NCJ Number
136733
Journal
Child Welfare Volume: 71 Issue: 3 Dated: (May/June 1992) Pages: 215-230
Date Published
1992
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study of a network of agency centers located in eight of Chicago's most deprived neighborhoods reveals a great deal about inner city children and the difficulties of reaching them and holding their attendance.
Abstract
Urban Youth Network (UYN) centers are usually located in older buildings. In the larger centers, UYN's after-school programs are part of a broader array of services that include Head Start, evening programs for teenagers, and adult education classes. Many UYN staff members work in neighborhood elementary, middle, and high schools during the day under various UYN contracts with the schools. The bulk of UYN's funding for its after-school programs comes from the United Way. Children become members of UYN by coming in or being brought in and enrolling. Once enrolled, children are assigned to groups by age. During the study of UYN, after-school programs served about 500 children with some degree of regularity. The typical child is 9 years old, is being raised by a single mother, and has 2.5 siblings. The after-school programs provide a safe place for children to go and also establish a norm of participation that may generalize to other developmental settings or to greater future participation in organized activities. The routines and rules offer a degree of structure and predictability that children may not get elsewhere. Through a program emphasis on "leaving street behavior" at the door and staff communication of a clear set of behavioral expectations, participating children learn something about the distinction in behavior required by different settings. 18 references