It is our core belief that there is a strong correlation between a young man or woman graduating with a quality education

and his or her employability level. About 28,000 Georgia students fail to complete high school each year and a state audit suggests the Department of Education (DOE) is aggressively
identifying ways to reduce drop-out rates. In fact, Georgia spent more than $600 million in the year 2000 on programs aimed at students at risk of dropping out of school. That amount has increased. The State of Employment and Education Attainment in Georgia The unemployment rate in Georgia has been on the rise. A struggling economy has increased the rate of Georgians applying for unemployment insurance by record numbers a 40% jump during First Quarter 2001 alone. Data for 2010 has not been that much better. Remarkably, research has shown that Georgias unemployment rate has remained at a level about 15 percent below the national rate. In August 2001, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Georgias unemployment rate as being around 4%. However, the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001 has made Georgias employment future uncertain with a surge of economic slowdowns and mass layoffs. Even though 2012 statistical interpretations of the economy indicate that there are some indications that there are improvements , these interpretations do not generate faith among graduating seniors. At the present time, Georgia sits squarely near the bottom in comparison to student performance on the SAT in other states.

The Youth Empowerment Project, Inc. (YEP) has an existing tutorial practice, but a growing number of students and parents are requesting more instruction in the areas of standardized testing and meeting entrance requirements for post-secondary institutions as well as jobs. We have answered the call by creating the BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP Program, a pilot project that will provide standardized testing instruction and long-range career advisement and mentoring to young men and women referred to the agency by community stakeholders.

Unfortunately, too many young men and women ill-prepared to get a job turn to crime as a means of economic sustainability. While
unemployment rates by level of education attainment consistently place Georgia below their national counterparts, it is our goal to enhance the academic levels and employability of our youth to help keep our employment rates on the rise. Currently, the employment landscape appears bleak even for those who have work experience and is particularly discouraging to those who look to an uncertain job market upon graduating in 2010 and beyond. Unfortunately, one of the effects of increased levels of poor education and unemployment is a relative increase in crime another area that this initiative will combat. The YEP BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP is created to better prepare young men and women 14-21 years of age for more alternatives beyond high school regardless of market fluctuations. On a more positive note, the number of seniors going on to some form of post-secondary education is increasing each year. We desperately need to foster this trend by accommodating even more students and encouraging them in areas that will ultimately help them become more marketable candidates for employment. One of the goals of the YEP BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP Initiative is to boost standardized testing scores and increase students possibilities for admittance into post-secondary institutions. And, for students interested in entering the workforce directly upon graduation, our program can also prepare them for any occupational testing they may be presented as a condition for employment.

Solution
The Youth Empowerment Project, Inc. (YEP)
The Youth Empowerment Project, Inc. (YEP) has developed an aggressive pilot project called the BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP that is designed to improve the collegepreparatory and occupational testing skills of Georgias youth.

Its a fact BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP

Purpose of YEPS BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP

The intentions of the YEP BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERSHIP Initiative are outlined below:

Increase the number of Georgia young men and women participating in the SAT/ACT. Improve standardized testing scores. Provide educational tools to succeed in the working world. Prepare students for post-secondary citizenship. Provide character development. Expose young men to career education. Prepare offenders for the future socially, academically and emotionally. Allow offenders enough time to reach their standardized testing potential. Encourage entrepreneurship (a component of the program will include offenders creating a business plan/executive summary. Successful business leaders will be invited to share their thoughts and experiences relevant to building a business).

The YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECT, INC. will provide standardized testing instruction, long-range career advisement and mentoring for offenders over the course of sixweeks. Offenders within a court-system will be pre-tested to determine developmental needs as it relates to educational and career planning. From there, they will receive personalized instruction that will ensure their success on tests used for placement and promotional purposes and entry into a post-secondary institution or job immediately upon graduating, as is appropriate.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES

ACADEMICS REDUCE CRIME REDUCE UNEMPLOYMENT ENCOURAGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Providing offenders with a well-rounded course in standardized testing to help boost scores by delivering solid instruction in logic reasoning, English and Math. Preparing offenders to be employed in a job that will support self and family. Providing advanced instruction in a safe, clean, comfortable environment. Preparing offenders to enter the workforce or higher education by providing each individual with an opportunity to learn social and basic academic skills.

Evaluation Plan*
YEP has a systemic process Process Evaluation -Qualitative Outcome Evaluation -Quantitative
Specifically, progress in the YEP Blueprint program also will be determined by tracking the participants achievement of identified goals in 5 basic areas: education, employment, crime system data, personal enrichment and program participation/attendance. Program participants progress will be tracked up to one year upon completion of the program.

The YEP Blueprint Project Manager will collect data and prepare a project report analyzing the success rate of the program. The YEP Blueprint advisory board (which will include student participants and their families if possible) will review findings and provide additional analysis and recommendations.