MARCH 2016
O
ver the past 28 years, we have seen incredible transformation in
the lives of juvenile offenders, some of the most challenged, and
challenging, youth in our society.
Expanding
Re-Entry in
New England
Your gifts and prayers make this possible. Thank you to all who responded
to the Year-End Matching Gift Opportunity. We were overwhelmed by
your response, and your gifts have been put to work immediately. We have
hired four new Caseworkers, established two new Re-Entry Centers in
Lawrence and Portland, have begun to extend into South Boston.
As you know, the process of transformation occurs best when you meet
the youth where they are and walk with them, side-by-side, every step, every day. For the remainder
of this update, I would like to introduce you to our newest employees, Junito and Ron. They are
both Straight Ahead Caseworkers and are an important part of our expansion. The Caseworker is a
uniquely gifted individual that serves as the daily “hands and the feet” and is an extremely critical
component in the youth transformation process.
Again, thank you for helping us reach even more youth!
Scott Larson
President
Character Development
Lock-Up
Beginning a New Life
Offering a New Direction
Leadership
Re-Entry to Their Communities
From LOCK-UP to LEADERSHIP:: The Caseworker
The Straight Ahead Ministries Caseworker is an integral part of
the re-entry and transformation process. The Casework process
begins when the youth leaves lock-up, returns to their community, and wants to choose a new life, but does not have the
resources, ability, or know-how to make it a reality.
A Caseworker maintains a caseload of 20-25 youth. With each
youth, they build a strong and supportive relationship that enables them to have the hard, but necessary, conversations. Working in partnership with the court system and youth services, the
Caseworker creates an Individual Service Plan (ISP) for each
youth and works with them to develop a vision for their life and
specify measurable goals in education, employment, housing,
health, faith, character, and community service.
The Caseworker meets individually with their youth several
times a week, reviews progress, and builds relationships with
the youth’s support network (family, probation officers, teachers,
attorneys, etc.). Additionally, during the week, the Caseworker
attends Bible Study and Chapel with their youth and spends time
spiritually mentoring them one-on-one.
A Caseworker must have a strong Christian character, a desire to
share their faith with others, and enjoy working with youth.