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OC Children's Therapeutic Arts Center 2013-14 Program Narrative
<br />III. State the Problem -OCCTAC serves Orange County's most at -risk, underserved and economically
<br />challenged population. Based on HUD standards and Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines for free and reduced
<br />price lunches, 95% of all of our students come from very low-income families. Santa Ana is the largest city in
<br />Califomia's second largest county. More than any other city in the NATION, Santa Ana faces some unique
<br />challenges, the number I toughest place in the NATION to survive according to a 2004 Nelson A. Rockefeller
<br />Institute of Government Study. Of the nation's 86 largest cities, Santa Ana has the nation's highest level of
<br />urban hardship based on factors such as income, education and housing conditions. According to this study,
<br />24.1% of those under the age of 18 live below the poverty line (U.S. Census 2000). In addition to having the
<br />county's highest level of poverty, Santa Ana also has the highest high school dropout rate. See statistics below.
<br />According to the U.S. Census figures and a 2004 Nelson A Rockefeller Institute of Government study of the
<br />nation's largest cities:
<br />• Santa Ana has the lowest educational achievement among the nation's largest cities; 60 % of residents
<br />age 25 or older do not have a high school diploma.
<br />• Santa Ana has highest level of urban hardship in the nation based on factors such as income, education
<br />and housing conditions.
<br />• Santa Ana has the youngest population among large cities in the nation with a media age of 26.6 and
<br />with 46% of residents age 19 or under.
<br />• 21.6 % of Santa Ana residents live below the poverty level!
<br />• Santa Ana also has a very high level of high school dropout rate! More than 50% of the high school
<br />student population does not graduate from high school. The percent of high school graduate is
<br />approximately 43.20% according to this report and the SAUSD, 2010 statistics.
<br />IV. Barriers
<br />A. Identify the population group that you will serve (foster youth, probation youth, youth with
<br />disabilities, etc.). OCCTAC will serve any youth who is in the need of employment, educational, and life skills
<br />assistance but have barriers that make it difficult to attain such goals. These barriers include, but are not limited
<br />to: low-income, basic skills deficient, homelessness, school dropout, foster youth, emancipated youth, pregnant
<br />and/or parenting youth, learning/physical/mental disability, and poor work history. By serving these individuals,
<br />OCCTAC will be able to target any youth who may find it difficult to get services elsewhere.
<br />B. Of the youth that your agency will serve, what barriers do they typically face? (Examples: basic life
<br />necessities, homelessness, hygiene, high school dropouts, transportation, poverty, gang affiliation,
<br />education, substance abuse, etc.). OCCTAC's primary focus will be youth with disabilities, foster youth and
<br />high school dropouts. Due to our recent partnership with SIATech during the 2012-2013 fiscal year, OCCTAC
<br />realized that there is a desperate need in serving youth who are HS dropouts in addition to foster youth. This
<br />data is reflective on the youth we served during the 2012-2013 program year. Out of the 25 youth served, I 1
<br />had a disability, 5 were HS dropouts, and one was a foster youth. At least, 9 participants were categorized under
<br />one, or more, of those barriers listed, such as poor work history and/or low-income. As a result, OCCTAC has
<br />made it a priority to continue serving youth with disabilities, but also will focus on targeting youth in the foster
<br />care system as well as HS dropouts.
<br />V. State the Solution
<br />A. Please elaborate on how your agency will solve the problem and barriers? OCCTAC will assure that its
<br />participants overcome the barriers they face in a variety of ways. First, all youth will be assigned a case
<br />manager whose goal will be to provide mentorship meanwhile aiding with the attainment of employment goals,
<br />such as writing a resume and preparing for an interview. In retrospect to the direct services from the case
<br />manager, the participants will also be required to attend monthly job skills/life skills workshops focusing
<br />anywhere from employment attainment/retention to how be changing factors within their own lives and
<br />community. Some of the life skill workshops youth will be asked to attend include: financial literacy
<br />workshops, healthy relationships workshops, and STDs prevention, amongst others.
<br />FYNIRIT A
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