Since we began offering programming to at-risk youth in 2010, we’ve been tracking outcomes to ensure that what we were doing was having a beneficial effect. Youth at-risk of disconnection struggle in a number of areas, but we have decided to focus on some of the most critical factors that put youth at high risk of disconnection: high school graduation or acquisition of a G.E.D., pursuit of post-secondary education or vocational training, employment and the capacity to manage independent living. Our programming addresses these critical factors with knowledge and skills-based training in areas like career planning, personal presentation, money management, and self-discipline and leadership.

We provide direct service in the form of classes taught by our staff and indirect service in the form of print resources and staff training for educators, parents, mentors, and youth program staff. While we know we have had a positive impact through our indirect service and the distribution of thousands of Smart Transitions Guides, that impact is difficult to quantify so for tracking purposes we focus on specific outcomes from youth we have trained directly.