Community Attention Youth Internship Program CAYIP Summer 2020 1 C OMMUNITY ATTENTION YOUTH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (CAYIP) SUMMER 2020 SESSION OVERVIEW Empowered Youth: Engaged Community I. Program Goals: x To teach workplace readiness skills. x To assist youth in career exploration. x To help youth identify their strengths and build resiliency. x To connect youth to positive adults and to resources in the community. II. Program Components: Recruitment & Applications In late April 2020, the health and safety risk of providing an in-person internship program model was considered too high for summer 2020 session of CAYIP. In response, Community Attention staff worked rapidly to redesign the program and announced that a 100% virtual model of the program, The CAYIP Virtual Learning Academy, would be offered for the summer session. Beginning May 5, 2020, Community Attention actively and intentionally recruited teens to apply to the summer program. CAYIP utilized social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. CAYIP also utilized the new CivicPlus platform with the City of Charlottesville to create an updated website, an online application and submission process, and to advertise the program. Additionally, information about the program was shared with community partners such as the 2 Boys and Girls Club, Computers4Kids, Abundant Life, CANDYD, and Charlottesville City Schools via email, phone, and other remote means such as community Zoom Meetings. Due to COVID-19 closures, CAYIP was unable to hold in-person informational booths for the summer 2020 session. The CAYIP promotional video with footage and interviews from youth participants, parents, and site hosts was shared on the new website along with a CAYIP participant and host site slide show. CAYIP staff continued to send updates to several community partners and citizens with updates throughout May and June. Eligible candidates completed an admission packet, an interest survey, and an essay about why they wanted an internship via an online application packet located on the City of Charlottesville website. When requested, a paper copy of the application packet was mailed to the home of the interested applicant. Approximately 110 youth applied to the virtual internship program by the June 12, 2020 deadline. CAYIP staff scheduled virtual interviews with all eligible applicants via Zoom. Applicants were emailed instructions on how to access Zoom links, virtual interview tips and expectations, and staff contact information once interview times were confirmed with internship staff. The majority of the youth were on time, dressed appropriately, and performed well in the interview. Youth received points based on their interview performance, essay, and availability in the summer. Some applicants were not provided opportunities based on funding limitations (county residents) or because they did not meet the minimum age requirement. Intern Selection & Matching Due to limited staffing capacity due to COVID-19 and potential programmatic issues with a new virtual program model, CAYIP operated at a reduced capacity from the previous summer. CAYIP was able to provide opportunities to 51 youth in the summer program. Priority was given to first time 3 program participants. Ninety-four percent of interns completed the program successfully! Site Supervisors & Partners Twenty-nine community representatives and partners agreed to participate this summer. Each week, a minimum of two partners would present to the youth in a virtual Zoom meeting on topics such as public speaking, money management, conflict resolution, phone call and conference call etiquette, interviewing skills and social engagement, and career exploration. Youth were also expected to complete a final project from a menu of three options. One option was to interview a current practitioner in a career field of interest. Program participants completed individual and small group interviews with twelve community partners who reflected career paths such as environmental science, information technology, digital marketing, music production, medicine (both a physician and a nurse), law, community organizing, theatre, armed services, small business, culinary arts, local government, and real estate. These interviews were recorded and uploaded to the Google Classroom platform for all youth participants to view. III. CAYIP Virtual Learning Academy: Orientation and Curriculum All interns participated in a virtual Zoom orientation meeting the first day of the program on July 13, 2020. Orientation activities for the interns focused on team building, learning program policies and expectations, and getting familiar with the Google Classroom platform. At this time, youth were introduced to their CAYIP counselor. 4 Starting on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, youth participated in their first of five weekly large group meetings. These meetings were held every Wednesday on Zoom. These meetings incorporated the subject content the youth were learning in the Google Classroom modules on Monday and Tuesday. Special topic guest speakers and were where interns were introduced to special topic guest speakers and presentations. Examples of these guest speakers include: UVA Community Credit Union who facilitated a role-play game to teach budgeting skills; The Department of Human Service’s Youth Opportunity Coordinator who facilitated a session on Diversity and Cultural Awareness; and a group from UVA Youth Action Lab lead by Dr. Kimalee Cottrell Dickerson who facilitated a training on interviewing skills and social engagement. Youth completed additional learning modules in the Google Classroom on Thursday and then met in individual and small groups with their CAYIP Counselors on Fridays. In these meetings, youth had the opportunity to learn more about content, ask questions, discuss expectations, aspirations, and goals for the session. Intern Expectations Interns were expected to complete coursework in the Google Classroom platform and attend two virtual meetings per week for five weeks. Interns met virtually on a weekly basis with their assigned CAYIP Counselor to process the strengths and challenges of their experience. CAYIP Counselors served as mentors, problem-solvers, evaluators, motivators, and coaches. CAYIP Counselors updated referring agents and families at two intervals during the program. Best-practice indicates that one of the foundations to positive youth developments blending action with reflection. CAYIP Counselors paired the Google Classroom and large group meeting experiences with intentional debriefing so that all participants maximize the impact socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Each intern developed SMART goals, created a personal career planning guide, wrote and practiced their elevator speeches, created a budget, developed a resume, and completed a final project during the five week program. 5 The final project assignment required that interns choose from a menu of three options: 1. Market Yourself! Create a website and business card that reflects your current/future skill sets, accomplishments, and career aspirations. 2. Connect! Work with a CAYIP staff and small group to interview current practitioners and experts in their field. 3. Independent Study! Which allowed youth to incorporate concepts and skills taught in CAYIP into an alternative project, but required approval from the CAYIP Coordinator. Earning Interns received a weekly performance evaluation that correlated to their stipend amount. As a base, interns could earn up to $100 per week for the five- week program (maximum of $500). Evaluations were based on two main categories: assignment completion and meeting attendance. Deductions most frequently included not attending meetings or not turning in materials. Interns described utilizing their stipends for savings as well as purchasing items such as clothing and food. Banking Community Attention collaborated with the UVA Community Credit Union in order to reduce barriers for youth to open a savings account. UVA Community Credit Union provided a budgeting and financial management presentation for participants and provided additional financial literacy resources. Additionally, youth who were interested in opening an account were able to connect and complete paperwork virtually through this partnership that reduced barriers to opening an account during COVD-19. 6 Celebration The internship program concluded with a virtual celebration event on August 14, 2020. The celebration provided an opportunity to reflect and appreciate the success of the teens and program. Presenters included Mayor Nikuyah Walker, Misty Graves- Deputy Director of Human Services, Sonia Montalvo- Young Ladies’ Program Coordinator at Abundant Life and founder of The Girls are Alwrite, and Christian Means- film maker, college student, and former CAYIP participant. Youth received a commemorative t-shirt and CAYIP certificate after the ceremony. IV. Looking Ahead: The health and safety of our program participants, partners, and community as a whole is top priority. To this end, CAYIP adapted our programmatic structure to provide youth an opportunity to engage in meaningful and supportive activities during the summer. Council’s generous support of this program allowed us to provide this experience at no cost to city participants. Staffing limitations due to COVID-19 and concerns about potential programmatic issues with a new format impacted the number of youth we were able to accept in the program over the summer. However, Community Attention will continue to offer the virtual session format to community youth throughout the 20210-2021 school year which will allow us to serve those youth were not accepted due to capacity issues in the initial summer session. Several youth withdrew from the program prior to its start or did not attend their interview. This affected the overall number of youth who participated. We believe some factors contributing to withdrawing from the process was uncertainty about summer planning/needs for families during COVID, youth opting out of virtual format after completing virtual school spring 2020, and mental health concerns. 7 Staff will continue explore the interview process with regard to communication and notification steps. Staff did note a decrease in missed interviews from previous years with the virtual format. We believe this may be due to removing barriers such as transportation to the interview location. We will continue to evaluate if virtual interviews will be something the program can offer after community health and safety measures are lifted. In preparation for next summer, the Department of Human Services is exploring outside funding options to allow county youth to participate. V. Outcome Summary (CAYIP): x 51 interns were accepted in the CAYIP Virtual Learning Academy. x 94% of youth successfully completed CAYIP! x 46 City youth; 5 youth from surrounding area. x 46 youth were funded by the City of Charlottesville. x 6 youth were funded by the Children’s Services Act (CSA), Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), or private pay contribution. x Age: 63% % - 14 yo 18% % - 15 yo 12% % - 16 yo <4% % - 17 yo <4% % - 18+ yo x Race: 5% % 10%% 27%% 0% % 8% % 4% % 41% % Asian Bi-racial Black Hispanic Other PNA White x Gender: 53% % Female 43% % Male 2% Other 2% Non--Binary x 45% of interns reported receiving free and reduced lunch. x 95% of youth tested scored a B or higher on the workplace readiness post- test with an average score of 94.79 and median of 98. The range was 69- 100. 8 x 97.6% of youth surveyed (41/42) enjoyed their program experience and 95.2% (40/42) would recommend CAYIP to other youth. x 100% of youth surveyed (42/42) found the guest speakers informative and engaging. VI. Intern Evaluation Survey (CAYIP): (42 of 51 youth completed survey) 1. Overall, did you Yes: 41/42= 97/6% No: 1/42 = 2.4% Unanswered: Undecided: enjoy your internship program? 2. What was the Being able to Being able to learn Meeting new people Learning about best part of the hear/meet/learn new things. and networking. financial CAYIP Virtual from guest speakers management. Learning Academy?* 3. What was the Time Staying on top Comments made by Completing hardest part of this management— of/completing peer. interview. session?* waking up early, assignments. being on time 4. What are two Improved Know my conflict Helped me learn Helped prepare me ways that being in communication and management style about money for the future and CAYIP helped you* networking skills and improve management and increased my conflict resolution banking/budgeting understanding of skills. the workplace. 5. Did you learn and Yes: 39/42= 93% No: 3/42= 7% Unanswered: 0 practice workplace readiness skills this session? 6. What are two Communication Problem Professionalism in How to prepare workplace readiness skills (verbal/non- solving/conflict the workplace (time for/do well in an verbal, how to management, 9 skills you learned?* prepare for an resolution appropriate work interview. interview) attire) 7. Do you have a Yes: 26/42= 62% No: 16/42= 38% Unanswered: 0 bank account?** 8 If so, did you open Yes: 14/42= 33% No: 20/42 = 48% N/A: 8/42= 19% an account this session? 9. Did you feel that Yes: 42/42= 100% No: 0 the guest speakers were informative and engaging? 10. Was there guest Yes: 28/42= 67% No:14/42= 33% speaker or topic that you felt was particularly helpful and/or meaningful to you? 11. If so, please Dr. Paul Harris Cassandra Riggin LaTisha Jackson Topics: Diversity, share the name of (UVA)- Passionately (UVA Community (PVCC)- Accessing addressing racism, the speaker(s) or Pursuing Purpose Credit Union)- community college addressing conflict. topic(s) discussed. Money resources Management and Budgeting 12. Was your CAYIP Yes: 41/42= 98% No: 1/42= 2% counselor helpful during this session? 13. What are areas Being able to access Content: quality of Guest speakers: Level of where the program support/CAYIP information, frequency, engagement exceeded your counselors indepth and knowledge, experienced as a expectations? * informative information shared participant materials 10 14. What are areas Zoom calls: Being able to offer It went really well/ More where CAYIP can reducing length, in-person no suggestions/It communication grow?* limiting internships, hands- was really good. around meeting distractions, on experiences times/ meeting getting used on links sometimes online platforms. confusing. 15. How did you feel Worked well Easy to access New to the platform, Helpful way to keep about the Google but found it easy to track of assignments Classroom navigate platform?* 16. Any suggestions No No- it worked well Removing completed about changes or work. improvements about the CAYIP Google Classroom platform?* 17. How do you plan Savings/ Save for Rent Food/Clothing Put towards a to use your CAYIP the future/ Save for car/electric bike stipend?* school / Save for emergency 18. Would you Yes: 40/42= 95.2% No: 2/42= 4.8% Unanswered: 0 recommend CAYIP to other Youth? 19. Any additional “I would just like to “I really enjoyed “Thank you for “Thank you all sooo comments or say thank you so getting the having this program much for all that questions? much to all the opportunity to be a even with covid19 you have done for CAYIP counselors part of this happening! It was fun me this program and organizers program.” and reflecting on it truly was a light in because you ALL are now, I realize I know my life.” amazing, so much more about considerate, and money, workplace caring people. Also, environment, and I would like to say how to plan for the that your goal of future. I feel more making a good confident going into 11 impact to interns highschool!” was accomplished at least through me!” *most popular answers Other General Comments: - “I felt like the most interest parts were when we got to do group Zoom calls! It felt, in a sense, almost like a classroom setting, and I hadn't experienced that virtually before! It led for fun, easy, and educating conversations that I wouldn't have experienced before CAYIP!” - “[The best part of CAYIP was] being able to speak with a OBGYN who was also A Black Woman.” - “[The speaker who was most meaningful to me was] the lawyer that we interviewed. That was very meaningful to me because I learned that I don't want to be a lawyer anymore because it doesn't seem like the right fit for me.” - “[The program exceeded by expectations because] I learned more workplace skills than I thought I would have, considering that this program doesn't involve actual workplaces this year - “I was able learn more about a career path that I have been interested in since 5th grade. Along with ways to save money!” - “I was really surprised on how into depth some of the topics were and how easy it was to go through and actually learn the material I think CAYIP prepared the material for the lessons pretty well.” - “When will the next session start?” 12