Latest news with #YouthOutreach
CBS News
03-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Bridging the gap: Miami-Dade youth program builds bonds between youth and MDSO deputies
In neighborhoods across Miami-Dade County, an after-school program is transforming how young people see law enforcement and how they see themselves. The Youth Outreach Unit, or YOU Program, is a mentorship initiative run by deputies from the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Developed by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's office in 2021, the program serves students ages 10 to 17, many of whom have been directly or indirectly impacted by violence. For students like Nyla Theodore and William Gray, the experience has been nothing short of life-changing. "This was really my first time talking to police officers, like really talking to them," said Theodore. "Honestly, they've been amazing, real good," added Gray. "If I get angry about something, they'll try to do something with me to keep me calm and meditation, so I don't get overreacted." From fear to family Every weekday, deputies pick up participating students from school. They help with homework, provide transportation to extracurricular activities, and even ensure the kids get dinner before heading home. It's a level of care and attention that, for many families, has brought peace of mind and a powerful shift in perspective. "I was nervous and I was afraid of them," Gray admitted, "but then when I constantly kept coming—I started not to get afraid because I knew there was nothing bad or suspicious going on." Gray's mom, Tameka West, says the difference in her son is clear. "Since he started this program, I seen a little big change when it comes to his behavior," she said. "I just love these officers. They're like my family — and when I met them — they stuck with me. They can't go nowhere. I love them to death, I love them." For Theodore's mom, Nicolette Wright, the YOU Program has helped her daughter come out of her shell. "She's been more active, more social and it's been great for her," said Wright. "She loves coming here every day and she loves all of the officers." "As a mom, I know I feel way more comfortable with my child being around a bunch of officers," she continued. "It means a lot to me and they've been nothing but amazing. Very communicative, very upbeat and just helpful in all ways." Mentorship that matters While the program's focus is on youth affected by gun violence, it also supports kids impacted by other forms of trauma—or those simply in need of structure and support. "We provide mentorship for kids that have been affected by primarily gun violence," said Deputy Emory Hudson, who joined the program last year. "But we also know that violence affects children in different ways, so we also extend the program to youth that have been affected by other forms of violence as well." The goal is not only to keep kids out of trouble but to build trust and restore stability. "They're impacted so dramatically that they have a hard time functioning in school or in everyday life," Deputy Hudson said. "We try to mentor them, we try to guide them down the right path, and we try to re-establish that stability within the household." With over 50 students currently enrolled, the YOU Program is creating safer communities—not just by policing them, but by connecting with them on a deeply human level. For more information about the YOU Program, visit Miami-Dade County's Community Affairs Bureau page.
South China Morning Post
16-04-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's rising student absenteeism crisis affects more than 5,500 pupils post-pandemic
The breaking point for Hong Kong student Sarah* came in November 2023. The daily tests and quizzes for her Form One classes became overwhelming for the then 13-year-old, and she ultimately stopped attending school. 'It just never ends. I had to study 16 subjects, and almost all had quizzes, even for music and religious classes,' she said. 'It was so exhausting. Whenever I failed, I had to do a re-quiz on top of the scheduled quizzes on that day. There was no chance to finish all the revisions.' Another factor in her decision to quit was the struggle she faced connecting with her classmates. 'It was hard to make friends when everyone barely speaks to others and stays in their own circle,' she said. Overwhelmed by the pressure, she stopped going to classes, becoming one of the thousands of students chronically absent in Hong Kong. The term refers to a student who misses school for seven consecutive days. After dropping from more than 6,000 in the mid-2010s to about 3,000 between 2000 and 2022, the number of chronically absent students rose to 4,500 in 2022-23 and surpassed 5,500 in the past academic year. Faced with a worsening problem, overstretched schools are limited in their response, according to frontline educators and youth workers. The needs of pupils who remained must be met and institutional standards maintained to avoid closure, they said. But effective help could still be given to these 'invisible' pupils and their equally stressed parents if educators were provided with the right tools, they argued. How can Hong Kong schools help neurodivergent teens thrive? Tip of the iceberg? While the 5,500 chronically absent pupils accounted for less than 1 per cent of the 662,000 student population, a third were aged between six and 15, making them subject to mandatory education. Youth Outreach, an NGO, has estimated that more than 20,000 pupils are chronically missing school and 'at risk of dropping out', but most are not flagged to the government as they attend classes sparsely. The Education Bureau has admitted it is aware of the rising trend in recent years and attributed it to post-pandemic challenges children faced in returning to a normal academic schedule, pledging to strengthen collaboration with schools to tackle the problem. Other developed economies such as the United States, Britain and Australia have also seen significant post-Covid absenteeism, with 20 to 40 per cent of students missing 10 per cent or more of school days. Frontline educators describe chronic absenteeism as a complex issue fuelled by multiple factors, including academic stress, social anxiety, mental health problems and strained family dynamics, all of which were exacerbated by the pandemic. Secondary school principal Li Kin-man, formerly a youth social worker, said isolation had become a common coping mechanism adopted by young people following years of class disruptions and remote learning. Li said family support, which helped to guard against absenteeism, had also weakened for some students, as parents were too busy making ends meet in a sluggish economy to care for their children's emotional needs. The Education Bureau has pledged to strengthen collaboration with schools to tackle the problem of chronic absenteeism. Photo: RTHK Personalised back-to-school plans The Education Bureau will step in for students absent for seven consecutive days, potentially leading to warning letters or attendance orders with legal penalties. Parents who ignore the order risk a HK$10,000 fine and three months in jail. But authorities rarely deployed the tools, with only 10 warnings and two orders issued in the 2023-24 school year. One reason for the low number, according to the bureau, was that steps were often deemed inappropriate after considering the emotional state of the students and parents. Educators told the South China Morning Post that helping students return to school required personalised strategies, starting with home visits to find out the cause of the absenteeism, followed by devising flexible plans for returning to class. For example, students could start school later in the day, take lessons they felt less stressed about, and in some rare cases, apply to take an entire year off. They can also be referred to mental health professionals when necessary. Both Li and Roy highlighted the strain on an overstretched school system in handling these delicate cases, calling for increased manpower and resources for schools with higher absentee rates to enable early intervention. Why are Hong Kong teens 'lying flat'? For some, it's 'not as stressful' Pause and pivot Some NGOs offer short-term programmes for pupils struggling to attend school, including the Unusual Academy at the Hong Kong Playground Association and Project Cool Teen at Youth Outreach – both of which were seeking additional resources to handle a rising demand for services. The three- to six-month programme uses counselling, life skills training and group activities to help young people rediscover motivation and pursue either education or employment. Iris Wong Yin-wing, in charge of the project at the Unusual Academy, which serves more than 200 young people a year, said she had received 80 applications for the coming session and had to put half of them on a three-month waiting list. 'We focus on the basic needs – a safe, comfortable environment for genuine connections,' she said. 'Our game-based learning and group activities create a less stressful atmosphere for children.' *Name changed at interviewees' request.
