Once youth are released into the community the aftercare portion of the program takes place. Youth and their families who are enrolled in the program have the opportunity to participate in various programs and services including: after school tutoring, community service and restitution completion, employment education and job placement, social support through community building events, financial assistance and donations for needy families, self improvement workshops on personal finance, and religious involvement through Washington Tabernacle MB Church.
These services are intentionally diverse keeping with the notion that a successful reentry into the community for youth relies on proper development and support in all facets of the individual including mind, body, and spirit. By taking a well-rounded approach, H2H greatly increases youth’s chances to make life-altering and lasting changes in their lives.
If there is one statistic that clearly validates this approach it is the fact that only 10% of youth involved with the Heart 2 Heart aftercare program have returned to Detention. This contrasts with the 80% recidivism rate for youth who are not enrolled in the program. All this has been accomplished in just 16 months, and the program is expanding on almost a daily basis to serve even more youth and families around St. Louis.
In-Detention
Program Services - H2H
provides the following services to youth currently in the St. Louis City
Juvenile Detention Center (Chuck and Denita Robinson) and the St. Louis County
Juvenile Detention Center (Rev. Derrick and Priscilla Williams):
«Character Development Education
Series – Weekly classes focus on honesty, responsibility, self-control, love,
humility, respect, integrity and cooperation.
«Court Advocacy
«Community Service Opportunities
After-Detention Program Services (Exodus Program) – H2H provides the following services to youth offenders as they re-enter society:
«Educational Support through tutoring and or re-enrollment
«100% are re-enrolled in school
«Counseling Referral Services for mental health and substance abuse needs
«Job Search Referral Services
«60% are now gainfully employed
«Spiritual Guidance
«Financial & Clothing Assistance
DARE: Dreams, Aspirations and Realistic Expectations
«Sealed with a KISS: Keepin’ It Simple and Spiritual
«A Season of Hope: Helping Our People Evolve!
«Poetic Justice
«Children of Promise
«ACE: Academic Career Enrichment