Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Young Adult Internship Program (YAIP) was one of six winners of the NYC’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO) and the NYC Young Men’s Initiative (YMI) 2013 Data-Driven Provider Awards, recognizing providers of CEO and YMI programs that improve services for low-income New Yorkers through data-driven decision-making. The awards celebrate both robust data collection and high performance that met or exceeded program targets during the period of July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.
Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens Young Adult Internship Program is a 14-week internship program for low-income New York City young adults aged 16-24 who are not working and not in school. YAIP is composed of a 2- to 4-week orientation conducted by selected community-based organizations followed by 10- to 12- week paid internships that offer structured work opportunities. This year-round program incorporates ongoing education, as well as other participant and employer supports. Since it began in 2011 the YAIP program has serviced 240 clients, additionally providing nine months of follow-up services and helping place the participants in permanent jobs, training programs, or educational settings. The program also includes post-internship engagement such as workshops and alumni activities and events.
From the data study, Catholic Charities YAIP was able to improve their lesson plans and selection and preparation of participants for greater success in achieving employment and education.
CEO and YMI are committed to using performance management and evaluation to ensure program participants receive the highest quality services and target
outcomes are achieved. High performing community-based providers were invited to apply and were asked to assess how they use data to improve their program performance. City agency partners in collaboration with CEO reviewed all applications and selected the winners. This is the first annual award and the City hopes to expand the process in the future.
In addition to CCBQ’s YAIP program, administered by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, the other winners included; Good Shepherd Services for the Advocate, Intervene, Mentor (AIM) Program administered by the NYC Department of Probation; Harlem Commonwealth Council for Arches: Transformative Mentoring Program administered by the NYC Department of Probation; Bronx Community College ASAP for CUNY Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) administered by the City University of New York; Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation for Financial Empowerment Centers administered by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs’ Office of Financial Empowerment; WHEDco forTeen ACTION administered by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development; BronxWorks for Young Adult Literacy Program administered by the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development.
Those interested in Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens YAIP directly can follow their twitter account at @YAIP_CCBQ. Anyone interested in applying should contact rjohnsen@ccbq.org for more information.
