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What the Agency Does
The role of the agency is to provide sound management and support for staff and youth involved in agency-sponsored programs.
14. Agency has a clear identity for the youth program.
- There is clear alignment among mission, vision, outcomes and activities.
- Agencies have a clear focus of activities in areas such as: learning and skills-building, expression and creativity, part-time employment, contribution and service.
- The program has a name with which youth can identify.
15. Agency designates space or time specifically for teens.
- Agency ensures that teen programs are separate from younger children.
- Point of entry to program is friendly and welcoming to teens.
- Youth help set-up and decorate space.
16. Agency policies and procedures are in place to protect the safety and health of the youth.
- The safety and security of youth are protected. Training in CPR, First Aid and other pertinent safety areas is required and provided.
- All paid and volunteer staff are screened for prior criminal records, child protective service findings and other improper conduct.
- Emergency contact information is kept on file for each youth.
- Adults are always present in the program areas and are aware of everyone who comes into the program area.
17. Staff/youth ratios and group sizes permit the staff to meet the needs of individual youth.
- Enough qualified staff are in place to meet all levels of responsibility.
- A ratio of 1:15 is maintained to facilitate relationship building with individual youth, personal goal planning and coaching.
18. Agency ensures that staff (paid, volunteer and substitute) are professionally qualified and well prepared for working with young people.
- Agency hires individuals that demonstrate a positive attitude toward youth including the belief that youth have a role in selecting, planning, implementing and assessing activities.
- Agency ensures that staff (paid, volunteer and substitute) are given an orientation to the job before working with youth.
- A written job description that outlines responsibilities to youth, families and the program, and written personnel policies are reviewed with each staff member.
19. Agency ensures the training needs of the staff are assessed, and training is relevant to the responsibility of each job.
- Staff receive ongoing training in how to work with youth in ways to promote their development including developmental program planning, group work and facilitation and developmental assessment of individual youth.
- Program directors and administrators receive training in program management, developmental program planning and supervision.
20. Agency ensures that staff receive appropriate support to make their work experience positive.
- The program has a plan in place to offer the best possible wages and working conditions in an effort to reduce staff turnover.
- Full-time staff receive benefits, including health insurance and paid leaves of absence. Staff are also given paid breaks and paid preparation time.
- Staff are given ample time to discuss their own concerns regarding the program.
- Staff receive continuous supervision and feedback. This includes written performance reviews on a timely basis.
- Adequate indoor space is provided to maintain confidential files and meet the needs of staff.
21. Agency provides sound management of the program.
- Agency makes available staff time and resources to track participation of individual youth.
- The financial management of the program supports the program's goals.
- The administration oversees the recruitment and retention of program staff.
- Administration has mechanisms in place to ensure that there is ongoing assessment. They aim for improvement in all areas of the program.
22. Agency is responsive to the needs of youth and families in the community.
- A written mission statement sets forth the program's philosophy and goals and related outcomes.
- Families are provided with the agency mission statement, program philosophy and goals.
- The program makes itself affordable to all families by using all possible community resources and sources of subsidy.
- It is the program's policy to engage youth with special needs.
- A mechanism is in place to regularly solicit information and feedback from families that is accepted and acted upon.
- The staff, board, families and youth are involved in both long-term planning and decision-making.
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