Straight Ahead Ministries

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.