CleanSlate Inc.

 TEEN & TEEN PARENT SUPPORT GROUP

WATTS & CRENSHAW GROUPS

 The TPSG is a direct outreach service for those teen parents who have been recommended by the probation department for Parenting/Life skills/Counseling Services and financial literacy and Advocacy. For many of the Parents involved in the program they have only encountered oppressive or punishment oriented programs that do not take their life experience and reality into account.

 This program is a series of ten-week courses that are psycho-educational in its design. We recognize and understand the powerful effects of poverty on this population. We are always working towards leveling out the hierarchy. We know that this is not an easy program for these young parents to attend. They have transportation issues, child care issues and poverty issues. Many find that the program, for the first time recognizes and validates their daily struggle to get to the many places they must go as part of a system that has failed them.

 We developed a program that believes in the power of incentives. We provide “on time” diapers so that the parent will begin to do things that place the child as the priority. We provide food so that the parent doesn’t have to sit through another program hungry. We provide bus tokens so that the transportation issue is acknowledged we also provide food gift cards so that they may purchase much needed nutritional foods for themselves and child.

 We discuss topics that are relevant to the parent in their lived reality. We talk about and provide child proofing items. We talk about the power of non violent discipline and work at deconstructing the ideas of punishment and fear being the best way to raise a child. Relationships and the effects of poverty are woven throughout the entire ten weeks.  The participants while mandated by the probation department still have choice and we know they are working very hard to get to the site. We first discuss how they got there so that we, as clinicians do not lose site of the struggles they encounter.

 Our first series was about getting ready for baby both emotionally and environmentally. The second series was about life skills and how to be present for the baby and be prepared for the many changes life will put in your path. We also included a class about working with authority figures and getting messages across without getting frustrated and overly aggressive with people or systems that have power over their future. The third series is about financial Literacy and becoming aware of the realities of managing money and the many traps that can be waiting for them in their community.

 We are now getting the Teen Parents of Watts and Teens in Crenshaw ready to face the world with knowledge of systems and services. We believe that through financial and academic empowerment poverty can be a thing of the past.

 These youth are from the Kenyon Juvenile Court system. The Probation Department and the court have been very supportive of this program by allowing us access and using these courses to provide the counseling that was mandated by the court. We hope some of you will want to get involved in this amazing transitional program.

 The start date for our Financial Literacy/Advocacy Program is June 26 2006. We are doing this work in collaboration with the Kenyon Probation and Juvenile court on 76 & Central.

 We have started a Financial Literacy/Community Advocacy course in the Crenshaw District that has teens learning about the pitfalls of credit and disregarding payments due to creditors. These young adults are on their way to becoming motivated in the financial aspects of life. We believe poverty is violence and this is our effort to turn the tide on the cycle of poverty and violence.

 The courses cost an average of $5,000 per ten week course. We hope the Good people at your company can provide funding for two courses. One will be conducted in Watts the other in Crenshaw. The classes are made up of 15 to 20 teens. We have also started a teen group that is a Teen Talk Group that is facilitated by MFT interns.