Why Youth Join Gangs Proposal Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 1 Team Members Aurelio Jacobo Sulema Lopez Diana Sanchez Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 2 1
Executive Summary Diana Sanchez Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 3 Project Goal To collect information and data about: Why youth join gangs What we can do to decrease involvement and violence To create a proposal that will address the above Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 4 2
Step #1 Create a Team Work Plan Deliverables Read Assignments Develop Topic Statements, Goals and Objectives Develop a Work Plan Table Develop a Bar Chart Develop a Flow Chart Develop a List of Responsibilities Completed Assignments done Assignments Read Topic Statements, Goals and Objectives done Work Plan Table done Bar Chart done Flow Chart done List done Assignments turned in Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 5 Step #2 Develop Research and Interview Questions and Survey Questionnaire Deliverables Develop a list of research questions Develop a list of three different types of organizations Develop a list of interviewing questions Find three types of people to collect information Review questions Develop a list of questions for each type of person to collect data Assure that all questions for each category is covered Develop a questionnaire that can be filled out by different people List of research questions done List of organizations done List of interviewing questions done List of people done Questions reviewed List of questions done All questions covered Questionnaire done Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 6 3
Step #3 Perform Interviews and Distribute Surveys Deliverables Review questions Develop a list of follow-up questions Make interviewee comfortable Assign questions to group to ask Ready to ask follow-up questions Take notes of each answer given for questions Assign a person from the group to make a big set of notes for each interview Questions ready List of follow-up questions ready Interviewee comfortable Questions assigned to group Follow-up questions asked A lot of notes taken Set of notes for each interview done Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 7 Step #4 Analyze Interviews and Surveys Deliverables Develop a list of answers using the big set of notes Create a Power Point slide set to answer questions Tally up the questionnaire answers Create a Power Point slide graph for each survey answer All questions answered Power Point slide set done Answers added up Graphs on Power Point slides done Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 8 4
Step #5 Understand the Need and the Problem Deliverables Read and do worksheet 3.1A Develop a slide set that defines the need, problem and the opportunity Worksheet 3.1A and reading done Slide set done Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 9 Step #6 Develop Solutions and Action Plan Deliverables Read Mim Carson s Winning Grants work book chapters 4 and 5 Read solution statement examples 1-3 Read action plan examples 1 and 3 Fill out worksheet 4.1A chapter 4 (Winning Grants) Fill out worksheet 5.1A chapter 5 (Winning Grants) Look at slides and brainstorm two possible solutions Define criteria that best solutions the need Ready to work on deliverables Chapter 4 and 5 form Winning Grants read Solution statements read Action plan read Exercise 4.1A done Exercise 5.1A done Two possible solutions done Criteria s for best solution done Deliverables done Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 10 5
Step #7 Create a Proposal Presentation Deliverables Finish completing proposal Gather all documents and put into one Finish completing one Power Point slide set Gather all information for Power Point slide set and put into one Finish completing all papers Prepare for presentation Proposal done One document completed Power Point slide set done One Power Point slide set completed All papers done Presentation done Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 11 Responsibilities Diana Sanchez Team Leader Diana Sanchez The Need Statement Sulema Lopez The Solution Statement Aurelio Jacobo The Proposal Work Plan Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 12 6
The Need Statement Diana Sanchez Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 13 Background Surveyed 131 people 48 % - Ex-Gang members 37 % - Current Gang members 11 % Families of gang members 99 % Latino - Gang or Ex-Gang members 88 % Male - Gang or Ex-Gang members Most were single / not married 78 % have families with gang history Interviewed 6 people from: Santa Cruz County Probation Department Watsonville Police Department s Gang unit Si Se Puede Residential Drug Treatment Program Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 14 7
What is the need? Provide youth with more support in their lives Reach them at a young age (5 th grade and above) Help them belong to something meaningful Focus their need for excitement constructively Decrease gang involvement Lower street violence and crime Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 15 What age do youth join gangs? A majority joined gangs between ages of 10-16 years old Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 16 8
Why youth are joining gangs (1): Lack of Family Involvement Many have one parent who works 84% surveyed live with one parent 100% surveyed say parents work Many parents work at night 65% surveyed shows parents work night shift Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 17 Why youth are joining gangs (2): Other reasons Family members are involved in gangs 73% have family members involved in gangs Want fun and excitement They like the thrill of controlling their turf Girls, party, and drugs Want respect and belonging Friendships (deal with their loneliness) Being a part of something Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 18 9
What was it like to be in a gang? No opportunities low paying jobs No job except selling drugs & stealing Getting into trouble Making enemies being a target Isolation couldn t go to many places Turning to drugs to get away Following orders fighting for something Having backup Respect and belonging Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 19 When is the need evident? Youth are out in the streets When their appearance and attitude begins to change Crime rates are increasing among youth Parents are estranged from their children Violence increasing in schools and neighborhoods When youth are joining gangs Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 20 10
Consequences of not meeting the need. Increase in violence and crime More drug use and drug trade Parents disowning their kids Teen pregnancy Deterioration of our community Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 21 What do youth need to not join gangs? More support in their lives Reach them at a young age (5 th grade and above) To belong to something meaningful to them Focus their need for excitement and physical activity constructively Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 22 11
The Solution Statement Sulema Lopez Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 23 Two Solutions Sports Program Focus their aggressive energy Belong to a team Wilderness Experience Workshop Connect with nature and themselves Team work Getting away from their normal environment Helping protect the environment Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 24 12
Criteria for Selecting Solution Allows team work Fun Meet needs of both male and female Number of youth served Healthy Channels aggression and anger Increases group spirit/ bonding Helps learn independence Educational Reinforces good communication Allows for meditation Increases focus Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 25 Criteria Matrix Criteria: Team work Fun Both male/female # of youth serve healthy Sports * * ** Wilderness experience *** ** ** ** * Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 26 13
Criteria Matrix Criteria: Sports Wilderness experience Channels aggression & anger Increase group spirit / bonding Learn independence Educational * * * * ** *** ** *** Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 27 Criteria Matrix Criteria: Reinforces good communication Allows meditation Increase focus Sports * ** Wilderness experience *** ** ** Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 28 14
Description of Wilderness Experience Program A workshop that will encourage children from ages 10-18 be part of a group and do productive activities for the community After school program that meets in the afternoons and Saturdays Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 29 Goal To decrease the involvement of youth in gangs by creating a Wilderness Experience Program Create team bonding and sense of belonging through experiential activities Provide support for youth from family s with single-parents or parents who work at night Provide relationships with mentors Do productive activities that require a lot of energy For example, working in the sloughs and other surrounding wildlife environments Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 30 15
Objectives Find leaders in the community that want to address these needs Enroll supporters to create a work plan Get approval of work plan from leaders Execute the work plan Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 31 The Work Plan Aurelio Jacobo Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 32 16
Objective #1 Find leaders in the community Deliverable Completion Date Person(s) Responsible Create a list of potential leaders List of potential leaders Summer 2005 WDBA Create a presentation Presentation created Summer 2005 WDBA Give presentation to potential leaders Presentations given Summer 2005 WDBA Determine which leader(s) will support the program Leaders identified Summer 2005 WDBA Develop agreement of understanding Agreement of understanding completed Summer 2005 WDBA Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 33 Objective #2 Create a work plan Deliverable Completion Date Person(s) Responsible Identify supporters for the work plan Supporters identified Fall 2005 Leaders Create a list of responsibilities List created Fall 2005 Leaders Develop a list of sites where program can be located List developed Fall 2005 Leaders Create a list of funders for the program List created Fall 2005 Leaders Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 34 17
Objective #3 Approval of work plan by leaders Deliverable Completion Date Person(s) Responsible Gather all information to create a Power Point slide set Information gathered Fall 2005 Supporters Create a Power Point presentation for the leaders of the program Power Point created Fall 2005 Supporters Present the work plan to the leaders Work plan presented Fall 2005 Supporters Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 35 Objective #4 Execute the work plan Deliverable Completion Date Person(s) Responsible Locate site of future program Site located Summer 2005 Leaders/Supporters Identify staff members Staff identified Summer 2005 Leaders/Supporters Recruit students to join Students recruited Summer 2005 Leaders/Supporters Open program to the public program open Summer 2005 Leaders/Supporters Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 36 18
Thank you Spring 2004 Semester Watsonville Digital Bridge Academy - Cabrillo College 37 19