Workshops and recreation activities are designed to help prepare our youth for adulthood, including education in areas such as parenting, substance abuse, and human sexuality.  Youth are exposed to various life skills workshops which provides information such as Housing, Household Management, Legal Rights and Responsibilities, Community Awareness, etc.  Proficiency in these skill areas are frequently assessed to ensure that each child leaves care with the ability to apply what they have learned.  If youth is in need of individual educational support, tutoring in a range of subjects is available.  To encourage continued education, we make referrals to various vocational and college programs.  Exposure to opportunities is crucial in this effort, so we hold two annual Career Days, where local colleges offer information about their programs.  If the youngster is interested in pursuing higher education, the Education Coordinator can arrange college visits, set up meetings with the financial aid office, as well as facilitate the process of enrolling to ease the transition to higher learning.  Education beyond the classroom includes drivers education if the youth is of legal age to drive.

YDP counselors offer pre-employment services and vocational training to help youth obtain and retain employment.  Career counselors may meet with the children to identify jobs and possible career opportunities.  We go through the employment application process of application to interview step by step with input at every level, including resume reviews, reference letters, and follow-up.  We also provide specialized trainings should the job require it, such as computer training in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Internet access.  Leake and Watts has also entered into partnership with Dress for Success, a non-profit organization that boasts having provided "interview suits, confidence boosts and career development to more than 45,000 women in over 73 cities each year."  Since its founding in 1996, Dress for Success has expanded into Canada, Great Britain, and New Zealand.  It offers four client related programs:  "Faces of Change," a makeup program that teaches interview appropriate application tips, "Professional Women's Group," a networking association that meets once a month, "Career Corner," a resource center for career advancement, and "Women 2 Women," a mentorship program between women already in the workforce and new employees that have both gone through Dress for Success.  These services are available to female residents in the Residential Treatment Center, Foster Boarding Home, and Group Home programs, and clients will be referred to this organization by The YDP.

• Summer Youth Employment - Qualified youth are assisted in completing city summer youth applications in which they are given the opportunity to be placed in worksites throughout the city.

• Internship program - Youth are given the opportunity to work YDP department either over the summer or on a part time basis throughout the academic year.  In addition to gaining valuable experience they are also paid a weekly stipend.

• Educational Banquet - YDP sponsors the Banquet held by the Group Home Department annually for all youth active in an educational program.  At this time the students academic accomplishments are recognized by receiving certificates and awards.
• Graduation Dinner - Annual dinner event tailored to commemorating our young adults who have excelled and graduated from educational and vocational programs.
• College Tours - Youth are linked to participate in available college tours offered through the ACS Office of Youth Development Program.

The YDP at Leake and Watts provides services to adolescents at the Yonkers Campus in the cottages, SILP, Mother/Infant program, FBH and the adolescents in our Group Homes in the Bronx.  The age of the residents we serve range from 14 years of age to 21 years of age.  The Substance Abuse Counselors provide the residents information on the harmful effects of substance use and abuse through Education and Prevention/Intervention

The department uses a teamwork approach on developing materials and obtaining information utilized to provide continuity of care for our residents.  The department also works closely in collaboration with the treatment team, social workers, house managers, child-care staff and recreation department to provide the appropriate services.

The Youth Advocacy Program aims to improve the overall mental and social well-being of each group home resident through the establishment of trusting and committed relationships with Leake and Watts staff.  The Program will work to foster improved communication and trust among residents and agency staff.

Residents and advocates meet for bi-weekly in-person visits and will communicate by phone at least once a week.  Each month, at least one in-person meeting will consist of a recreational activity planned by the Advocate Coordinator.  Advocates document all contacts with resident, and submits a log to the Advocate Coordinator.

Measuring of outcomes is fundamental in evaluating the program.  The Advocate Coordinator submits monthly statistics pertaining to contacts, as well as information on all advocate-resident interactions.  Moreover, logs recording the types of contact - namely, recreational, personal and educational - each interaction the pair engages in will be analyzed to make improvements to the program.

Our on site, Housing Specialists are available to assist our youth in filing for Section 8, locating apartments, NYCHA and/or the ACS Housing Subsidy.  The Housing Specialist will walk them through both the paper work and the interview process needed to obtain stable and affordable housing. 

For Youth of legal driving age, YDP provides funds for driving classes and road tests.  The youth is responsible for getting the permit, but once obtained, he or she can enroll in driving lessons in preparation for a driver's license. 

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