Youth Development Initiative

Hoops Express, Inc. proposes to establish and operate a Youth Development Initiative in the depressed community of Newburgh,NY in Orange County. Our plan is to provide unique comprehensive multifaceted programs that will effectively target 60 at-risk adolescent participants from the general youth population, who are difficult to reach and most at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. Our primary objective is to provide a unique educational experience and reduce crimes involving youth (victims and perpetrators) in your city, particularly in your community where youth-related violence is prevalent.

We intend to provide a diverse mix of activities to include: Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, Basic First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, Certified First Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Disaster Preparedness, Home, Community and Life Safety, Mentoring and Internship activities, Healthy living counseling and Vocational  preparation. These services are carefully selected to not only prevent or discourage youth violence and criminal tendencies, but also reinforce positive attitudes, behaviors and habits needed to function as responsible community residents. Some of the services will be peer-delivered. The program activities are intended to prevent or broaden the knowledge base or skill levels of participants in regard to understanding the value of human life, career awareness, knowledge and expertise of basic business protocol and procedures.

We plan to target youth who are between the ages of 16 – 24 years of age and we will seek those individuals who are high school drop-outs and/or who are reading below the eighth grade level. Our enrollment will include a combination of public assistance recipients and foster care youth who are difficult to reach and are most at risk of becoming victims and/or perpetrators of violence. For the purposes of this contract this population is categorized as general population.  Additionally, we will need to retrieve data from the Department of Juvenile/Criminal Justice, Department of Education, Bureau of Vital Statistics and any other agency that may prove helpful in rendering the necessary information to achieve the above stated tasks.