Transformative Justice Project Manual

Assessment
Within ten (10) business days following referral to the program or identification of program eligible
youth, a program staff member will also interview each youth and perform an assessment of the youth’s
basic academic skills; interests; psychosocial status; including living arrangements, family background,
knowledge, and skills; life goals; and values. Our Personnel will also provide an interest and vocational
assessment, including testing where needed, on an individual basis. A copy of the assessment may be
provided to the local School System, DFCS, Juvenile Probation, and/or the Court for the development of
the youth’s individual ESP.
Parenting Skills Training for Adults and Teenage Parents
Our program will also offer parenting skills training for those parents deemed appropriate by our staff.
The parenting skills training will consist of the following elements:
An eight-week program of two (2) hours per week (ten weeks optional), with twelve (12) to sixteen (16)
parents per leader. Eight (8) structured sessions, per 10-week program, parenting children with special
needs and coping with a child through a trauma will be added to the curriculum where needed.
The eight (8) core sessions are as follows:
Session 1 Improving parents’ attitudes toward their children
Session 2 Acquiring or improving parenting skills
Session 3 Child management abilities
Session 4 Communication skills and speaking respectfully
Session 5 Problem-solving skills and crisis management
Session 6 Child management abilities
Session 7 Assertive discipline
Session 8 Single parent issues
(Optional) Session 9 Parenting Children with Special Needs
(Optional) Session 10 Coping with a traumatized child.
The primary goal of the parenting skills training is to develop parents’ communication skills, and to
improve child management skills that will result in improved parent-child relationships and promote
healthy development and adjustment in the children.
Workshops
Each youth participant will be required to attend a minimum of four (4) different workshops per month,
totaling forty-eight (48) workshops in a twelve (12) month period. Each workshop will be limited to ten
(10) participants and must be at least two (2) hours in length. Workshops must be conducted at times
easily accessible for referred youth. The participants will attend workshops as designated in their
individual PSP. Our Personnel will schedule sufficient workshops to ensure that youth participants
receive all workshops required by their PSP. Workshops are designed to build self-esteem, social skills,
conflict resolution skills, and other skills that will enable participants to succeed in school.
Our Personnel will provide one qualified instructor per 10 young persons. Our Personnel staff, guest
speakers, and instructors will provide workshop instructions, supervision, disseminate information, and
initiate role-playing. Our Personnel will also work with youth participants on an individual basis where
needed to refine and focus their vocational and educational interests.
The Transformative Justice Project of Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware
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