SECOND STREET YOUTH CENTER INC

LAUNCHED IN 2022, THE COMMUNITY AND FAMILY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM PROVIDES A HIGHER LEVEL OF CARE FOR FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORT TO STUDENTS. THE COMMUNITY AND FAMILY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO CONDUCT EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES OF SSYC AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN PLAINFIELD. THROUGH THE ORIGINAL OUTREACH DEPARTMENT AND IN THE AFTERMATH OF COVID-19 LOCKDOWNS, SSYC RECOGNIZED THAT OUR FAMILIES AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY REQUIRED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO ACCESS THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT HELP TO COMBAT THE ENDEMIC POVERTY THAT PLAGUES THE COMMUNITY. OUR FOCUS IS TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS OF ACCESS TO MUCH-NEEDED RESOURCES AND SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS INCLUDES ELIMINATING BARRIERS TO HEALTHCARE, HEALTH INSURANCE, AND OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES. OUR TEAM OF FAMILY NAVIGATORS RESOLVES ISSUES OF LANGUAGE, LITERACY, AND SOCIAL ECONOMIC STRESSORS THAT PLAGUE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

PRE-SCHOOL - SSYC OPERATES A COMPREHENSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR 210 CHILDREN DAILY THROUGH OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PLAINFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE ARE USING THE STATE-APPROVED CURRICULUM, CONNECT 4 LEARNING, WHICH IS A STEM-BASED CURRICULUM FOUNDED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. AS WE RESPOND TO THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS NEEDS OF CHILDREN, WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO ADDRESS THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN ENTERING THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FOR THE FIRST TIME. THEREFORE, THIS CURRICULUM AND OUR ACADEMIC APPROACH EMBED SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE ARE ALSO DATA-DRIVEN, THEREFORE, CHILDREN ARE ASSESSED TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE MAKING SATISFACTORY PROGRESS TOWARDS MASTERY OF THE STATE OF NJ PRESCHOOL STANDARDS AND ARE BEING PROPERLY PREPARED FOR KINDERGARTEN. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM: SSYC OPERATES AN ACADEMIC AFTER-SCHOOL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM. DAILY WE TRANSPORT 60 CHILDREN FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN PLAINFIELD. THEY ARE PROVIDED A HEALTHY SNACK, HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE, AND STEM-RELATED EDUCATION, 5 DAYS PER WEEK. OUR PROGRAM INCLUDES TWO LICENSED TEACHERS, WHO ALSO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL TUTORING FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS FAILING BELOW GRADE LEVEL. OUR PROGRAM IS CRITICAL TO THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS. MOST OF OUR PARENTS SUFFER FROM CHALLENGES IN THE AREA OF LITERACY AND DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ASSIST THEIR CHILDREN WITH HOMEWORK OR ACADEMIC CHALLENGES.