The math is simple: College graduates earn much more over their lifetimes. Putting college within reach of young people and empowering them to succeed can and will break the cycle of poverty.
Young people can get college and career support through Children’s Aid at four high schools and two community schools in New York City. The goal of the College and Career Access and Success program is to make post-secondary pathways (college and/or career) attainable for young people immediately after high school graduation. Through participation in four program components – Exploration, Exposure, Experience, and Preparation – young people will be more likely to perceive themselves as part of a college-going culture, will make informed decisions about the type of postsecondary opportunity they choose, and will be more likely to succeed in their chosen path.
Program Pillars
Exploration
Classes and workshops that help participants to gain knowledge and build skills in areas related to college and career success and to explore their own talents and interests in the context of traditional and non-traditional career pathways.
Exposure
Engagement with representatives from colleges and universities and career pathway programs including visits to campuses and opportunities to better understand “college life.”
Experience
Hands-on opportunities to gain knowledge and build skills in a career field of interest through paid internships, youth employment programs, and other world of work opportunities.
Preparation
One-on-one mentoring to support the college and/or career pathway program application and enrollment process.
College and career success
The goal of the College and Career Access and Success program is to ensure students persist in a post-secondary pathway. Participants will learn about time management, financial management, financial aid, self-advocacy, how to access on- and off-campus resources, how to interact with professors, and much more. With the support of the Children’s Aid College and Career Access and Success staff, students will be supported academically, financially, and socio-emotionally.
Scholarship
The Children’s Aid Scholarship program awards more than $100,000 in scholarships to more than 50 Children’s Aid graduating seniors and college students every year, providing young people with additional financial support needed to enroll and succeed in a post-secondary pathway. Each award is intended to cover a portion of the student’s educational expenses, including tuition, living expenses, books, required fees, and much more.
Persistence
Children’s Aid Success staff will build relationships with students who have graduated from a Children’s Aid school, center, and/or program. Staff will support their success in their post-secondary pathway by providing high-contact support through the beginning of their freshman year to the end through Summer Bridge, 1:1 success advising, and career exploration.
