The choice program at umbc proposes to have 50 americorps members who will provide community based intensive case management services focusing on educational engagement and increasing employment…

The choice program at umbc proposes to have 50 americorps members who will provide community based intensive case management services focusing on educational engagement and increasing employment opportunity for youth and their families in the baltimore-washington metro area and the greater philadelphia region in pennsylvania. At the end of the first program year, the americorps members will be responsible for providing educational, vocational, and community-based support to youth with outcomes including: 330 economically disadvantaged students improving academic engagement or decreasing criminal involvement, 90 economically disadvantaged youth increasing vocational knowledge and skills, and 120 youth at risk of foster care placement remaining in their homes and with their families. In addition, the americorps members will leverage an additional 70 volunteers who will be engaged in providing afterschool programming at two universities, two public schools, and assist with developing vocational opportunities for youth in the program. This program will focus on the cncs focus areas of economic opportunity and education. The cncs investment of $40,000 will be leveraged with the nearly $3.6 million in other resources that the program has secured, including over $3.2 million in local and state funds and $375,000 in private funds.