Proposal for Sea Haven

I am going to be volunteering at Sea Haven for Youth. Project Lighthouse is a part of Sea Haven. “The intent of this program is to provide education, informational, and prevention support for runaway, homeless, street youth in order to reduce the daily risks these youth and to convince and assist as many as possible to utilize the available community services to leave the street for a more productive, safe life” (Street Outreach "DROP IN" CENTER FOR YOUTH AGES 16 up to 22). According to the Street Reach program, in 2011 there were 684 students in Horry County who were homeless. According to information available at The South Carolina Department of Education, the following statistics represent the great challenges homeless children and children in poverty face: approximately 20% of homeless children do not attend school, within a year approximately 41% of homeless children will attend two different schools; with each change in schools, a student faces the challenge of being an average of four to six months behind their peers. “Many homeless children lack basic school supplies and a reasonable environment in which to do homework” (Homeless Education: An Introduction to the Issues). Outside of the supports available through schools, there must be resources and support available for children who are homeless or live in poverty. In order to change or break the vicious cycle of continued homelessness and poverty, programs such as Sea Haven are vital. The purpose of my project is to provide mentoring and emotional support for the children who utilize Sea Haven. One of the biggest obstacles for homeless children and children of poverty is coping with an environment that is stressful and often lacks emotional support. These children often feel alienated from others. The stress caused by their environment causes students to lose motivation and desire to learn. Building positive relationships is essential for these children to continue their educational and personal growth which will provide them opportunities for a future that does not include poverty or homelessness. Throughout this project, I will be working with Logan Jenerette. Antquan Smith, who is the Outreach Coordinator, will be supervising us while we are volunteering at Sea Haven. We will be mentoring children, reading to the children, creating arts and crafts, and playing games, along with other activities. I will help the children discover ways to overcome daily challenges. I am also going to help them monitor their progress in school. I will be a role model for the children to help them understand that they have opportunities to change their way of life and their future. Through this experience, I will develop relationships which will provide the needed emotional support for children to have higher self-esteem. With a higher self-esteem, the children will overcome their feeling of alienation and have an increased motivation to succeed in school. With a higher motivation, the children will have greater academic success and hopefully complete high school, providing them with the opportunities to break the cycle of poverty in which they live. The children will form personal relationships allowing them the opportunity to network with individuals and or programs that are introduced by Logan and me. I will gain insight on demographics and different cultures. This will help me grow as an individual and understand diversity. In order to determine the effectiveness of my project, I will utilize weekly school information (grades, tests, assignments, or behavior log). I am going to utilize the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale to determine if the children’s self-esteem change during the time that I work with them. I will administer this scale at the beginning, middle, and end of my project. I will keep a journal to record information, activities, and the child’s attitude each time I go. I will also record academic progress and school information. Multiple resources will be required throughout this project. I will provide my own transportation with my own vehicle. I will seek advice from teachers about possible incentives and ways to motivate the children to improve academically and achieve their weekly goals. I may need to buy small incentives and school supplies. I will also need a notebook to record information. Works Cited "Street Outreach "DROP IN" CENTER FOR YOUTH AGES 16 up to 22." Providing a safe place. Sea Haven for Youth. Sea Haven for Youth. Web. 31 Jan 2013. http://www.seahaveninc.com/street_outreach.html "Street Outreach." Providing a safe place. Sea Haven for Youth. N.p.. Web. 29 Jan 2013. http://www.seahaveninc.com/street_outreach.html "Homeless Education: An Introduction to the Issues." South Carolina Department of Education. South Carolina Department of Education. Web. 29 Jan 2013. http://ed.sc.gov/agency/programs-