Alliance For Children And Youth Communities In Schools Of Gaston C

The mission of communities in schools (cis) is to surround students with a community of support empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. For well over a decade in gaston county, and for nearly 40 years across the nation, cis has provided successful drop-out prevention programming at public school sites. By showing communities how to coordinate their public, private, and non-profit resources, kids can get the help they need, where they need it. Some examples of the activities held at cis sites are: school supply drives, after school homework clubs, career fairs, community service, mentoring, lunch and reading buddies. Each cis program surrounds young people with a community of health and mental health care providers, career counselors, tutors, mentors, lunch buddies, classroom and homework club volunteers, and other caring adults who can help them prepare for life.

Community outreach program: the goal of the community outreach program is to reduce criminal and gang involvement with youth that gang involved or potentially gang involved. It is part of the gaston county gang initiative, and receives referrals from juvenile court, law enforcement, and gaston county schools.

Implemented in 1998 and funded by the gaston county juvenile crime prevention council, the juvenile restitution program supervises court ordered first time offenders, under the age of 17, while they work to pay their debt to their victims. This work occurs in various locations around the county like the ymca, dhhs, and gaston county parks & recreation departments. Typical work activities are cleaning or picking up trash while supervised by a caring adult. Being held responsible for their actions convinces 96% of the youth to never re-offend.