Roca

Transformational relationships (intensive case management)- the underlying theory behind Roca's intervention model is that relationships change people-that positive change comes about within the context of mutuality, shared experience, and a sense of responsibility, not only to oneself, but to another. Roca engages young people in relationships for the purpose of change. These relationships are called transformational relationships. These are relationships in which a significant amount of time (up to six months) is allotted to simply building trust. They are used to consistently and frequently engage young people in a variety of skill building opportunities over a period of up to two years. These relationships are designed to motivate young people to participate and decide for themselves that they want to change and take concrete actions to change. They are used to support young people when they have setbacks or relapses, to support young people when their families are unable or unwilling, and to protect young people from harm when they are not protecting themselves. Roca knows that when a young person is re-engaged through positive and intensive relationships, he/she can go on to gain competencies in life skills, education and employment. Therefore, at the core of our high-risk youth intervention model is the transformational relationship (tr). Each of Roca's youth workers carries a caseload of 20-25 young people. Youth workers provide each participant with intensive case management, and has at least two intentional, direct contacts with each participant per week. Youth workers are responsible for ensuring that young people's individual needs are being met. Youth workers are often the one adult in a young persons life that is there when they go to court or enter lock up; who visits them during incarceration and picks them up when they are out. Their relationship is not a friendship - it is more profound- effectively intentional, and mutually respectful. Youth workers are trained in motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral strategies preparing them to use their self effectively to guide and support young people.

Capacity building - Roca's capacity building initiatives are designed to aid the organization as it grows and moves towards goals and objectives outlined in its strategic plan. Capacity building activities include research and evaluation; refinement of the Roca intervention model; development and refinement of rocas performance based management system; leadership and staff development and planning for program replication.

Work projects - through transitional employment (te), participants learn critical work skills needed to become sustainably-employed, economically independent adults. The goal of transitional employment is to teach participants about work by having them work. Many of our young people have never had a job and do not know how to show up to work every day or what it means to behave appropriately at work. Roca utilizes subsidized employment to give young people their first exposure to the daily requirements of employment. Our goal is to ensure that, after completing the program, they are prepared for an entry-level position in the open labor market. Low self-esteem serves as another barrier blocking participants from leading healthy and productive lives. By teaching participants how to work they build confidence in their individual skills and abilities. Roca operates supervised work crews that engage in partially-subsidized work projects contracted through municipal public works departments and private companies. The work crews have two major benefits: 1) they teach participants how to work and 2) they benefit the communities they serve by helping to clean up streets and local parks, while improving public safety by keeping them off of the streets. After succeeding in te, young people meet with Roca's career counselor and are placed at one of Roca's partnering employers to provide unsubsidized job opportunities.young people participate in these work crews 4 days/week, 6.5 hours/day. On the day young people are not working, they are at Roca for life skills, alternative education, and pre-vocational training programs. Tep helps young people practice showing up each day while giving them the opportunity to make mistakes. In this program, failure is inevitable and expected. It takes our young people 15-18 months to complete 60 consecutive work days.