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Northgate Community Learning Center
Catholic Community Services
3850 Portland Road NE
Salem, Oregon 97301
http://www.ccswv.org

Describe your site
Catholic Community Services (CCS) founded in 1938, is dedicated to its mission and values.

• Our Mission: Empowered people
• Our Values: Truth, Justice, Love and Freedom
• Our Vision: Children, families and individuals with the knowledge, ability and desire to take control of their own lives and live responsibly with others in a just society.

Everything we do is rooted in the ideal of creating a forever home for everyone. A forever home is a concept, not a place. It means everyone deserves the opportunity to live responsibly in a safe, nurturing, permanent home and a caring community. We do this through Family Preservation, Family Restoration, Community Homes and Independent Living. CCS is accredited by the National Council on Accreditation and is a leading proponent of the self-directed care approach and evidence-based practices. Northate Community Learning Center is part of Family Preservation. The internship will take place at the Northgate Community Learning Center, 3850 Portland Road NE, Salem Oregon.

Describe the scope of the internship
Goals

• To better understand the challenges and difficulties youth of poverty face which affect their ability to be successful in school.
• To learn communication skills to support at-risk youth.
• To be able to recognize youth risk factors, how to build trusting relationships with youth and acquire confidence to guide at-risk youth.

Tasks of the Intern

• The intern will work with the program coordinator to tutor middle school students and teach and mentor in relationship to The 40 Developmental Assets for youth.
• The intern will learn how to write case notes and learn about the management and reporting system for Northgate Community Learning Center.
• The intern will shadow/assist or lead some of the groups using the evidence-based programs of Check and Connect and The 40 Developmental Assets.
• The intern may lead other life skill groups (i.e., cooking, résumé building, nutrition, computer skills, crafts, etc.) The subjects would be determined after identifying the strengths the intern brings to the project.
• The intern will participate in training with Catholic Community Services, which includes Behavioral Management and be trained to follow Rebuilding Children's Lives - A Blueprint for Treatment Foster Parents. This is Boys Town's Innovative Program for the Care and Treatment of Troubled Children in Therapeutic Foster Homes. S/he will also attend Mentoring 101 as provided by United Way's Volunteer and Mentor Center (www.givebacktoday.org).

Typical day and week

• The week is Monday through Friday, hours 8:00 - 4:30 p.m.
• The intern will work daily with program coordinator to serve youth in all capacities. A generalized scheduled would be:

  8:00 - 12:00 Case notes, curriculum development
  12:00 - 12:30 Youth arrival, check-in, lunch
  12:30 - 1:30 Math tutoring, worksheets and on computer
  1:30 - 2:30 One-on-one development of 40 Assets
  2:30 - 3:00 Snack prepared by youth (nutrition and food preparation skill building)
  3:00 - 4:00 Group and individual tutoring
  4:00 - 4:30 Case management

• Fridays, often are reserved for field trips or engaging youth in community service, crafts and games.

Who will provide supervision?
Intern will be jointly supervised by Teri Alexander and Kimberla Weaver

Kimberla Weaver, Northgate Community Learning Center Project Coordinator

• Education: Associates Degree - Ruthledge College, Kearny Mesa CA
• Experience: Program Manager for St. Vincent de Paul Village San Diego CA. Residential program for 350 customers. Supervisor of four shift supervisors and 15 Residential Specialists.
• Accomplishments: Certificate of Recognition-Employee of the Year 2003 for work with 50-70 teen at risk youth (ages 13-18 yr) in the homeless shelter.
• Trainings: Solution Focused Process and Case Management. Non-violent Intervention, Customer Bill of Rights, Drug Awareness, Poverty Concept and Strategies, OASOTN Eraser.

Teri Alexander, Catholic Community Services Program Coordinator

• Education: Bachelors Degree-Linfield College McMinnville OR
• Experience: Program Director LIGHTS Community Learning Centers, Salem-Keizer School District, Project Consultant to Willamette University Public Policy Research Department, Interim Director CASA of Marion County, Manager at Nordstrom Department Stores, public relations for local business.
• Accomplishments: Mentor program presentation for US Department of Education-Washington D.C. Recognition of best practices in after-school music program North West Regional Labs, Portland, OR and Wisconsin University. Business PR publications in Autoweek, New York Times, Oregonian and national trade magazines.
• Trainings: Cognitive Behavioral Interventions, Offender Assessment, Offender Responsivity, Youthful Offenders - University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute; Culture of Poverty-Ruby Payne; Education Leadership Institute-Salem Area Chamber of Commerce.

Who will provide theological and vocational reflection?
Rev. Rod Alexander

Rev. Rod Alexander, Founder, Minister & Director of Transform and Transcend

• Education: Master of Divinity - Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis, MO
• Doctorate in Metaphysics - University of Metaphysics, Studio, CA
• Experience: Ordination 1980, served religious organizations in Michigan, Tennessee, Colorado and California and as protestant chaplain at Oregon State Penitentiary.
• Accomplishments: Author of Relational Spirituality: A Rx for Spiritual Vitality, Purpose and Power.

What vocational questions might be addressed?

• What gifts do I have to support youth at-risk?
• Am I able to be present with youth in their problems rather then solving them?
• Can I work in a team or am I an independent worker?
• Can I embrace empathy for the least among us?
• How do I want to serve others? i.e. church, social service, nonprofit etc.

What gifts, skills and experience would you seek in an intern?

• Compassionate about helping youth to make better decisions and to value their education
• Good listening skills so we can truly empower youth to know that they are sincerely valued and that their best interests are our focus.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Logistics
Driving - No driving is required.
Housing - We are unable to provide any housing.
When would the internship begin and end? (10-weeks) - June, July, August - flexible

How can we most effectively provide support for children living in poverty and foster children who are not thriving in school?

Research indicates that creating support structures for parents or foster parents of these children is important.  We also know that additional learning time and connections between these students and adult mentors is of great value if they are to thrive in the educational environment.

The Community Learning Center is a program, that, in conjunction with local schools, is designed to provide this support so that students have what they need to succeed in and graduate from high school.  Participation by parents or foster parents in this program is necessary if it is to impact the success of these students.

The design of the Community Learning Center takes into consideration the Marion County Children & Families Commission goals and priorities for children and families, the 40 Developmental Assets, recent research on adult mentors, and the research and the basic values of the Check & Connect Program and the Girls & Boys Town Foster Parent Curriculum.

It is the vision for the Community Learning Center that “Children living in poverty and foster children will enter high school with the support and skills they need to succeed in and graduate from high school.”  And that, “Parents and foster parents will be able to create a family environment and culture that supports the success of their children in school.”

With the leadership of Catholic Community Services and the support of the Family System Investment Consortium (FSIC) partners, this vision can be successfully implemented.  It is the desire of the FSIC, that the Center be replicated at other sites across the Salem-Keizer community, where it can potentially impact over 500 students and their families annually.

Larry E McMurray, Proposal Champion

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