation of the Reclamando Nuestro Futuro (Reclaiming our Future or RNF) program run by the Latino Coalition for Faith and Community Initiatives of Bakersfield, California. In June 2004, the Latino Coalition had been awarded a three-year, $10 million grant by the Department of Labor to fund its RNF program, which was designed to assist at-risk and adjudicated Latino youths to obtain needed education or training, to find employment, and to avoid involvement with the juvenile justice system. The Henry Institute’s study was to examine the Latino Coalition’s performance measurements, strategy, and findings. This is the final report of this study" (p.3). (Abstractor: Author)
Major Findings and Recommendations
- "The youths participating in the RNF program had very low recidivism rates [and] about 28 percent of the RNF program participants experienced positive employment, job training, or educational achievement outcomes" (p.39).
- "The at-risk program participants and the in-school participants experienced more positive outcomes than did the adjudicated participants and the out-of-school participants" (p.39).
- "[T]he longer a youth stayed in the program, the more likely he or she was to experience positive outcomes, and that doing so was more important than what type of training or services the program participants received" (p.40).
- "The level of positive outcomes did not vary greatly between youths participating in faith- based versus community-based programs...[however,] this study testifies to the importance of a strong, effective intermediary organization in funding small faith-based and community organizations" (p.40). (Abstractor: Author)
Materials
Comments
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MMM. Elena MorrisMany Latino youth's cultural background can influence decisions made by them. Many Latino youth are impacted by their familial situations directly impacting their household. Many youth still help support their parents and or households. This plays a direct role in participation in their future.
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MMM. Elena MorrisMore programs are needed for Latino youth that incorporate regular outreach to give more youth success opportunities and resources. Many are unaware of programs available to them as a result many continue to work menial jobs with limited to no opportunities for upward mobility.
Content Details
Methodology:
Topics:
Community Service
Employer Engagement
Job Development
Employability Skills
Soft Skills Training
Case Management Systems
Follow-up Services
Mentoring
Recruitment/Selection of Participants
Retention of Participants
Supportive Services/Counseling
Tracking of Participants
Collaboration
Community/Faith-Based Organizations
Criminal Justice/Courts
Education Partnerships
Leveraging Resources
Performance Data
Leadership
Program Design/Service Delivery
Target Populations:
Programs:
Geographic Locations:
Industry Sectors:
- Last Updated:
- Created:
- Resource Publication Date: 2009
- Author(s): Monsma, Stephen V.; Smidt, Corwin E.
- Organizational Author(s): Paul Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics, Calvin College
- Funding Source: U.S. Department of Labor
- Resource Availability: Publicly available
- Posted by: Wesley Peterson
- Posted in: Workforce System Strategies