YWCA Metro St. Louis Combined Monthly Program Report March 2012

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1 YWCA Metro St. Louis Combined Monthly Program Report March 2012 Major Accomplishments/Successes One program participant completed the St. Louis University Campus Kitchen Serve Safe class and received her Serve Safe Certification. This is a major accomplishment because the Certification will open the door for employment opportunities in the field of culinary arts. Patrice Munden, owner of Patrice Munden Interior Designs, was honored at the Annual Membership Meeting as the "2011 THP Volunteer of the Year" for her creative re-design of the program participants' Community Room. YW-Teens: YW-Teens were requested by the St. Louis Internship Program to provide a ½ day seminar entitled the Art of Effective Communication to assist 92 students prepare for summer internships. The 4-part seminar included Ethics, Conflict Resolution, The Art of Effective Oral Communication and General Communication/Social Media. YW-Teens hosted an Elevator Pitch Competition on March 15 with 13 students from Confluence Prep Academy. YW Teens staff took students to sister Citizen Event where students were able to participate in dialogue about race, gender and voice as part of the YWCA s Racial Justice lecture at the MO History Museum. In addition, Roslyn Taylor was able to secure a donation of 20 copies of Sister Citizen from the author Melissa Harris-Perry to continue the dialogue through the formation of a start a book club. YW-Teens staff and Ashleah Gilmore (practicum student) provided Girls Circle sessions during spring break week to 6 girls at the St. Louis County Detention Center. YW-Teens and Development hosted the first Future Leader Essay Writing Workshop 3/27 with 10 girls in attendance. Participants learned how to improve their essay writing (tips on grammar and formatting) and the content to strengthen essays. YW-Teens hosted a YWCA/YW-Teens Girls Circle Volunteer Orientation on March 8. Four of the nine volunteers completed the session and additional arrangements will be made for the others. YW-Teens staff continued this month at Compton Drew Middle School with a new group of students and provided a 2-part leadership seminar to 7th graders. Additional program sites include: SUIE Charter, Hazelwood North Middle School, Hazelwood Central Middle School and Carnahan High School, Confluence Prep Academy. Youth Division Director was guest on Keys to Life radio show discussing the topic of the Start of our Young Sisters. 1

2 One of our clients was selected to serve on the State Board of the National Federation of Blind-Missouri at their recent conference in Jefferson City. he is very excited about the appointment, as is the Challenges Staff and clients. Completed summer camp registration forms, flyer, and family handbook. Secured Jackson Park and St. Frances Cabrini for two summer camp locations Sent new forms to Pan to approve. Elaine posted new information on website. Also completed fees and revised financial assistance form. Mailed over 500 flyers to families in our database Gave summer camp flyers to elementary school to distribute to all students. Offered 6 full days at Flynn Park in University City School District for spring break. 30 to 40 children attended every day. Held 1st Advisory Board meeting. Two parents were in attendance. We are in the beginning stages of talks with Confluence Academy to provide our afterschool program at their sites. Possibly as soon as June Women s Resource Center: Center Director and Adrian Bracy met with Centene Foundation staff to present the grant proposal request submitted by the Development Department. To date there has been no word on the status of the request. The new volunteers were introduced to the 'seasoned' volunteers at the monthly in service meeting. The meeting provided an opportunity for the experienced volunteers to share their knowledge and experience with the new folks. As of April 1st, all but one new volunteer has been to the hospital. The Center Director worked during March with the International Institute on a collaboration to provide crisis intervention and case management services to domestic human trafficking victims. The International Institute is submitting a federal grant to provide services to international and domestic trafficking victims and the YWCA was asked to be a collaborative partner. If approved the collaboration would support efforts that the center currently provides to trafficking victims Brandy Cruesoe, LCSW, Case Manager/Therapist have submitted her resignation to take a position as an In-Home Therapist at Every Child's Hope. Brandy has been a true asset to the WRC staff. Major Concerns/Barriers None to report YW-Teens: None to report Recruiting and maintaining qualified staff: When needed the program continues to use temporary Program Assistants through Snelling Staffing Services 2

3 We continue to add new participants to meet the enrollment requirement of 139 participants as outlined for DDR. Staffing is still a major concern. We are still interviewing for 3 Program Assistants. A concern is not having enough money in the budget to recruit qualified experienced staff in a wider venue. A concern at Flynn Park is that they are talking about moving the program to a much smaller space in the new cafeteria. We have not secured a 3rd space for our summer camp program. Women s Resource Center: None at this time Budget Concerns Please explain any expenditure that are unusual or exceed the budgeted line item None to report YW Teens: None to report Staff using temps from Snelling for staffing continues to be a budget concern. Staffing is needed to maintain grant ratio requirements. One way of trying to address this concern has been to have the Program manager attend events to cut back on the need for an additional temp from Snelling. The continued rise in the cost of fuel for the vans is a concern. Staff is working hard to make sure the city clients are transported by Jazz whenever possible to cut down on the number of trips made by YWCA vans thus cutting down on the use of fuel. Clients are called and reminded that they have signed up for an activity and staff checks to see that still are planning on attending so that unnecessary trips are not being made. In order to address some of the budget shortfall, staff is calling and encouraging inactive clients or those who have not used their monthly allotments of units to sign up for upcoming activities. Staff is also looking for new activities that the clients may be interested in attending in the hopes of increasing participation. We are progressing along and in line to spend all our grant funds. Women s Resource Center: None to report Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center: No budget to advertise Major Events/Programs Scheduled for Next Month None to report 3

4 YW-Teens: YW-Teens Young Women's Leadership Conference - April 27 The Challenges Unlimited Program has been asked by the Cinco De Mayo Planning Committee in the Cherokee Neighborhood to participate in their annual celebration on May 5th, Practice for this event will begin in April. The clients are really excited about the opportunity and are anxious to begin practicing. They will also be going to Casa Loma for an evening of ballroom dancing and eating dinner at the Olive Garden. Second Advisory Committee Meeting for DESE grand scheduled for 2nd week of April. Wash U students continue to volunteer their time to complete art activities with children at Flynn Park Money Smart week activities being planned for week of April 23rd Advantage Credit Union presenting at schools Nance has a Kickball tournament scheduled all month and will be going to Black Rep Workshop. Inclusion training scheduled for April 9th and 16th. All staff meeting scheduled for April 19th-CAN training scheduled Lexington has All About Learning (LEGOS) program scheduled for April 10 and will be going on a field trip to the Science Center Earth Day activities are planned at SFC and Jackson Jackson will be going on a field trip to Whole Foods to learn about nutrition and how much hood costs. Women's Resource Center April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month 4/19/ Circle of Women 4/23-4/27/ SANE Training Phyllis Wheatley Heritage Center Events: None to report Community Meetings Attended 3/15/ St. Louis Community Credit Union Foundation Partnership Meeting. This meeting was to announce to community partners providing economic empowerment services the launch of their new financial empowerment center located at the intersection of Natural Bridge and Lucas and Hunt in April /30/ STAR Summit III - The Summit: State & Greater St. Louis area government & community/faith-based organizations that share best practices and success stories at the one day Summit, focusing on efforts to assist Missouri's 4

5 prisoners in their efforts to return to their families, secure jobs and avoid returning to lives of crime. Break-out sessions attended by Crystal as follows: Mary DeVries, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri elaborated on the rights of citizens that are trying to re-enter into society & become productive citizens. The Department of Corrections (DOC) in conjunction with Legal Services of Missouri have collaborated and provided information & services to assist the ex-offender with housing, employment. Bills have gone to the Senate over & over again to assist with the needs of the ex-offender. Department of Corrections is noted as a national model for its innovation with the MO Reentry Process (MRP), which focuses on helping ex-offenders with the challenges of employment, housing, transportation, as well as reestablishing relationships with their families. Sharon Minoff, MO Department of Social Services-Family Support Division reiterated the TANF; Food Stamps & Medicaid remain on legislator s desk at every session to pass a bill to include ex-offenders in the state assisted programs. They are working dutifully to re-organize offenses & re-write criminal codes. The Department of Mental Health has programs in place to assist this population with the mental health issues. Department of Corrections works closely with agencies that provide the bonding program for employment because they believe the ex-offender has completed his/her time. The Re-investment Act is an ongoing process & the DOC is able to give recommendations to the committee. YW Teens: 3/8/12 - YDD attended $tart $mart Seminar (Refresher Course in preparation for YWCA Return $mart Workshop in 4/21/12) 3/9/12 & 3/30/12 - YDD attended two meeting of the Regional Initiative on Youth 3/12/2012 & 3/28/12 - Youth Division (YDD) co-facilitated Community Partner Meeting with University City School District regarding 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant. None 3/28/12-21st Century Partnership meeting Women s Resource Center: 3/14/ United Way Reporting Meeting 3/20/ SLEVAWN Meeting In-Service/Professional Development/Trainings 3/19/ Wells Fargo Women's Team Member Network Financial Education Series Volunteer Orientation - N. Hughes facilitated the orientation on the Wells 5

6 Fargo campus to volunteers facilitating the 4-part series during the month of April (National Financial Literacy Awareness Month) 3/20/ Webinar based training presented by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Hughes "Implementing Coordinated/Centralized Intake." Even though this seminar was specific to a centralized in-take process for homeless services providers/continuum of care model, it was beneficial in terms of thinking of the YWCA Metro St. Louis as its own "Continuum of Care" agency for women, youth, children, and families. In thinking about developing and implementing a coordinated agency wide "Centralized Access System" - I think the agency would benefit from taking the first step in creating a governance/advisory committee comprised of members from a broad spectrum of program and support department personnel. The initial task of the committee would be to set expectations, draft protocols, and set system goals. In terms of thinking of ways to improve our service delivery "language," I like using the term "Access" versus "In-Take". The term "In-Take" can be perceived by system users as an "automatic" enrollment into agency programs and you immediately think of yourself and your family members as "clients". The word "Access" creates a perception of "Options (Empowerment)." Someone could ask themselves - "Where can I receive supportive services within the agency? How can I access services in the agency? What types of processes are involved in my being able to receive services from the agency?" This creates a culture of "Options" and "Access" opportunities. YW-Teens: 3/23/12 - ETO Training (all staff) None to report Site Supervisor meeting 3/14/12 - Training from Licensing Specialist 3/28/12 - Training from Ava in HR 3/29/12 - Math Games Workshop Women s Resource Center: None to report Status of Current Grants The 2012 OVW Transitional Housing Assistance Grant for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program was submitted on Funding request amount was $192,596 (new submission). 6

7 YW-Teens: None None None Women's Resource Center: The Lutheran Foundation grant continues track. To date 4,125, students have been served representing 75% of the grant target. Presentations are scheduled through the end of the school year. All students participating complete post tests. Results will be analyzed at the end of the grant period The Productive Living Board has extended the grant through June 30 in order to provide more time to compile information. The transcripts for the two small focus groups that were conducted are being transcribed. The Washington University research team applied for and received IRB approval to do individual interviews rather than focus groups. Their goal is to conduct interviews with 20 more individuals, including staff and family members. Now that the IRB has approved the change to individuals, the research team is following up on applying to conduct research with Special School District. A meeting is scheduled with the Wash. U. research team on April 18. A meeting for the full research team will be scheduled for the week of April 30. The first interim report for the Missouri Foundation for Health Grant was submitted March 15,