Causes:
Children & Youth,
Employment Preparation & Procurement,
Homeless & Housing,
Homeless Shelters,
Human Service Organizations,
Human Services,
Job Training,
Youth Development Programs
Mission:
New Door Ventures is an innovative organization that is deeply and passionately committed to transforming the lives of at-risk youth in San Francisco between the ages of 16-21 by empowering them with the tangible opportunities and psychosocial support they need to work their way off the streets, out of poverty, and into self-sufficient lives as responsible adults. For nearly thirty years, New Door Ventures has aggressively pursued this mission by developing services that address the fundamental needs of disenfranchised youth in the areas of employment, job training, education, housing and personal growth.
Central to the agency’s successful strategy is the profound respect and compassion shown to each and every New Door Ventures’ client. As one youth client expressed, “If anybody wonders, ‘Is there anyone out there that really cares?’ There is. For me, there’s always going to be someone that cares—as long as I’m working with New Door…someone that actually cares about what I’m doing in my life and whether I’m doing it right and responsibly and successfully.”
The most compelling aspect of New Door Ventures’ programming is that it works. In 2009, of the youth who completed the agency’s employment programs, 93% were employed or in school upon exit; 100% of youth with a prior criminal background did not re-offend within six months of program exit; and 89% of homeless youth acquired stable housing within six months of program exit. Currently, New Door Ventures provides its unique brand of life-sustaining employment and education programming to 140 high-risk youth annually.
Results: In 2009:
• 79% of youth completed the Youth Development Programs successfully (Ally or Switch).
• 93% of those who completed the Youth Development Programs were employed or in school at exit.
• 69% of program participants made educational gains while in the Youth Development Programs.
• Over 90% of youth who successfully complete New Door Ventures’ employment programs will report that they received valuable work experience, vocational training, and personalized one-on-one support.
• 100% of youth with a prior criminal background who successfully completed New Door Ventures’ employment programs did not re-offended within six months of program exit.
• 89% of homeless youth who successfully completed New Door Ventures’ employment programs have maintained stable housing six months after program exit.
Target demographics: New Door Ventures serves high-risk youth in San Francisco, ages 14-21. Overall 54% of the youth the agency serves have a history in the justice system; 52% have been in the foster care system; 52% have dropped out of high school; 51% have a history of drug or substance abuse; and 49% have been homeless or lived in a shelter. Eighteen percent of New Door Ventures’ youth clients are parenting before the age of 21. Overall program participants are 48% African American, 29% Latino, 17% Caucasian, 5% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1% Multi-racial. All of the agency’s clients qualify as low-income and are unemployed when they enroll in the agency’s programs. For every 100 youth that New Door Ventures serves: 48 have a history with the criminal justice system 32 have been in foster care 48 have dropped out of high school 57 have a history of substance abuse 39 have been homeless or lived in a shelter 5 are parenting There are 229 total instances of every individual risk factor, signifying that the majority of the 100 youth are struggling to cope with multiple issues.
Direct beneficiaries per year: 129 youth in 2009140 youth in 2010
Geographic areas served: San Francisco, CA
Programs:
With 30 years of experience as a business owner, employer, and trainer, New Door is well qualified to help youth with the greatest barriers to employment get jobs and succeed. In 2011, New Door will create 120 first paid jobs for at-risk youth in our 2 social enterprises (Switch program) and in community businesses (Ally program). Our key outcome is that over 90% of youth are employed and/or in school when they complete our programs.
Through Switch, youth clients work in 6-month paid internships, where they gain the skills they need to jump start their careers and become independent. Ally was developed using best practices from our 20+ years of Switch experience, and in response to the growing numbers of at-risk youth in dire need of our services. Youth in Ally receive 3 weeks of job readiness training followed by placement in a 12-week paid job internship with partnering businesses.
Switch and Ally clients attend weekly and monthly skill-building workshops on topics including job search and personal budgeting. Clients also receive 60-100 hours of in-depth support from their New Door case manager, who helps youth overcome virtually any challenge from learning to budget their paycheck to providing that 6am wake-up call and ride on the day of the GED test. The case manager is often the first responsible and reliable adult our youth encounter – a moral necessity for youth creating a future of self-reliance. Youth clients also benefit from 2 hours of tutoring per week.
